It sounds like a line from a horror movie, right? Unfortunately, this remains a real concern for many people surrounding the possibility of contraction of virus SARS-CoV2, more commonly referred to as COVID-19. Similar to most environmental dangers, COVID-19 is not visible to the naked eye. The CDC recommends routine disinfection of high traffic areas and frequently touched surfaces for protection against the virus. An essential part of every decontamination procedure is selecting the appropriate disinfectant. A-Tech has compiled useful information from the EPA on disinfectants that are effective against SARS-CoV-2.
EPA’s Six Steps for Safe and Effective Disinfectant Use Against COVID-19
- Check the product’s label for EPA registration number to ensure it is registered.
- Read the product instructions for safe application and specific “surface” uses.
- Pre-clean the surface with soap and water. Clean gross contamination.
- Follow proper contact time, as listed on the EPA’s “List N”.
- Wear PPE. Properly dispose of contaminated gloves.
- Store the disinfectants in a safe place away from children.
Where to Find EPA-Registered Disinfectants
Refer to “List N” on the EPA’s website to find EPA-Registered Disinfectants that meet the EPA’s Criteria for use against COVID-19. To use the list, simply find the EPA registration number on the product you want to know more information about. Then, check to see if it is on EPA’s list of approved disinfectants. Common active ingredients in the list of EPA registered disinfectants include:
- Quaternary Ammonium
- Sodium hypochlorite
- Isopropyl
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Ethanol
- Sodium dichloro-S-triazinetrione
- Hydrochloric Acid
Ensure Proper Contact Time
Once an EPA-registered disinfectant has been applied to a surface or item, follow the proper contact time as indicated on the EPA’s List N chart. Not adhering to proper contact time will result in failure to properly decontaminating a surface. Most contact times are dependent on active ingredient and may range from 30 seconds to 20 minutes.
According to the EPA, surface disinfectant products in List N were selected based on two criteria.
- Demonstrated effectiveness against a harder-to-kill virus
- Demonstrated effectiveness against another type of human coronavirus similar to SARS-CoV2
A-Tech is Here to Help
Still have questions about making high traffic surfaces clean? Here at A-Tech, we are helping facilities all over Southern California by producing Decontamination Scopes of Work for SARS-CoV-2 and verifying disinfection procedures. If you want to have peace of mind that your workplaces are clean and safe for your employees and clients, A-Tech has services to assist you.
- Project-Specific Scope of Work: Development of specific cleaning and disinfecting procedures for environmental surfaces based on the intended purpose of the surface or item.
- COVID-19 Post-Disinfectant Verification: A-Tech can provide written verification to support a lack of presence of COVID-19 by conducting a post-cleaning/decontamination screening. Screening results are obtainable within minutes via Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) and within two days for PCR analysis.
A-Tech is available to assist you anywhere in the greater Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego County, and Inland Empire areas during this COVID-19 pandemic and all your environmental needs!
References
https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/how-does-epa-know-products-list-n-work-sars-cov-2
https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2020-04/documents/disinfectants-onepager.pdf
