American paint giant Sherwin-Williams' new product - Paint Shield - can effectively kill over 99.9 percent of disease-causing and infectious bacteria on painted surface after two hours of exposure. Paint ShieldTM is the ideal paint for facilities that require walls to be visibly clean such as hospitals, healthcare and senior communities and day care.
The new bacteria-busting paint can eliminate MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), Staph (Staphylococcus aureus), Enterobacter aerogenes, VRE (Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis) and E. coli (Escherichia coli).
Test protocols done with the United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that the paint's bacteria-killing capability can last four years providing that the surface integrity is preserved. Paint Shield's patented technology is the result of extensive studies conducted by veteran microbiologists and the company's coatings scientists at their Cleveland headquarters.
In the U.S., Infections in healthcare settings are viewed as one of the top causes of avoidable deaths. Sherwin-Williams hopes to address this concern with a product that kills bacteria within two hours of contact.
Paint Shield is packed with quaternary ammonium compounds or "quats". Their positive charge attaches well to microorganisms and dissolves the bacteria's cell walls. Antimicrobial paint from other manufacturers make use of additives to prevent the spread of bacteria which prevents them from corroding the paint. Sherwin-William's Paint Shield stands out by killing the bacteria, not just containing it, explained Steve Revnew, the company's product innovation senior vice president.
While quats are not new, the product is considered an innovation because this is the first time the compounds were able to be suspended in paint. Revnew added that the paint has successfully passed third-party tests for safety certification and health claims confirmation. Like normal paint, Paint Shield can be applied on non-porous surfaces using normal rollers and paint brushes.
"Paint Shield is one of the most significant technological breakthroughs in our nearly 150 year history of innovation," said CEO Chris Connor.
Paint Shield will soon hit the shelves of more than 4,000 Sherwin-Williams stores in the U.S. and come in 590 colors including the popular eg-shel coat. The paint will come with a tag price of $84.99. The company's interior paints start at $29.99 and can go as high as $79.99. Its store debut is expected within 2016's first quarter.
