Intercept Technology Packaging from Liberty Packaging Is Anti-Microbial Agent
Copper-based Intercept Technology(TM) packaging for circuit boards is an easy fix to ensure better health in hospitals, nursing facilities and the workplace.
In March 2007 the Biohealth Partnership Publication "Lowering Infection Rates in Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities" stated: "Many bacteria, known to be human pathogens, cannot survive on copper alloy surfaces. The number of live bacteria drops from several orders of magnitude to almost zero on copper alloys in a few hours. In marked contrast, virtually no reduction in the number of the same harmful pathogens is seen on stainless steel during a six-hour test period."
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has now approved the registration of antimicrobial copper alloys with public health claims. These claims acknowledge that copper, brass and bronze are capable of killing harmful, potentially deadly bacteria. Copper is the first solid surface material to receive this type of EPA registration, which is supported by extensive antimicrobial efficacy testing.
The Bell Labs' invented Intercept Technology(TM) packaging materials are made with plastics and copper. The copper is reacted into the polymer matrix where it cannot migrate or slough off. The Intercept packaging's initial purposes are to provide short and long term corrosion protection, coupled with permanent Electrostatic Discharge protection. With these newly published laboratory studies, Intercept packaging materials can be considered a passive mildewcide and an active anti-microbial agent able to eliminate dangerous bacteria and spores.
Because industry is global and many goods are shipped to and from humid and warm locations, where bacteria can readily breed on products and cross-contaminate people across the world, precautionary measures should be taken. A study of nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infection in the UK showed significant bio-burden load on equipments' circuits and boards coming in from Asia. This life could then easily be spread when the board was inserted into a system and the cooling fans turned on. The study showed the cause of microbiological life growing on the boards was food residue left during manufacturing; fingerprints and/or tape adhesive are also know to be a cause. The simple act of installing and using these boards can easily result in the spread of various microbes in the work place, or in hospitals, wherever the boards and systems are being used. If Intercept had been used as the packaging, and Intercept's copper "backbone" protected the boards, it's a good bet there would not be microbes living and breeding.
Contact Liberty Packaging Co., Inc., at 800-776-5756 for more information. www.libertypackaging.com
