A Lakewood startup is at the center of New York City's Covid-19 response, as its UV technology will be used to disinfect the city's mass transit system.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced a pilot program this week in which Lakewood's PURO Lighting will partner to help disinfect public transportation for riders across New York.
PURO, which launched in 2019, has partnered with Orlando based company Violet Defense who developed high intensity broad-spectrum UV disinfection units that it says can rapidly kill up to 99.9% of viruses and bacteria and can reduce the growth of fungi such as yeasts and molds.
The pilot program will deploy approximately 150 dual-headed mobile devices across subway trains, buses and crew facilities in New York City.
"In this time of great uncertainty, New Yorkers need to feel safe and have the confidence to venture back into normal life," Webb Lawrence, co-founder of PURO Lighting, said in a statement. "We are extremely proud to be a part of the MTA's multi-layered approach to ensure their riders are entering a clean and safe environment."
After evaluating the effectiveness of the trial, the pilot's second phase will expand to Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North.
"This is a first of its kind pilot when it comes to transportation agencies around the world and we are proud to be a part of it. For nearly three months, the MTA has worked relentlessly to disinfect our entire fleet of subways and buses but we've always promised that we would explore any and all new approaches available to us as well," said MTA Chairman and CEO Patrick J. Foye in a release. "The launch of this UVC pilot represents a promising next step in our ongoing efforts to identify technologies that can keep our customers and employees as safe as possible."
In addition to partnering with the MTA, PURO units have been implemented in hospitals and urgent care clinics, hotels, manufacturing facilities, universities, police departments, fire departments and fitness centers throughout the United States.
The company recently partnered with Breckenridge Grand Vacations Resorts, a family of resorts that has over 800 units under management in Breckenridge, to install UV lighting fixtures in all of its properties.
