Lind Equipment's Apollo UVC LED System Scientifically Proven to Effectively Kill SARS-CoV-2

MARKHAM, ON, Dec. 9, 2020 /CNW/ - Lind Equipment, a world leader in UVC LED decontamination technology, announced today that their newly developed Apollo UVC LED system has been proven to kill the SARS-CoV-2 virus -- the first Canadian-designed UVC LED system proven effective against the virus that causes COVID-19. The development paves the way for rapid, portable decontamination of shared spaces such as medical facilities, long-term care homes, and high-traffic public spaces, all at the flick of a switch.

Western University's ImPaKT lab tested the Markham, Ont., company's Apollo UVC LED system and found that, at a dose of only 10mJ/cm², the Apollo UVC LED system killed at least 99.99% of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The system is already being deployed by the Canadian federal government in their workspaces.

"We are excited to bring rigorous scientific methods to show that this Apollo UVC LED can effectively kill the COVID-19 virus. Use of this product to decontaminate enclosed spaces or surfaces could have an important impact on the pandemic." said Eric Arts, Executive Director of Western University's ImPaKT Lab and Canada Research Chair in HIV Pathogenesis and Viral Control at Western's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. ImPaKT is the only facility of its kind in Canada and houses sophisticated imaging technology within CL2+ and CL3 containment labs, providing researchers and industry with the tools to understand how viruses and bacteria behave in different environments.  

Lind's UVC LED lights can be mounted on a wall, hung from a ceiling or arranged on panels or stands. They plug into a standard outlet, can be turned on or off instantly and come standard with a 360^o microwave sensor to protect people that come too close to the UVC light. The lights can decontaminate surfaces and air in minutes, making them suitable for daily use in such settings as construction, retail, gyms, restaurants, offices, classrooms, aircraft and public-transit vehicles.

In addition to being a proven method to kill SARS-CoV-2, the Apollo UVC LED system is extremely flexible and can be incorporated into other devices to provide different form factors and intensity levels to meet specific industry needs.  The Apollo UVC LEDs have no bulbs to break or glass to shatter, and they can be arranged in a virtually unlimited way to deliver the exact dose needed.  While other UVC decontamination products rely on outdated and mercury-containing bulb-based technology, the Apollo UVC LED system is more durable, flexible, and energy efficient.

Lind Equipment is the first Canadian designed UVC LED system proven to be effective against the virus that causes COVID-19, an achievement that was not lost on Sean Van Doorselaer, CEO of Lind Equipment: "We've always said that 'Design Matters' here at Lind Equipment, and so when we sought to be helpful in fighting this pandemic we strove to build a powerful and flexible UVC LED system that could be the engine in a whole host of virus-killing solutions."

To put these results in context, a standard 50W Apollo UVC LED decontamination light can reach the 10mJ/cm² dose required to kill 99.99% of SARS-CoV-2 within 30 seconds at a two-foot distance and in less than 8 seconds from one foot away. Alternative designs using the Apollo UVC LED system can scale up or down from there depending on the requirements. 

"This test verifies that our Apollo UVC LED decontamination system can be a powerful tool to kill SARS-CoV-2 whether in the air or on surfaces.  This proven strong performance will allow many industries to make their shared spaces safer both in this pandemic and beyond as they look to a broader infection control mandate." said Brian Astl, President of Lind Equipment.

In June, the Canadian government selected Lind's Apollo UVC LED technology for the Innovative Solutions Canada COVID-19 Call for Proposals. The Apollo Light was the first innovation approved in the call for "automated sanitization and remote sanitization tools for a variety of applications or settings to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 or other infectious diseases." The ISC program provides Canadian made innovations to government bodies looking for new solutions to problems. The Apollo UVC LED system is currently deployed in several applications within Global Affairs Canada. 

"Our Government is investing in businesses and researchers that are contributing to the fight against this pandemic. We look forward to continuing our work with Lind Equipment and their Apollo UVC LED decontamination technology to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and safety of all Canadians during this pandemic."

– The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

The Apollo UVC LED system can be deployed across many applications and form factors.  The design of the system is such that the intensity and range of the UVC can be quickly altered for the decontamination problem it is solving.  Lind Equipment has developed the Apollo UVC LED system into decontamination conveyors, retrofit kits for locker decontamination, and a casino chip cleaner to name a few. 

In addition to its own suite of Apollo branded UVC decontamination products, Lind Equipment has worked with other businesses to create specific solutions for their unique needs. Examples of these original equipment manufacturer (OEM) uses of the Apollo UVC LED system include the CleanBot™ UVC decontamination robot designed by CrossWing (a leader in autonomous robots) and the CleanRide UV-C™ patent pending vehicle decontamination system from Team Eagle (a leader in equipment and software for airfield management and maintenance). 

"We are thrilled to be working with fellow Canadian company, Lind Equipment, in the delivery of our Cleanbot™ UV Disinfecting Robot using Lind's ultra-high efficacy Apollo UVC LED Decontamination Light system, to eradicate SARS-CoV-2 from in-facility surfaces at breakthrough price points." said Stephen Sutherland, President and CEO, CrossWing Inc.

Additionally, the Apollo UVC LED decontamination light has been granted numerous special honours, including a Pro Tool Innovation Award for Workplace Safety, and an Excellence Award for Innovation in Industrial Hygiene at Canada's Safest Employers Awards.

About UVC Decontamination

Ultraviolet (UV) light is a form of light, invisible to the human eye that exists on the electromagnetic spectrum between x-rays and visible light. We are exposed to low levels of UV light from the sun's rays every day, although much of the UV energy is absorbed by the ozone layer.

There are 3 types of UV light: UVA, UVB and UVC. While UVA and UVB wavelengths reach the surface of the Earth, UVC light is blocked by the ozone layer.  Recreated on Earth using technology like the Apollo UVC LED system, UVC light uses short-wavelength ultraviolet radiation to effectively kill microorganisms by penetrating the cells and damaging the nucleic acids within. This renders bacteria and viruses inactive and unable to survive. 

About Lind Equipment

Lind Equipment is a leading manufacturer of UVC LED decontamination lighting, portable LED lighting, hazardous location and industrial work lighting, portable power, static grounding, and GFCI products.  With over 70 years of experience providing products for industrial and hazardous locations, Lind Equipment is trusted on some of the toughest jobsites in the world.  Lind's expertise and robust design makes it the supplier to construction sites, oil refineries, mining companies, and general industry.  Lind's extensive line of portable electrical products can be seen on its website at www.LindEquipment.net.

About ImPaKT

Housed at Western University in London, Ontario within the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The Imaging Pathogens for Knowledge Translation (ImPaKT) Facility is a one-of-a-kind facility combining PHAC certified containment level standards (CL2+ and CL3) with advanced in vivo imaging modalities. ImPaKT Facility features barrier-enclosed imaging scanners and instrumentation which will allow researchers to develop tools and methods to better understand the progression of infectious diseases, identify efficacious antimicrobial agents, develop diagnostic reagents to characterize hidden reservoirs of pathogens, and for the early and accurate detection of infections.

SOURCE Lind Equipment

For more information and for executive interview requests, please contact: Dina Wilson, Marketing Specialist, Lind Equipment, Office: 905-475-5086 x 237, Email: [email protected]