UV-C Disinfection Technologies Must be Integrated in EU Renovation Plans
LightingEurope launches an UV-C expert group that promotes the benefits of UV-C disinfection technologies and stimulates market demand and fair market access in Europe. The technology has been proven to deactivate, without exception, all viruses against which it has been tested. LightingEurope is advocating the installation of UV-C disinfection technologies as part of the EU Renovation Wave and the application and enforcement of existing safety rules and standards.
UV-C is an established technology for disinfection and has been applied extensively since 1910 when it was found to be an effective tool in preventing the spread of disease.
UV-C is used to disinfect water, air, and surfaces in industrial, commercial, medical, public and residential environments and it can provide significant benefits to combat COVID-19.
“Our challenge is to switch regulator’s perception of UV-C beyond special applications to mass market solutions for buildings and transport, where the concentration of human activity raises the risk of contamination,” says Lionel Brunet, President of LightingEurope. “As LightingEurope, we have the responsibility to engage in UV-C as part of our actions to renovate lighting. Our aim is to educate authorities and the market on the industry guidelines and standards already in place and to promote the uptake of UV-C solutions.”
Within its first 3 weeks of activity in this area, LightingEurope has already published a Position Paper on the benefits of using UV-C disinfection to combat COVID-19 and is reaching out to European regulators.
LightingEurope calls on:
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The European Commission to include in the EU Renovation Wave a clear reference to the installation of UV-C disinfection technologies,
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Members State authorities to include in their national renovation and climate plans the installation of UV-C disinfection technologies and
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Market Surveillance Authorities to ensure existing rules are applied and enforced correctly.
LightingEurope fully supports the publications of the Global Lighting Association on this topic: UV-C Safety Guidelines providing guidance on the safe use of UV-C products and Germicidal UV-C Irradiation: Sources, Products and Applications with an overview of the applications of UV-C disinfection technologies.
- For further information on this topic, please contact Ourania Georgoutsakou, Secretary General, ourania.georgoutsakou@lightingeurope.org.
