Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110
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Although I’ve not as yet been able to find anything on the companies’ websites, I’ve been reading a lot over the past few days about a new system of aircraft cleaning that at first glance appears to be based on the ‘ultraviolet light’ automatic room cleaning & disinfecting systems that are proving successful in hospitals, which we’ve been covering in Cleanzine for some years.
Like hospital patients and visitors, air passengers are often carrying viruses and other nasties of which they’re unaware, that can quickly spread from one person to another and do particularly well in busy areas and confined spaces. And like those responsible for allocating patients their hospital beds, the airlines face incredibly quick turnarounds, so cleaning needs to be thorough and effective as well as ultra-fast.
This new method could fit the bill and although it may well cost the cleaners their jobs, those involved could hopefully be retrained in something they might find more rewarding and less stressful. Having seen the disgusting mess in which some of my fellow-passengers leave their seats and surrounding areas, I can imagine that the cleaners will be delighted not to have to deal with it any longer!
The automated system, which uses UV organic LED (UV OLED) disinfection lights to kill harmful bacteria on dirty surfaces, would be activated once the passengers and crew had left the aircraft and would shut down automatically if someone opened the aircraft door. It would be delivered via disinfection lights installed along the floor and near the overhead cubicles and lights above the seats. The technology could also be installed on a roll-out mat or cart that could be wheeled into the empty cabin.
According to the reports I’ve read, details of the technology were revealed in a recent patent filing by California-based MAG Aerospace Industries, which is owned by French company Zodiac Aerospace.
The application pointed out that airlines often don’t have enough time to clean cabin surfaces and that the cleaning may simply involve rubbish removal and general tidying – and that sanitising would generally be out of the question.
It will be interesting to see how this one develops…
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Yours,
14th April 2016