Long Clean Surface, developed by Ferrovial, has successfully passed the firts phase of the tests designed to ascertain its efficacy against coronavirus and its high degree of persistence. The tests were performed by the project research team at top-class laboratories under strict safety conditions because the coronavirus strains used in the tests are highly infectious.
The disinfectant is part of the CD Clean project, an initiative of the European Union to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in collaboration with institutions from a number of European countries and with the participation of EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). The project is also supported by the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), an agency of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology.
Long Clean Surface differs from conventional disinfectants mainly in that it adheres to surfaces, enabling places to remain free of the virus for a long time. The product represents a sustainable, ecological alternative that could help reduce the use of conventional cleaning products, whose chemical residues accumulate in wastewater and which have a negative environmental impact. This new technology is also proving useful as a biocide that eliminates micro-organisms with similar characteristics to SARS-CoV-2, which causes the COVID-19 infection.
It is the outcome of over eight months of work by a team comprising chemists, biologists and engineers, applying technology that Ferrovial has been developing for several years in the field of infrastructure maintenance. The result is an effective product that can be mass-produced at a viable cost and is generally applicable to public spaces.
The solution has been tested in recent months on a range of surfaces, including glass, stainless steel, stone, textiles and plastics. It has also been tested in ZITY carshare vehicles, and in the Greater Barcelona Area and Barcelona’s mass transit system, Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona.
The plan is to begin marketing the product in 2021, as a function of demand.
The development of this solution is further evidence of Ferrovial’s firm commitment to combating the pandemic, shown also in other initiatives such as the “Ferrovial Juntos COVID-19” fund, which to date has distributed €8.7 million for healthcare equipment, research and social assistance in Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, Chile and Portugal.
Ferrovial also participated in other initiatives, such as setting up a temporary hospital at the Madrid convention center, and developing the “CoronaMadrid” website and app, along with other companies, in partnership with the Madrid Regional Government, to facilitate patient diagnosis and tracking to avoid saturating the healthcare facilities and reduce the numbers requiring emergency care. It also installed drive-in testing centers in the Balearic Islands.
