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TRANSFORM YOUR DISINFECTION PRACTICES WITH SHYIELD™

Blogs

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<div class="mb-3">SHYIELD® is a proud sponsor of <a href="https://www.growopportunity.ca/canadastopgrowers" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">“Canada’s Top Grower” Award</a> for 2019. With <a href="https://www.growopportunity.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Grow Opportunity magazine</a>, we want to shine the spotlight on some of the most outstanding and innovative cannabis growers across Canada. We would like to recognize the cannabis grower who shows deep understanding and knowledge of cannabis cultivation, demonstrates a strong work ethic and an ability to lead and innovate, possess a strong passion and commitment to the production of high-quality cannabis products and commits to the highest standards of cannabis growing practices.</div>
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<div class="detail-description">If you or someone you know has exemplified the above qualities of a cannabis grower, <strong>nominate them today!</strong> <a href="https://www.growopportunity.ca/canadastopgrowers-nomination" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.growopportunity.ca/canadastopgrowers-nomination</a></div>
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The search is on for the first annual Canada’s Top Growers in the cannabis industry

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<div class="mb-3">Hydrogen Peroxide purchased from a Drug Store is a 3% diluted solution (3% hydrogen peroxide, 97% water). Hydrogen Peroxide in this form is known to be very unstable with a relatively short shelf life. For years scientists have worked to find a way to include other ingredients in this water and hydrogen peroxide solution in order to increase stability and create a viable and effective product.</div>
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<div class="detail-description">Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide® (AHP®) is a formulation of Hydrogen Peroxide, surfactants and other inert ingredients which results in a stabilized and a dramatically more effective disinfectant and cleaner. AHP® (at the in-use dilution) has 1/6th the active ingredient compared to the drug store variety but results in better cleaning efficacy and faster germicidal performance.</div>
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What is the difference between Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide (AHP) and the Hydrogen Peroxide that can be purchased at a drug store?

Covid 19 Response

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<div class="mb-5">With news of the progressing COVID-19 pandemic dominating global headlines, it can be easy to lose sight of the basic things we already know will help keep us healthy. When it comes to preventing the spread of this disease in cannabis facilities, it’s crucial to double down on the simple infection prevention strategies that have stood the test of time. Here are some of the best things you can do to protect your team from COVID-19:</div>
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<div class="detail-title mb-3">HAVE A PLAN</div>
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Like most businesses, cannabis facilities may not have a plan in place for events like COVID-19. Infection prevention is a true team effort, and everyone at your facility has a role to play in creating an infection control protocol that works for your facility. This plan may include mandating that sick workers stay home and outlining how they will be compensated, ensuring that employees have access to hand sanitizers, and developing a schedule for regular disinfection of high-touch surfaces throughout your facility. Getting buy-in from everyone on your team will go a long way in ensuring that everyone is taking the appropriate precautions.

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<div class="detail-title mb-3">WASH YOUR HANDS</div>
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The importance of regular handwashing cannot be overstated. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are effective at killing germs on your hand, but they cannot be used as a replacement for handwashing. Using soap and water is required to actually clean and remove dirt and germs from your hands, and along with avoiding contact with sick people, is among the most important measures in staying healthy. Encourage your entire team to routinely wash their hands for at least 20 seconds throughout the day.

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<div class="detail-title mb-3">REGULARLY DISINFECT SURFACES AND EQUIPMENT</div>
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The virus that causes COVID-19 is known to survive on surfaces, and Health Canada recommends cleaning surfaces and objects to prevent this route of pathogen transmission.<sup>1</sup> While disinfecting surfaces within growing rooms is always important to prevent the transmission of plant pathogens, this human outbreak may call for bringing the disinfectants into other areas of your facility such as office spaces, hallways, and storage areas. In particular, high-touch surfaces should be disinfected on a regular basis. This includes your staff room and kitchen surfaces, desks, computer keyboards, mice, door knobs, light switches, and phones – these surfaces can harbour viruses, and easily spread them from one person to the next.

