IUVA Submits Comments, Offers Expertise, to Address the Science of the Proposed Legislation

In February of this year, a bill was introduced to the California State Senate, SB 1308: Ozone: indoor air cleaning devices, that would require the California Air Resources Board to adopt regulations for indoor air cleaning devices to limit ozone emission concentrations to 5 ppb, replacing the current limit of 50 ppb; and to ban the sale or the offering for sale in California of devices that exceed the 5 ppb emissions limit, even if previously certified.

That proposed bill has been pulled and will not be moving forward.

In response to the bill, the International Ultraviolet Association collaborated with industry, academia, and others to submit two comment letters opposing, unless amended, the bill; and in addition, the IUVA offered the responsible senate committee the opportunity to engage and discuss the science of UV technology.

In its submissions, the IUVA reviewed the proven ability of UV devices to substantially reduce the risk of disease transmission associated with airborne and surface-associated pathogens, in a manner that presents minimal risk to human health. The IUVA commented that the bill would have likely eliminated the use of Far UVC technology in California, a technology with the potential to become an important, safe, tool for reducing the risk of hospital-acquired infections, surgical site infections in healthcare facilities, and infections in various other public settings. In addition, it was pointed out that the concentration of indoor ozone is largely associated with outdoor air that is brought into an indoor space by the use of conventional heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, therefore warranting further research.

IUVA members interested in developing the group’s regulatory educational outreach are encouraged to email Gary Cohen with IUVA.

2024 IUVA SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

Purpose:

To aid in the nurturing and growth of the next generation of UV industry leaders.

Eligibility:

• Any undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in an accredited university/college science, technology, engineering, or mathematics program.
• A current member of the IUVA in good standing.

Scholarship Awards:

Three, $2,500 Awards

• Awards delivered in 2 annual installments of $2,500 each
• Includes: A travel stipend to IUVA Regional Conference, IUVA Symposium, or IUVA World Congress, whichever is happening that year, to present their work
  
  

APPLY BY APRIL 25

The International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA) is pleased to announce that Ted Mao, Chief Technology Officer, Evercloak, has assumed the role as President of the group for a two year term. Ernest (Chip) Blatchley, Purdue University, has been named President-Elect; and Jennifer Osgood, with CDM Smith, is now immediate past president--with each serving to help lead the IUVA Executive Operating Committee and Board. IUVA members elected a slate of officers and new board members at their biennial World Congress, held in September, 2023 in Dubai, UAE.  

Additional Elected Executive Operating Committee Officers include:

• Richard Joshi, Evoqua, Secretary
• Gary Hunter, Black and Veatch, Treasurer
• Ron Hofmann, University of Toronto, co-VP Americas 
• Oliver Lawal, AquiSense Technologies, co-VP Americas 
• Kumiko Oguma, The University of Tokyo, VP Asia 
• Hadas Mamane, Tel Aviv University, co-VP EMEA 
• Ian Mayor-Smith, University of Brighton, co-VP EMEA

In addition, the IUVA elected a slate of new Board members, including:

• Dianne Poster, National Institute of Standards and Technology
• Curtis Donskey, Prof. of Medicine at Case Western Reserve
• Kate McPhaul, Univ. of Maryland Public Health Aerobiology Lab
• Ran Yin, The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology
• Ashish Mathur, UltraViolet Devices, Inc.
• Dan Spicer, Light Sources Inc.
• Hadas Mamane, Tel Aviv University
• John Maiyo, The University of Memphis
• Mengkai Li, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences

With rapid advancements in UV technology, IUVA volunteers have established over 10 working groups to help address how UV technology may help address public health and environmental concerns.

The IUVA Young Professionals Committee is proud to announce the winners of the 2023 IUVA Scholarship awards. The purpose of the IUVA scholarship program is to aid in the nurturing and growth of the next generation of UV industry leaders---with undergraduate and graduate students encouraged to apply.

