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Separating fact from fiction: biocide claims Your guide to separating manufacturer myth from scientific fact
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Separating fact from fiction: biocide claims “As antimicrobial drugs get stronger, and their use more widespread, bacteria’s resistance to antibiotics gets stronger and more widespread too, which can lead to untreatable bacteria, known as “superbugs”.” World Health Organisation The World Health Organisation warns against excessive use of anti-microbial technologies, as they will contribute to the likelihood of antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” becoming more widespread.
That’s quite sobering, isn’t it? There are indeed a lot of claims made around
Antimicrobial = an agent that kills
biocides, bacteria and viruses. Are you confused
microorganisms or stops their growth
and don’t know what to believe or who to trust?
Microorgannism = a microscopic organism,
Some manufacturers are deliberately using
especially bacteria or viruses
terminology to confuse, as they try to
Biocide = a chemical that destroys or inhibits
substantiate claims – don’t fall for it!
the growth or activity of living organisms
Let’s start by getting some things clear. What
Bacteriostat = a substance which kills bacteria
does it all mean? Know your definitions!
Antibiotic = antimicrobial substance active against bacteria Antibacterial = tending to prevent the growth or spread of bacteria Antiviral = compounds specifically made to inhibit the growth and spread of viruses
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Know your bacteria from your viruses. They are NOT the same • Antimicrobial does not automatically mean antiviral • Fact = while the term “antimicrobial” includes
• “Antimicrobial” is being used as a marketing buzzword by some manufacturers. There are
viruses, products claiming to have antimicrobial
currently no antimicrobial technologies in
properties are not always antiviral. That means
floors that are proven to kill COVID-19.
they won’t automatically protect you against viruses
Misleading manufacturer marketing myths – Challenge! Challenge! Challenge! • If a manufacturer claims that their products
• Some companies talk about the performance of the
include additives that can disable viruses,
chemicals or additives in their products which kill
specifically COVID-19, ask for proof: request
bacteria and share results from the supplier who
certified test results. These claims are often
makes those additives. Seems reasonable? No it’s
intentionally misleading and deceiving
not. These have often only been tested before they
• Some companies even use results for feline
are added to the PVC product mix. The suppliers
coronavirus, which only affects cats, to
even admit that there is no evidence at present that
imply protection against COVID-19
the chemicals or additives perform in the same way when added to products or surfaces. What you need to see is the performance of that additive in the product you are buying – don’t settle for anything less, you could be putting people at risk if you do!
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It’s the 0.1% of all known germs you should worry about… • We all remember the claims about 99.9% of known germs being killed by strong cleaning fluids.
• Bacteria are good at evolving to overcome biocides and the World Health Organisation
Scientists now say that it is the remaining
has identified antimicrobial resistance as a
0.1% of bacteria that is the long-term
major risk to human life as antibiotics fail to
risk factor
be effective
The rise of the “superbug” – it’s a mutant success story • Superbugs form where biocides do not entirely
Not convinced? Scientists at Harvard Medical School
destroy the more ‘competitive’ bacteria (often
demonstrate this very vividly in a two-minute video
those associated with serious health problems)
where they show how fast bacteria evolve to become
• If you don’t stringently follow hygiene processes,
resistant to even the strongest antibiotics…
they can remain in contact with the biocide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plVk4NVIUh8&t=3s
over an extended period of time
They conclude: “Ultimately, in a dramatic demonstration
• This close contact between the bacteria and
of acquired drug resistance, bacteria spread to the
the chemical, designed to kill it, creates an ideal
highest drug concentration. In the span of 10 days,
environment in which the bacteria can mutate
bacteria produced mutant strains capable of surviving a
and develop antibiotic resistance, producing
dose of the antibiotic trimethoprim 1,000 times higher
more dangerous, antibiotic-resistant bacteria
than the one that killed their progenitors.”
Specifying bacteriostats? Superbugs will love you for it! • You could be helping to accelerate the evolution and mutation of particular strains of bacteria if
• These in turn could accelerate the development of superbugs
you increase the use of antibacterial products such as antibiotics and bacteriostats
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Why is it dangerous to rely on biocides? • Relying on the infection control capabilities
• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
of products containing biocides can lead to
Prevention (CDC) say human health is best
complacency, in the mistaken belief that the
ensured through proper cleaning practices,
biocide will replace the need for effective
such as wiping down surfaces with soap and
cleaning, with the result that cleaning regimes
water before treating them with a disinfectant
are relaxed in areas where hygiene is critical • At the outset of COVID-19 the WHO advice was for people to wash their hands to prevent the spread of infection. This is not a new message. The WHO have been promoting good hand hygiene as the most effective way to limit the spread of diseases such as MRSA and E Coli
So are biocides really needed in vinyl floors? • Vinyl is naturally hygienic – no additives are
• Vinyl is suggested for use as a standard for the
required, compared to other materials such as carpet
transport industry because of its inherent hygienic
which give bacteria and viruses a safe haven
and safety properties, as well as a far more
• Vinyl is inert and does not encourage the growth of bacteria in the way some natural materials do
effective cleaning record compared to carpet • Used in floors, vinyl is highly durable, non-porous, non-shedding and has very high impact resistance; preventing the cracks and chipping that can trap bacteria
Listening to the scientists - why we avoid the use of biocides • As a responsible manufacturer, we base the
• We maintain that the hygienic design of our
decision to not use biocides on science and
materials, the ingredients from which they are
the health trends we see around the world
made, and the system they provide is sufficient in
• We strongly believe that the long-term overuse of these chemicals contributes to long-lasting health and environmental problems
combating viruses and other microorganisms when combined with proper cleaning and disinfecting • Antimicrobial technology should be used sparingly. Best practice has been to limit the use of these additives to high risk surfaces like grab rails and door and stop buttons
When was the last time you ran your hand over your floor or wall? Recently? We thought not. We believe it’s unnecessary to
We are the inventors of safety flooring and the
include biocides in low risk surfaces like these and their
manufacturer with the most stringent safety
overuse can lead to an increase in the spread of resistant
information regarding our products. Altro have the
pathogens as well as the overall risk of infection.
knowledge and expertise to guide our customers through from specification to installation and beyond. It is crucial that with every project you know the full facts from a trusted and experienced manufacturer.
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How can I trust Altro products’ hygiene credentials? Proven hygienic system. Guaranteed • Altro have been supplying the NHS for 35 years,
adding any chemicals to our products that
and we’re proud to extend this expertise in
replaces the recommended cleaning guidelines
creating hygienic spaces to all the industries
that can be found here www.altro.co.uk/Support/
we operate in, including transport
Technicaldocuments/Cleaning-and-maintenance
• Altro products are steam cleanable with high chemical resistance for disinfecting floors and walls (tested with up to 1,312 chemicals for proven performance)
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• Our tests showed that there is no ‘short cut’ of
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Samples If colour choice is critical, please request a sample of the material 01462 707600 samples@altro.co.uk
Altro Limited, Works Road, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire SG6 1NW 01462 707600 ,
enquiries@altro.com
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Content correct at time of going to print. Altro reserves the right to change any detail. Š Copyright Altro 2020
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BIOCIDES TRANS UK 08/20