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<div class="detail-title mb-3">AVOID HARSH CHEMICALS</div>
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<div class="mb-4 detail-description">In the event of an outbreak such as COVID-19, there is a tendency to think that harsh chemicals are required for strong efficacy against a new virus. This is far from the case: coronaviruses are fragile pathogens which can be easily killed by most registered disinfectants. To kill coronavirus while protecting the safety of your team, select a disinfectant with broad-spectrum virucidal efficacy that is non-irritating at in-use solutions.</div>
<div class="mb-4 detail-description">As the creators of the Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide® (AHP®) technology behind SHYIELD™ Disinfectants, we have a long history of responding to disease outbreaks. The SARS outbreak brought awareness to the safety and efficacy of our technology, which was further validated by our widespread use in hospitals and more recently, on the Princess cruise ships dealing with this current coronavirus pandemic.</div>
<div class="mb-4 detail-description">We are confident that SHYIELD™ can play a role in helping your facility protect itself against this potentially devastating virus by offering safe, fast and environmentally responsible solutions that are approved by Health Canada for use against this emerging coronavirus.<sup>2</sup> SHYIELD™ pre-moistened disinfectant wipes are ideal for wiping down high-touch surfaces throughout your facility, while the concentrate can be used for mopping floors and covering other large surface areas.</div>
<div class="mb-4 detail-description">Although the current climate may be one of fear and uncertainty, it’s important to keep in mind that we can all take precautions to do our best to stay healthy. In times like these, implementing robust infection prevention throughout your facility is the best investment you can make. We’re here to help.</div>
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<div class="detail-description"><span class="font-weight-500">REFERENCES: 1. </span>Health Canada. Coronavirus disease(COVID-19): Prevention and risks. <span class="font-weight-500 text-underline word-break-all"><a class="police-blue" href="https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/prevention-risks.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/prevention-risks.html</a></span> <span class=""><strong>2.</strong> Health Canada. Hard-surface disinfectants and hand sanitizers (COVID-19): List of disinfectants with evidence for use against COVID-19</span> <span class="font-weight-500 text-underline word-break-all"><a class="police-blue" href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/disinfectants/covid-19/list.html#wb-auto-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/disinfectants/covid-19/list.html#wb-auto-5</a> </span></div>
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4 TIPS FOR COMBATTING CORONAVIRUS IN CANNABIS FACILITIES

