BCIT and Teck Resources Limited announced the installation of more than one thousand antimicrobial copper patches on high-touch surfaces at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) in Burnaby, B.C., the first installation of its kind at a post-secondary institution in Canada.
Funded by Teck through its Copper & Health program, the installation creates a safer environment for students, faculty, and staff due to copper’s naturally antimicrobial properties.
Health Canada-certified Copper Clean Antimicrobial Surface Patches have been installed in public areas on surfaces including door handles and railings across five buildings at BCIT. Manufactured by the Canadian company Coptek Copper Covers, the patches are self-sanitizing adhesive copper covers that continuously kill 99% of bacteria left behind on surfaces.
This initiative follows a five-week trial that Teck funded in 2020 in which the antimicrobial properties of copper products were tested on two TransLink buses on high-ridership routes and two SkyTrain cars. Results from that industry-leading trial showed that copper is effective at killing up to 99.9 per cent of bacteria on high-touch transit surfaces.
Copper is the only solid metal touch surface registered by Health Canada and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, proven to eliminate up to 99.9 per cent of bacteria left behind on surfaces.
“We are proud to partner with BCIT and commend the institute’s leadership on this initiative which creates a safer environment for students and staff. As part of our Copper & Health program, Teck has been working to expand the use of antimicrobial copper in high-traffic public spaces. This partnership is another important step forward and we will continue working to make our communities safer.” said Don Lindsay, President and CEO, Teck.
“We commend Teck’s efforts to both spread awareness and further our mission of making the world a safer place by expanding the use of antimicrobial copper. Through this innovative partnership, BCIT is putting health and safety at the forefront and helping to make our communities safer.” said Louis Goldberg, Founder, Coptek Copper Covers.