2023 IUVA Scholarship Winners

Loris Busch, Center of Experimental and Applied Cutaneous Physiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Loris is a PhD student in the field of skin physiology and pharmaceutical technology. His PhD thesis combines the fields of pharmacy and medicine with aspects of chemistry, physics and biology. He is currently working on the application of UVA LEDs for targeted drug release from nanocarriers for the disinfection of hair follicles. His approach combines the use of far-UVC LED systems which are used for skin surface disinfection, and his goal is to pave the way for improved surgical disinfection and wound antisepsis without provoking the development of multi-resistant pathogens.

Isobel DeMont, Centre for Water Resources Studies at Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada

Isobel is a PhD student focusing on UV-LED-based advanced oxidation processes in drinking water treatment, specifically UV-LED/Chlorine. Isobel’s goal is to assist drinking water utilities experiencing challenges due to emerging climate-driven pollutants, such as taste and odor compounds and cyanotoxins. Further, Isobel is passionate about sustainability in engineering and hopes her work with UV-LEDs will help push the drinking water industry towards more energy efficient designs.

Daniel Ma, The Ohio State University

Daniel Ma is currently a PhD candidate in Civil Engineering (expected May '24) at The Ohio State University advised by Dr. Natalie Hull. Daniel's current research focuses on optimizing UV wavelengths to enhance disinfection and suppress bacterial DNA repair and developing alternative energy UV disinfection technology for off-grid applications. The goal of his research is to promote access to safe water for people living in rural and remote communities.

Each scholarship winner receives a $5,000 cash award, plus a travel stipend to join us at the IUVA 2023 World Congress.

Please join us to celebrate our award winners at the upcoming IUVA World Congress, September 10-13, 2023, InterContinental Dubai - Festival City in Dubai, U.A.E. The event program is posted and registration is now open for the event.

The International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA), has created a new Task Force dedicated to UV Disinfection of Surfaces in Pharma Industry Cleanroom Environments.

UV light is an established alternative to chemical disinfection, and this group will help facilitate ongoing discussions within the Pharma industry to share knowledge, industry proposals, research data, and pilot results. The IUVA Task Force plans to assemble a comprehensive summary of the current state-of-knowledge related to UV use in Pharma for clean room applications as a replacement for chemical disinfectants. This document will then serve as a starting point for further work and define research and regulatory priorities.

Learn more about UV technologies and IUVA at the 2023 IUVA World Congress, September 10-13, in Dubai. The event features technical presentations on the latest UV technologies and applications, as well as an exhibition showcasing UV disinfection solutions.

For more information on the New Pharma Industry Task Force, please contact info@iuva.org, in c/o our Task Force Chair, Susan Schmidt, Roche/Genentech.

2023 IUVA SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

Purpose:

To aid in the nurturing and growth of the next generation of UV industry leaders.

Eligibility:

• Any undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in an accredited university/college science, technology, engineering, or mathematics program.
• A current member of the IUVA in good standing.

Scholarship Awards:

Three, $5,000 Awards

• Awards delivered in 2 annual installments of $2,500 each
• Includes: A travel stipend to IUVA Regional Conference, IUVA Symposium, or IUVA World Congress, whichever is happening that year, to present their work
  
  

APPLY BY MARCH 31

Government, Academia, Industry Meet to Advance UV Technology Through Collaborative Thought Leadership
 
With more than 260 attendees from over 15 countries, the International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA) America's Conference presented advancements in technology, research and applications to improve public health and the environment. The event, held in late September in Cincinnati, Ohio, targeted engagement from a wide range of stakeholders. "The IUVA Conference aimed to foster collaboration between government, academia and industry, as we develop technology solutions to address some of our most pressing global concerns in water safety, and ongoing pandemic and public health issues," says Jennifer Osgood, a Senior Vice President at CDM Smith and President of IUVA.
 