Difference With Shyield

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<div class="mb-4 detail-description">Choosing a product to meet your facility’s cleaning needs can be difficult, and it can be
even more challenging to find one that meets all of your requirements for both cleaning
and disinfecting. While a disinfectant may be effective against germs, many fail to
effectively clean and remove soils from surfaces as well.</div>
<div class="mb-5 detail-description">Using multiple cleaning and disinfectant products can create a variety of unnecessary
risks to employees, plants and equipment.</div>
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<div class="detail-title mb-3">WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF USING MULTIPLE DISINFECTANTS?</div>
<div class="detail-description">Did you know that using multiple disinfectants can be hazardous? While it’s tempting
to think that using more products will get your facility cleaner, this can end up
creating unnecessary health risks to your employees. There are hazards if
disinfectants or cleaners are accidentally mixed or diluted improperly, which may
result in occupational health and safety issues. The less cleaner and disinfectant
products used, the lower the risk of incorrect mixing or usage.</div>
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<div class="detail-title mb-3">WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF USING COMPLEX, MULTI-DISINFECTANT PROGRAMS?</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">When using multiple disinfectants in your facility, improperly diluting can occur,
which can reduce the effectiveness of the disinfectant. Using multiple disinfectants
can also lead to confusion, which can have unintended health and safety consequences.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">If products are too complicated to use, or mixed incorrectly, employees can suffer
adverse health effects, costly damage and corrosion to equipment can occur, and the
overall plant health can become compromised.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">Also, in a program with multiple disinfectants, each designated for particular areas
or protocols, it can be easy to accidentally select the wrong chemical. With so many
risks associated with using complex, multi-disinfectant programs, making the switch to
an all-in-one product is a no-brainer.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">Thankfully, there is a simple way to avoid these problems!</div>
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<div class="detail-title mb-3">IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO TO MAKE KEEPING MY FACILITY CLEAN AND MEETING QUALITY
CONTROL REQUIREMENTS EASIER?</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">With SHYIELD™, a family of new one-step disinfectants, you’ll never have to worry
about the dangers of using multiple cleaning and disinfecting products again. SHYIELD™
and the entire family of products from Virox® utilize a patented technology known as
Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide®(AHP®).</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">With this all-encompassing environmentally friendly and non-toxic technology, you no
longer need to worry about making mistakes when using multiple disinfectants because
one product acts as both a cleaner and disinfectant to do it all in one easy step.
With simple and straightforward use directions that are specifically designed for the
cannabis industry, users can quickly see the benefits of AHP®, without the hassle of
excessive training.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">SHYIELD™ comes in both liquid and wipe formats for maximum convenience, and offers a
realistic contact time so that keeping your facility free of pathogens will be a
breeze. SHYIELD™ products are also the First Health Canada-registered disinfectants
specifically designed for use in cannabis facilities, which means that you can rest
assured knowing that your facility will meet and exceed industry regulations for
disinfection.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">Using AHP® products makes operating your facility easy and worry-free by reducing the
risk of human error and helping you avoid the risks of using multiple disinfectants.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">Besides being easy to use, AHP® products are non-toxic, unlike many common
disinfectants, and they are environmentally friendly, providing a socially conscious
alternative to traditional disinfecting agents.</div>
<div class="detail-description detail-small-text-description">The information presented in this website is not legal advice or a legal opinion, and it may not necessarily reflect the most current legal developments. You should seek the advice of legal counsel of your choice before acting upon any of the information in this site.</div>
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SWITCHING TO AN ALL-IN-ONE DISINFECTANT CLEANER: A NO-BRAINER

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<div class="mb-5 detail-description">SHYIELD™ disinfectants were formulated to kill tough pathogens that threaten the health of
your yield, including powdery mildew, grey mold, and fusarium. But in addition to this,
SHYIELD™ is also an excellent cleaner and can help you both clean and disinfect surfaces
throughout your facility in one single step.</div>
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<div class="detail-title mb-3">CLEANING AND DISINFECTION WORK TOGETHER</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">Cleaning and disinfection are both important steps in preventing the spread of both
plant and human pathogens. Cleaning is the process of physically removing dirt and
germs from the surface, while disinfection involves killing disease-causing
microorganisms. In cannabis production facilities, both cleaning and disinfection need
to work together, as disinfection cannot occur on a surface without a cleaning step to
get rid of dirt.</div>
<div class="detail-description">As a Health Canada-Registered one-step disinfectant, SHYIELD™ disinfectants can clean
and disinfect surfaces at the same time. SHYIELD™ is formulated with a package of
powerful detergents, which removes dirt residue and allows the disinfectant to kill
fungi, bacteria, and viruses. Many other disinfectants commonly used in the cannabis
industry do not have detergency properties, so surfaces would need to be pre-cleaned
with a separate detergent for the disinfectant to work properly.</div>
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<div class="detail-title mb-3">CLEANING RESIN WITH SHYIELD™</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">As you know from experience, the tools and surfaces used in cannabis production, such
as trimmers, scales, trays, and tabletops are often covered in resin, oils, and other
debris. As a one-step disinfectant, SHYIELD™ can be used to both clean the dirt from
these surfaces, and kill harmful microorganisms that may be present. This can be done
in a few simple steps:</div>
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<div class="detail-description mb-4">Use a dry cloth, brush or scouring pad to remove any major dirt from the surface
or instrument. This step should take place before any water or liquid cleaning
product is applied to the surface.</div></li>
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<div class="detail-description mb-4">Apply SHYIELD™ to the surface, by spraying or wiping with a microfibre cloth or pre-moistened wipe. Allow the disinfectant to remain wet on the surface for the length of the contact time.</div></li>
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<div class="detail-description mb-4">Rinse or squeegee the surfaces to get rid of excess liquid, or simply let the surfaces air-dry.</div></li>
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<div class="detail-description mb-4">With disinfectant chemicals that lack detergency properties, an additional step of cleaning the tools and surfaces with a detergent and water would be required, followed by a rinse to remove the detergent prior to disinfection. Choosing a one-step product such as SHYIELD™ goes a long way in keeping your process fast and convenient.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">Take a look at SHYIELD™ Disinfectants in action at <a target="_blank" class="detail-description-link-tag" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E687-r0ZmJ4" rel="noopener"> James E. Wagner Cultivation</a></div>
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USING SHYIELD™ TO REMOVE RESIN FROM TOOLS AND SURFACES

