Paint Designed to Kill Bacteria
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2015
Sherwin-Williams is billing its latest product offering as “one of the most significant technological breakthroughs” in its nearly 150-year history.
Called Paint Shield, the new product is described as the first Environmental Protection Agency-registered microbicidal paint that continuously kills difficult-to-treat, infection-causing bacteria after two hours of exposure.
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| Photos: Sherwin-Williams |
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The new coating offers medical facilities a new tool to help in the fight against the spread of hospital-acquired infections, according to Sherwin-Williams. |
By killing infectious bacteria on painted surfaces, the product offers healthcare facilities and other environments a new weapon to combat the spread of bacteria that can cause hospital-acquired infections, the Cleveland-based coating manufacturer said in a product release announcement Wednesday (Oct. 28).
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, healthcare-associated infections are one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the U.S. and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately one in 25 U.S. patients contract at least one infection during the course of their hospital care.
How it Works
Paint Shield relies on proprietary patented technology developed after extensive research and collaboration between Sherwin-Williams coatings scientists and expert microbiologists, the company said.
It is formulated with “a well-studied and highly regarded quaternary ammonium compound called Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride, or ‘quat,’” according to Steve Revnew, senior vice president of product innovation for Sherwin-Williams Americas Group.
Revnew told The Plain Dealer that the chemists were able to successfully suspend and stabilize the compound in the paint without compromising the paint’s integrity.
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Paint Shield will be available in 590 color options at a cost of $84.99 per gallon. |
The new paint is designed to kill greater than 99.9 percent of Staph (Staphylococcus aureus); MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus); E. coli (Escherichia coli); VRE (Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis); and Enterobacter aerogenes after two hours of exposure, according to the company.
The EPA determined that once Paint Shield is applied, the effectiveness lasts for up to four years, as long as the integrity of the surface is maintained, Sherwin-Williams reported.
Applications, Features
The product can be applied via brush or roller on interior hard, non-porous ceilings, walls, doors and trim.
It is recommended for use in a range of settings, including healthcare facilities, athletic facilities, schools, day care centers, senior care communities, residential housing, hospitality settings and cruise ships, the company notes.
Paint Shield will be available in 590 colors at a cost of $84.99 per gallon.
The company says the new paint will be available for purchase in Sherwin-Williams stores throughout the U.S. beginning in the first quarter of 2016.
More information: www.sherwin-williams.com.
Tagged categories: Antimicrobial coatings; Coating chemistry; Coating types; Coatings Technology; Coatings Technology; EPA; Facility Managers; Health and safety; Health Care/Hospitals; Performance testing; Research and development; Sherwin-Williams; Specialty functions; Specification
