Teck Partners to Test Germ-Killing Copper on Vancouver Transit
11 November 2020 - 8:13AM
Teck Resources Limited (TSX: TECK.A and TECK.B, NYSE: TECK)
("Teck") today announced it is partnering with TransLink, Vancouver
Coastal Health, VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation, Coalition for
Healthcare Acquired Infection Reduction (“CHAIR”), and the
University of British Columbia to test antimicrobial copper
coatings on high-touch transit surfaces on buses and SkyTrain in
Vancouver, B.C.
Copper alloy surfaces are naturally antimicrobial
with self-sanitizing properties, with research showing that these
surfaces eliminate up to 99.9% of harmful bacteria and viruses.
This project is the first of its kind on a transit
system in North America and the latest in Teck’s ongoing efforts to
promote the use of antimicrobial copper surfaces in healthcare and
public spaces through its Copper & Health Program.
The pilot project, fully funded by Teck, will run
for an initial phase of four weeks with various copper surfaces
installed on two buses on high-ridership routes and two SkyTrain
cars. An organosilane surface preservative will also be tested that
has the potential to control and/or prevent the growth of
microorganisms on treated surfaces.
“We are proud to be working with all the partners
on this important pilot project to expand the use of antimicrobial
copper in high-traffic public areas and prevent infections,” said
Don Lindsay, President and CEO, Teck. “Through the Copper &
Health program, Teck has been partnering with healthcare
professionals, academia and others for years to help make
communities safer. This pilot builds on those efforts at a critical
time as the world works to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”
“This project builds on preceding research and will
increase our understanding of the effectiveness of copper in
killing organisms on frequently-touched surfaces. Positive findings
will then be used to study the impact of copper on bacteria and
viruses such as COVID-19 and norovirus,” said Dr. Marthe Charles,
Medical Microbiologist at Vancouver Coastal Health. “This
holds future infection control benefits not only for the public in
their travels but for healthcare workers and patients who navigate
their medical journey at Vancouver Coastal Health and beyond.”
“We’re proud to be the first transit agency in
North America to pilot this industry-leading technology and I look
forward to working closely with our project partners. We’ve been
carefully examining new ways to ensure transit is one of the safest
public spaces throughout the pandemic. The risk of COVID-19
transmission on transit remains extremely low and this initiative
will only bolster our comprehensive cleaning and disinfection
protocols which are already in place. Any findings from this pilot
project will be shared with our fellow transit agency colleagues
and other industries which may be able to use this emerging
technology,” said Kevin Desmond, TransLink CEO.
“Our Foundation plays a vital role in funding
innovation through medical research in BC. Donor funding has played
a role - here in BC and globally - to accelerate our understanding
of the COVID-19 virus and its transmission. This project will
leverage the expertise of Vancouver Coastal Health’s Infection
Prevention & Control team to determine the public health
benefits of copper in reducing transmission of COVID-19 and other
viruses. We are grateful for the partnership of Teck and
TransLink to make this very special “made in BC” research project
possible,” said Angela Chapman, President & CEO, VGH & UBC
Hospital Foundation.
"CHAIR Canada has the privilege of being able to be
the project manager for this exciting and innovative transit
project that has great potential to make a lasting difference in
many facets of daily life for the public. We are a non-profit
organization that emphasizes technologies and strategies such as
copper alloys that make a major difference in air, water and
surface contamination. We work with leading Canadian and
international healthcare and industry organizations within the
context of these key themes: Collaborate, Investigate, Innovate,
Educate, Advocate and Research," said Richard Dixon, CHAIR Canada,
Chairman & Chief Technology Leader.
Click here for a video of the pilot.
Click here for photos and b-roll of the pilot.
Teck is a significant producer of copper and is
focused on growing its copper production through the construction
of the Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 copper project.
About Teck’s Copper & Health
Program: Through its Copper & Health program, Teck is
working with partners across Canada and beyond to increase the use
of copper-infused surfaces in healthcare and public spaces to
reduce the spread of infections. When installed on high touch
surfaces, copper is a proven killer of bacteria and viruses,
reducing the spread of infection and improving health outcomes.
There is no commercial benefit to Teck from the increased use of
antimicrobial copper as the amount of metal needed is very small;
the goal of the program is to improve health and safety for
communities.
For more information about the role of
antimicrobial copper, the Copper & Health program, and other
examples of copper in action, please visit
www.coppersaveslives.com.
About TeckTeck is a diversified
resource company committed to responsible mining and mineral
development with major business units focused on copper,
steelmaking coal and zinc, as well as investments in energy assets.
Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, its shares are listed on the
Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols TECK.A and TECK.B and the
New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TECK. Learn more about
Teck at www.teck.com or follow @TeckResources.
Teck Media
Contact:Chris StannellPublic Relations
Manager604.699.4368chris.stannell@teck.com
Teck Investor Contact: Fraser
PhillipsSenior Vice President, Investor Relations and Strategic
Analysis604.699.4621fraser.phillips@teck.com
TransLink
Media contact:TransLink Media Relations E:
media@translink.ca
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