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          In your facility’s battle to prevent powdery mildew infections, cleaning and disinfection
          solutions for cannabis-licensed producer facilities are essential weapons in your arsenal.
          Powdery mildew infections in cannabis facilities are a bane of cannabis producers. It
          slows photosynthesis, resulting in less robust and unhealthy plants. Even more critical,
          powdery mildew is a hazard to the well-being of cannabis consumers and the reputation of
          your facility.
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          The fungi release spores that can be transmitted through air, water and by your personnel.
          The infection can also spread during the propagation stage, when the plants are most
          vulnerable to infections.
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            <div class="detail-title mb-3">THE CHALLENGE</div>
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              Unfortunately, your facility presents the perfect environment for powdery mildew to
              thrive. The humidity that supports your plants also stimulates the growth of the
              fungi. It is vital that you prevent the progression of powdery mildew before it can
              seize a foothold.
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            <div class="detail-title mb-3">CONTROLLING THE INFECTION </div>
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              When your staff wipes or mops without using a disinfectant, it can spread the spores
              around and increase the chances of infection. Disinfection is even more vital in areas
              where personnel may have encountered spores on their hands or clothing, or frequently
              come in contact with surfaces.
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              When you select your disinfectant, it is crucial to consider several characteristics.
              Products should adhere to
              <span class="text-underline font-weight-500"><a class='police-blue' href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-medication/cannabis/industry-licensees-applicants/licensing-summary.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Health Canada ACMPR guidelines</a></span> and
              OSHA for use in every area where pathogens may be present, including:
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                <div class="detail-description mb-4">Production</div>
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                <div class="detail-description mb-4">Processing</div>
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                <div class="detail-description mb-4">Testing</div>
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                <div class="detail-description mb-4">Packaging</div>
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                <div class="detail-description mb-4">Clean rooms</div>
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              You must be able to ensure proper disinfection of any sources of contamination such
              as:
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                <div class="detail-description mb-4">Floors</div>
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                <div class="detail-description mb-4">Ceilings</div>
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                <div class="detail-description mb-4">Work surfaces</div>
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                <div class="detail-description mb-4">Both automated and handheld equipment</div>
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                <div class="detail-description mb-4">Storage areas</div>
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                <div class="detail-description mb-4">Lighting fixtures</div>
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          <div class="detail-title mb-3">CHOOSE YOUR WEAPONS CAREFULLY</div>
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            While it is essential that your disinfectant be effective against fungi, it should not
            affect the health of your plants or your staff. You should choose a product that is not
            toxic, corrosive or irritating and leaves no active residue.
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            SHYIELD™ One-Step Disinfectant, based on Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide®(AHP®), can meet
            and exceed every requirement for disinfecting your facility. SHYIELD™ disinfectant
            solution can maintain wet on a surface long enough to achieve disinfection and guarantee
            effectiveness. This technology has a broad spectrum of activity against bacteria,
            viruses and fungi and continues to remain effective in areas where organic debris may be
            present, such as growing rooms. In addition to being tough on pathogens,AHP® has lowest
            toxicity rating and will not harm equipment or surfaces.
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            AHP® is also biodegradable and doesn’t persist in the environment, allowing your
            disinfection program to achieve the perfect balance between efficacy and both personnel
            and environmental safety. By choosing SHYIELD™, you are making a greener and more
            sustainable choice for the environment!
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DOES YOUR FACILITY’S INFECTION PREVENTION PROGRAM HELP PREVENT POWDERY MILDEW INFECTIONS?

