Many people are using UV disinfectants to help prevent the spread of Covid 19. Health Canada is currently reviewing the UV devices and wands that are on the shelves. Not only have these things not been tested, but they may not even live up to their hype. Additionally, they may do more harm than good.
Consumer UV wands are designed to kill microorganisms that are on surfaces. However, Pest Products Control Acts have stated that these products are not designed to prevent the spread of any disease. Health Canada and the PCPA have only approved UV product, which is Dyson humidifier for killing germs.
Health Canada Is Clear
Health Canada has sent a letter out to Marketplace. They stated that they have made it clear that no other UV product can be used to sterilize or disinfect a surface or product. However, UV devices and wands have been making their rounds since March 2020. The cost of these products can range from $20 to a few hundred dollars.
Marketplace has purchased several of these UV devices from the brick and mortar stores. It is not legal to distribute, import or manufacture a product that has not been approved by PCPA. People who are caught doing this can be fined up to $500,000. They could also spend up to three years in prison.
The Products Don’t Live Up to Their Hype
The UV devices and wands on the market claim that they can kill 99.9 percent of the viruses and bacteria. This includes Covid 19. James Malley is a professor of civil and environmental engineering. He works at the University of New Hampshire. He stated that many of the products on the market do not claim the level of disinfection that they claim.
Many of the products that claim to kill 99.9 percent of germs only kill 50 to 80 percent of the germs. Interestingly, the products that worked the best were the ones that cost the most. You get what you pay for. Human error can also impact the effectiveness of the UV devices.
