Public transit buses in London, Ont., may see a massive boost in on-board air quality before the end of 2021, assuming a proposal heading to the London Transit Commission (LTC) on Wednesday gets approved.
The proposal surrounds an air purification system that was created by United Safety and Survivability Corporation (USSC) that aims to address air quality concerns brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a report attached to the proposal, USSC’s system is based on an indoor air quality technology that’s referred to as a photohydroionization cell, “which produces continuous low dose airborne hydroperoxide (H2O2) generated via UV catalytic advanced oxidization technology.”
Independent third party testing showed the system resulted in the “99.9% inactivation of SARS CoV2 within the occupied space in the air and on surfaces,” according to the report.
The report added that a similar level of effectiveness was also found against H1N1, Avian Flu, MRSA, E. coli, mold and carcinogens virus.
Installation costs for the system are pegged at $4,420 for a 40′ bus and $8,840 for a 60′ bus. Retrofitting the LTC’s entire fleet would cost $1,189,422, however this cost would be covered by already existing COVID-19 relief funding.
USSC estimates the LTC’s entire fleet could be retrofitted before the end of 2021, according to the report.
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“I’m pretty excited about it,” said Ward 6 Coun. Phil Squire, who also serves as the chair for the LTC.
“One of the things I learned through COVID from passengers over and over again was that although we had taken steps to protect our drivers from viruses by putting in plexiglass (barriers), they wanted to know what we were going to do for passengers.”
The report suggests USSC’s system works against against a number of viruses, rather than only SARS CoV2, and Squire said this could create benefits that linger beyond the pandemic.
“We’ve got to really resell transit, we’re coming out of a time period when transit has just been crushed by COVID and our ridership numbers are way down,” Squire said.
“If we can reassure people that for the balance of COVID, however long that lasts, we’re going to be providing protection… I think that’s good from the point of view of pushing the LTC as a really safe way to travel.”
The LTC chair is expecting to see the air purification system receive support from his fellow commissioners when it’s up for debate on Wednesday.
Squire is also confident in USSC’s prediction that all LTC buses could be retrofitted with the systems before the end of 2021.
“We’re going to be very enthusiastic about this one.”
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