Disinfecting PPE for reuse, recycling

Returning to in-person experiences in February: for more information. Engineering prof Bill Anderson works with NZ researchers to reduce COVID-19 shortages, waste A professor at Waterloo Engineering collaborated with researchers in New Zealand on the development of a method to disinfect personal protective equipment (PPE) for reuse or recycling. Bill Anderson, a professor of chemical engineering, lent his expertise on disinfection using ultraviolet light to a multidisciplinary effort triggered by a shortage of PPE early in the COVID-19 pandemic. "This collaboration with New Zealand researchers was a timely and beneficial way to bring together a diverse set of expertise, research laboratory resources, and healthcare needs," said Anderson, who helped with experiment design, methodologies and data interpretation. Led by researchers at the University of Auckland, t'he team tested UV light and dry heat for disinfecting clinical PPE. Its initial findings were published this month in the journal Pathogens. Results showed UV disinfection was not reliable on the irregular surfaces of PPE, but that dry heat was effective.