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<div class="mb-5">We all want a clean cannabis facility that provides a positive working environment and
promotes a healthy environment for plants to grow. Unfortunately, cleaning leaves behind
stubborn pathogens that are invisible to the naked eye, some of which may be destructive
to your crop and can even make your employees and consumers sick. You must disinfect to
remove and deactivate all those remaining stubborn pathogens that cleaning still leaves
behind.</div>
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<div class="detail-title mb-3">WHAT IS PRE-CLEANING?</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">In areas of your facility where soils accumulate, pre-cleaning is required.
Pre-cleaning consists of removing any visible debris on the surface. In a cannabis
facility cleaning and disinfection program, this preliminary pre-cleaning step is
essential. While it will not affect microbial growth, it can make disinfection easier
and more effective. Pre-cleaning will also remove dust and other sources of allergens.</div>
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<div class="detail-title mb-3">WHAT ARE CLEANING PRODUCTS?</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">A cleaning product is anything that removes dust, dirt and odours from surfaces but
will not achieve disinfection. Cleaning products can be liquids, powders or wipes.
Cleaning may seem like a good thing, but performing it incorrectly can do more harm
than good. A contaminated mop, brush or cloth used for cleaning can spread infectious
agents from one area or room of your facility to another.</div>
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<div class="detail-title mb-3">WHAT IS SANITATION AND SANITIZING?</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">An effective cannabis sanitation and disinfection program will prevent infestation of
your facility against certain microorganisms and cross-contamination between work
areas. Careful cannabis facility sanitation and disinfection can create an overall
healthier environment for your employees and your crop. Sanitizing reduces the number
of bacteria, viruses and fungi to a safe level.</div>
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<div class="detail-title mb-3">WHAT ARE DISINFECTANT PRODUCTS?</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-2">Disinfectant products kill particular types of microbes. A disinfectant may be
effective against organisms in any or all of the below categories.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-2">A product’s label should specify the particular classes of microorganisms it can eradicate.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-2">Disinfectants can be categorized as:</div>
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<div class="detail-description mb-2">Germicides</div></li>
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<div class="detail-description mb-2">Virucide</div></li>
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<div class="detail-description mb-2">Fungicides</div></li>
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<div class="detail-description mb-2">Bactericides</div></li>
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<div class="detail-description">All of the above</div></li>
</ul>
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<div class="detail-title mb-3">WHAT IS STERILIZATION?</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">The sterilization process involves the destruction of any form of life or biological
agents present. It often involves high heat, pressure or strong chemical agents, and it
is not generally necessary or desirable in a cannabis facility.</div>
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<div class="detail-title mb-3">COMPLYING WITH HEALTH CANADA STANDARDS</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">Licensed cannabis facilities are subject to the guidelines and restrictions of Canada
Health. They apply to many aspects of production, including safety and quality
control. The implementation of a cannabis cleaning and disinfection program is
mandated but does not address quality standards. Eliminating any microbial
contaminants in fresh and dried cannabis is vital to meeting the requirements of
quality control and in preventing recalls.</div>
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<div class="detail-title mb-3">WHY IS DISINFECTION VITAL TO YOUR FACILITY?</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">Many organisms threaten both the health of cannabis plants, staff and consumers of
cannabis. <em>Botrytis cinerea</em>, or grey mould, is a fungus that is commonly responsible
for the loss of cannabis. Another potential invader is the fungus <em>Podosphaera</em>
<em>macularis</em>, which is one of the pathogens that can cause  <a class="police-blue" href="https://dev-shyield.com/blogs/does-your-facilitys-infection-prevention-program-help-prevent-powdery-mildew-infections" target="_blank" rel="noopener">powdery mildew.</a> It weakens the
crop and may also cause illness to consumers if cannabis products are contaminated.
Employees and facilities must prevent the growth and spread of these and other
pathogens to comply with regulations and protect your business.</div>
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<div class="detail-title mb-3">WINNING THE WAR</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">In the antimicrobial battle, effective disinfection safeguards your cannabis crops.
The ideal product should cover all the bases – it should clean and disinfect, it
should also be easy to apply and safe for your staff, your equipment and the
environment. Fortunately, disinfectants containing Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide®
(AHP®), such as SHYIELD™, fit that criteria perfectly. Employing them in your facility
will help secure the health of your plants, employees, consumers and the business as a
whole.</div>
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DEFEND YOUR CANNABIS CROP AGAINST INVISIBLE ATTACKERS

