Lyon tests self-cleaning fabric on metro trains

A French company developed a tissue destroying viruses and bacteria in just one minute

Public transport is without a doubt among the riskiest environments for spreading viruses. This is especially valid now, with European cities returning to normality after months in isolation and with public transport regaining its usual occupancy rate. Hence, assuring a clean environment on public transport vehicles through an effective disinfection process is key to preventing new waves of Covid-19.

Innovative solutions for coronavirus-free public transport

Naturally, transport operators have tried different innovative solutions to reduce the health risks caused by the increased passenger flow – Krakow tested UV cleaning the compartments with special lamps, while Prague spays nano-polymers to rapidly destroy bacteria and other microorganisms.

Lyon, too, is considering its locally-born solution – a self-cleaning fabric used for seats which can eliminate the new coronavirus in just 60 seconds. The innovative product that is currently being tested on the metro trains on Line C is developed by French enterprise Trajet Aunde and has already attracted the attention of public and private companies and policy-makers.

Their fabric, explain Trajet, is revolutionary as at the end of its production an additional manufacturing process grants the textile disinfectant and decontaminating properties. This happens without water or moisture and turns compounds into harmless molecules, the company’s president Jérôme Blanc told Euronews.

“We have developed a totally innovative technology which gives the textile, once treated with titanium dioxide, the ability to destroy in just a minute polluting particles, organic volatiles, microparticles, bacteria and viruses, Coronavirus, H1N1, seasonal flu, Ebola, hepatitis… thanks to the principle of photocatalysis ”, explained Blanc quoted by LeParisien.

In seconds, the tissue can eliminate over 99,99% of the viral load, which drastically reduces the risk of transmission from one person to another. The self-cleaning process is triggered by UV radiation emitted naturally or from artificial light.

Furthermore, according to the company, the presence of this fabric significantly improves the decontamination of the ambient air since the surface coated with the textile destroys the particles in suspension. This decontamination process works for viruses, pollution and stains.

The Lyonnaise transport syndicate Sytral considers expanding the use of the new fabric of its other lines, should the current tests show promising results. The innovative solution can prove useful in other contact-intense public spaces like schools, hospitals, restaurants, cinemas, etc.