These two states were the last in the nation to approve the sale of Antimicrobial Copper products. Many states had already given approval after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2008 registered 275 copper alloys (that number has since been increased to 355), including brass and bronze, as public health antimicrobial products.

A copper medical cart is one of many products that could stop the spread of bacteria in hospital settings.

But other states, including California and New York, had a more rigorous process. Regulators wanted additional information about the supply chain and how the products could be traced, if needed. The CDA helped provide information the state regulators requested to make their decision in favor of Antimicrobial Copper product sales. We’re proud to be a part of the ongoing effort to stop the bacteria that cause HAIs in health-care settings with Antimicrobial Copper.

Antimicrobial Copper alloys are the only class of solid materials registered with the Environmental Protection Agency to continuously kill more than 99.9% of disease-causing bacteria within two hours, including MRSA and VRE. They can be fashioned into a variety of products such as door handles, railings, IV stands, and more to kill bacteria between cleanings.

The final approvals from California and New York are important because HAIs continue to be a significant problem. Hospital patients have a one-in-20 chance of developing an infection and those who do have a one-in-20 chance of dying as a result. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that in the U.S., hospital acquired infections kill 100,000 people and cost $45 billion annually.

As awareness grows of copper’s unique ability to fight the bacteria that cause infections, our hope is that hospital officials will begin to incorporate Antimicrobial Copper products in their facilities. For more information about the benefits of Antimicrobial Copper products, contact me, [email protected].

Independent laboratory testing has demonstrated that when cleaned regularly, antimicrobial copper products kill greater than 99.9% of the following bacteria within two hours of exposure: MRSA, VRE, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and E. coli O157:H7. For a complete listing of approved EPA public health claims for antimicrobial copper, please visit www.antimicrobialcopper.com.

www.antimicrobialcopper.com.http://www.coppertalk.org/2012/02/07/state-approvals-will-lead-to-sales-of-antimicrobial-copper-products/