Disinfection Standards

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<div class="mb-5 detail-description">There is a long-standing debate throughout the cannabis community of whether indoor
production is superior to greenhouse growing. While some people swear by a certain method
of production, the truth is that there are pros and cons to each one. From our perspective
at Virox®, we want to help you get a better understanding of the differences between these
methods when it comes to cleaning and disinfection.</div>
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<div class="detail-title mb-3">GREENHOUSE GROWING</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">Growing plants in a greenhouse takes advantage of natural sunlight, using light
deprivation to accelerate the flowering process. The most obvious advantage of this
production method is the cost savings – while indoor growing requires significant
energy expenditure in the form of artificial lighting and fans, greenhouse production
uses the sun’s light to support the growth of healthy plants.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">This being said, these benefits come with a major downside: it’s difficult to control
all aspects of the environment in a greenhouse setting. Factors like climate,
temperature, and air circulation can fluctuate, making it more difficult to maintain a
consistent quality to your final product.</div>
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<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-title mb-3">INDOOR GROWING</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">Unlike greenhouse production facilities, which are vulnerable to changes in the
environment, indoor production facilities allow you to control every aspect of the
growing process. Installing lights and fans ensures that lighting and air circulation
will be tightly controlled, and the temperature and humidity of the growing room will
be maintained at a constant level. This makes it significantly easier to ensure that a
consistent quality is maintained throughout the year.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">As mentioned previously, the major drawback of this method is that it is substantially
more costly and resource-intensive when compared to greenhouse or outdoor production.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="d-flex mb-5">
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-title mb-3">WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR DISINFECTION?</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">Generally speaking, more controlled environments are easier from a pest management
standpoint. This holds true for cannabis production facilities as well: greenhouses
are designed to let outside air inside, which comes with a risk of pathogen
introduction from the environment. Also, maintaining proper air circulation is an
important factor in preventing the spread of certain infections such as powdery
mildew, which is easier to achieve in a sealed indoor environment.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">In terms of the actual process of cleaning and disinfecting, this really comes down to
the types of surfaces that are present in a facility. Disinfectants are designed for
use on hard, non-porous surfaces, such as stainless steel, most plastics, and rubbers.
On the other hand, soft, porous surfaces are much more difficult to properly
disinfect, and should be avoided where possible throughout your production areas.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">When addressing the key differences in disinfection practice between the two growing
environments, it is also important to consider a perpetual harvest approach vs. a
complete room harvest. While employing a perpetual harvest, as a majority of
greenhouses do, you cannot spray or foam a disinfectant as plants will still be in the
room. In contrast, most indoor facilities will harvest the entire room, which allows
them to use spray or foam applications and reduce the total time spent cleaning.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">Another thing to consider is surface coverage – ideally, it should be easy for your
disinfectant to achieve full coverage of the surfaces throughout your facility.
Greenhouses tend to have more cracks and small spaces where pathogens can hide, making
it more difficult to ensure that the entire area is being adequately covered.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">Although both surface type and surface coverage are important general considerations
in building a disinfection program, every facility is unique. It’s critical to the
health of your plants and your team to develop a disinfection program that is the
right fit for your facility, including compliance with local regulations and ease of
implementation. In future posts, we’ll take a deep dive into the various factors that
will help make your disinfection program successful, protecting the health of your
yield throughout the entire production process.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="blue-bg highlighted-sec resources-learn-more-style">
<div class="px-5"><a href="https://dev-shyield.com/get-in-touch" class="get-in-touch-text-bold" rel="noopener">GET IN TOUCH WITH US</a><span>
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO OPTIMIZE YOUR SANITATION PROGRAM WITH SHYIELD™ DISINFECTANTS </span></div>
</div>
</div>

