Signify launches EcoLink Air Purifier with UV-C technology in India

• Expands EcoLink brand to Air Purifier segment, offering dual benefits of purification and disinfection using HEPA filters and UV-C technology
• UV-C has been used for more than 35 years as a fast and effective disinfectant for air, water and surfaces
• In a test set up, EcoLink Air Purifier inactivated 99.99% airborne pathogens[1]

New Delhi, India: Signify (Euronext: LIGHT), the world leader in lighting, today launched its EcoLink Air Purifier with UV-C technology in India. This air purifier is designed to purify and disinfect air at the same time and is equipped with a HEPA filter and UV-C lamps. While the HEPA filters help purify the air by removing dust, pollen and other particulate matter, the UV-C technology helps to inactivate airborne pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2. UV-C is a well-established method of disinfection, used to prevent the spread of diseases by disinfecting air, water and surfaces. All bacteria and viruses tested to date respond to UV-C disinfection[2].

After expanding the EcoLink portfolio earlier this year by introducing a range of EcoLink fans, the company has now grown its footprint in the electrical goods segment by launching its air purifier in the country.

As per an air quality report released by a Swiss organization, IQAir, 22 of the 30 most polluted cities in the world, including 14 in the top 15, are in India[3]. Local sources of pollution such as vehicles, industrial emissions, construction and stubble burning result in high concentrations of PM_2.5 (ultrafine particulate matter with diameter less than 2.5 micrometers) in the air. Additionally, indoor air pollutants like dust mites, mold spores, bacteria and viruses can result in a wide variety of adverse health effects such as several diseases, headaches and respiratory disorders. Further compounding this problem is the current pandemic. A recent report in the medical journal Lancet[4] also highlights a consistent and strong evidence that the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes COVID-19 is also predominantly transported through air.

The EcoLink Air Purifier with UV-C technology provides an effective solution to this problem by offering dual benefits of air purification and disinfection. It follows a two-step process, wherein the air first passes through an H12 HEPA filter, that filters out dust, allergens, spores, pollen, pet dander and other particulate matter. Next, the hi-powered UV-C lamps inside the chamber emit UV-C radiation, inactivating all known bacteria, viruses and other microbes giving out pure and healthy air. The UV-C lamps are placed inside the HEPA drum which in turn also helps to inactivate microbes and pathogens that maybe trapped in the filter itself.

A single unit can purify a standard size room in just ten minutes[5]. The unit comes with a user-friendly and intuitive one-touch panel displaying fan speed, temperature and air quality index (AQI). It is safe to use, easy to maintain and has automatic indicators for UV-C lamp and HEPA filter replacements. The unit is available in a black or white version and comes in three sizes: small, medium and big, for efficient performance in a variety of room sizes. The UV-C technology used in the purifier has been validated by Boston University to effectively inactivate SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, as well as other bacteria and viruses[6].

Talking about the new launch, Sumit Joshi, CEO and Managing Director, Signify Innovations – South Asia, said, “With growing evidence about the air-borne transmission of COVID-19, we need to pay close attention to the quality of the air we breathe. While air purifiers can eliminate indoor air pollutants, the urgent need of the hour is a device that not only purifies air, but also disinfects it. We have leveraged our 35 years of expertise in UV technology to develop this device that addresses the growing need for air purification and disinfection in a world that is still reeling under the pressure of COVID-19. With this launch, we are reinventing the air purification category by adding a layer of UV-C protection against respiratory infections caused by air-borne viruses and bacteria including SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19.”

Signify has been at the forefront of UV technology for more than 35 years and has a proven track record in developing innovative UV-C disinfection solutions. UV-C breaks down the DNA or RNA of microorganisms including viruses and bacteria, rendering them harmless.