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Krakow tests UV technology for disinfection of public transport

Hoping this will prove be more efficient and effective against the spread of Covid-19

Krakow has begun testing new technology to disinfect tramways and buses in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. Starting Monday, 6 April, ultraviolet lamps have been tested as an alternative to other methods of disinfection, such as those based on chemical substances.

Searching for efficiency

Prior to this week, the transport operator MPK S.A. Krakow has been cleaning vehicles daily with other methods, paying particular attention to the places of the vehicles that are most commonly touched – buttons, handrails, handles, ticket validators and ticket vending machines. Now, instead of manually cleaning every single element, which takes a substantial amount of time, the ultraviolet lamps system is expected to be able to clean wider surfaces quickly and efficiently.

Several vehicles belonging to the fleet of the company have already been subjected to the new process. The innovation is trialled for the sake of passengers, with the objective of finding out what works best to protect them from the spread of COVID-19. Transport vehicles are the natural testing environment, due to the high number of people boarding them and touching various surfaces.

Top cleaning standards for public transport

The technology is provided by „Eko-Technika”. The company will be using in its „UVC Perun” sterilizers the same radiators which could be found, among others, in hospitals and treatment rooms and have proven effective in destroying bacteria and viruses. 

UV lamps with a wavelength of 254 nm are attached to the special constructions. Four sets with eight UV lamps have been installed to the NGT6 wagon at the tram depot in Podgórze. Due to the length of the wagon which is of 26 meters, it had to be disinfected in two stages.

First, the front of the tram was cleaned, including in the area of ​​the leading cabin. The first stage of the cleaning lasted just 7 minutes and was repeated for the second part.

As we informed previously, UV-based cleaning can prove more efficient compared to chemical methods, as it is faster and allows to disinfect spaces that cannot always be reached manually.

Źródło: https://www.themayor.eu/sk/krakow-tests-uv-technology-for-disinfection-of-public-transport