The event offered a practical and instructional workshop on process validation, efficiency, performance and safety of UV applications for water, air, surfaces, and food. Conference presentations included sessions on the emergence and increasing use of UV light emitting diodes (LEDs), case studies on UV implementation, and a special gathering of the IUVA United Nations Clean Water Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Task Force. The event concluded with the IUVA Healthcare Task Force leading a special interactive discussion on the latest trends in germicidal ultraviolet irradiation technologies (GUVI) for healthcare. This discussion featured representatives from the federal government, NGOs, academia and industry--with updates on infectious diseases, and a dialogue on GUVI in the context of looking ahead to the next ten years. The GUVI discussion targeted the need for business, in the ever-changing public health landscape, to connect with NGOs and government agencies for technical and policy advice and assistance.

The event also included strong student representation, with the IUVA America's Jim Bolton Student Awards presented to Nathan Moore, University of Toronto; Karlye Wong, University of Toronto; and Anthony Pimentel, University of Colorado Boulder.

The Global Lighting Association (GLA) and the International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA) have signed a memorandum of understanding to co-operate on ultraviolet disinfection technology – also known as ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, or UVGI.

UVGI air disinfection technology is an established method for reducing infection risks caused by a wide range of contagious airborne diseases such as measles, influenza and tuberculosis. Increasingly it is also recognized as a key tool in reducing the level of indoor air contamination posed by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The memorandum of understanding provides the mechanism for the GLA and IUVA to co-operate in a number of key areas, including:

• joint submissions and other approaches to organizations responsible for establishing ultraviolet disinfection standards and protocols

• joint activities to promote credible information on the application and benefits of UV-C for disinfection of airborne pathogens

• sharing expertise on safety, performance and effectiveness of ultraviolet disinfection technologies

• consultation on health and well-being matters for people in buildings.

GLA Contact:

Bryan Douglas
Secretary General
info@globallightingassociation.org

IUVA contact:

Jennifer Osgood
President IUVA; Senior Vice President, CDM Smith
info@IUVA.org

About the Global Lighting Association

The Global Lighting Association is the voice of the lighting industry on a global basis. GLA shares information on political, scientific, social and environmental issues of relevance to the lighting industry and advocates its position to relevant stakeholders in the international sphere. See www.globallightingassociation.org.

About the International Ultraviolet Association

The mission of the International Ultraviolet Association is to advance the science, engineering & application of ultraviolet technologies to enhance public health, the quality of human life & to protect the environment through education, research, collaboration and advocacy. IUVA has over 500 members in more than 40 countries. 

November 2, 2021 - 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM EDT (Eastern US)

Moderator: Dr. Tatiana Koutchma, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada / Government of Canada

REGISTER NOW

Speakers:

• UVC Tunnels and Conveyor Belts, Dr. Danny Bayliss, Campden BRI
• Air Treatment in Food Processing Facilities, Dr. Jaromir Bilek, Jenton Group
• Water Treatment Solutions to Reduce E Coli and Listeria in Food Applications, Molly McManus, Aquisense Technology

Interest in ultraviolet-C (UV-C) irradiation as a strategy for decontaminating surfaces in the health care environment has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. But with a lack of standards and regulations surrounding the technology’s implementation, consistent safety and efficacy is no guarantee. In response to the growing need for guidance, the Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published a Special Section on Ultraviolet Technologies for Public Health in collaboration with the International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA) following a joint workshop on this critical topic for public health in January 2020.

The open access publications that make up the section describe new applications of UV-C technology and detail methods of characterizing how physical and biological materials respond to UV radiation — necessary information for establishing UV standards. Several of these standards are now under development as the result of industry collaborative efforts between IUVA and the Illuminating Engineering Society.

The lineup of papers in this section spans microorganism sensitivity to UV-C, decontamination of N95 respirators and other personal protective equipment, UV-C doses produced by different light sources, and several other critical topics. Additional publications will be added to this section later this year.

The data and protocols provided here represent a valuable resource for researchers in health care and the UV industry and lay critical groundwork toward standardization of UV technologies.

Visit the Journal of Research of NIST to explore the special section.