INDOOR VS. GREENHOUSE INFECTION PREVENTION

<div class="d-flex flex-column detailSpacing">
<div class="mb-4 detail-description">Across all facility types, there are a few factors that have the potential to make or
break your cannabis infection prevention protocol. Let’s take a deeper dive into these
considerations, and explain how to set up your facility for success in controlling
disease-causing microorganisms.</div>
<div class="d-flex mb-4">
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-title mb-3">FACILITY DESIGN</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">As a general rule, it’s best to maintain a controlled environment in growing and
processing areas whenever possible. This means ensuring that the humidity levels are
regulated, so as not to create conditions where bacteria and other pathogens can
thrive. Adequate air filtration is also essential to prevent the formation of
micro-climates, which can act as breeding grounds for pathogens like powdery mildew.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">When designing your facility for optimal infection prevention, it’s also important to
minimize the potential for cross-contamination from dirty areas into production rooms.
This can be accomplished in part by having a dedicated room where people can enter to
remove dirty footwear and clothing, acting as a barrier between the outside
environment and the production areas. In addition, the use of personal protective
equipment (PPE) such as shoe covers, coveralls and hair covers are important in
ensuring that contamination by people entering the production areas is kept to a
minimum.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">Another factor to consider is plant movement: limiting the movement of plants,
wherever possible, is a good practice to lower the risk of disease transmission
between plants. Ideally, your facility will be designed to ensure that unnecessary
plant movement is eliminated.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="d-flex mb-4">
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-title mb-3">MATERIALS USED</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">With any area that will be cleaned or disinfected, the type of material used will have a huge impact on
your ability to successfully kill
pathogens. In general, look for surfaces that are non-porous, smooth and easy to clean. For flooring,
seamless materials are ideal: a film may
be placed over the floor in greenhouses for easier cleaning. The materials used should be non-absorbent
and should be free of cracks and
other crevices – these breaks in the material will make it more difficult for your cleaner/disinfectant
to penetrate the surface, and can provide
an environment for pathogens to thrive. A few examples of surface types that tend to work well are
stainless steel, most plastics, polyvinyl
chloride, rubbers and epoxy.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">It’s also a good idea to consider the compatibility of your materials with whatever disinfectant product
you will be using. While the materials
mentioned above tend to be fairly chemical-resistant, it’s important to check with your disinfectant
manufacturer to ensure that your
disinfectant won’t cause unnecessary wear and tear on these materials over time.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="d-flex mb-4">
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-title mb-3">DISINFECTANT SELECTION</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">When it comes to pest control in your facility, cleaning isn’t enough – disinfection
is the process of actually killing viruses, bacteria and fungi that can cause disease
in your plants. Disinfectants in Canada are registered under Health Canada, and carry
a Drug Identification Number (DIN). It’s important to make sure that your disinfectant
carries efficacy against the pathogens you’re concerned about (more on this in later
posts), and has good activity in the presence of organic material. Another key aspect
to think about is safety – disinfectant products should be non-toxic and
non-irritating, putting the safety of your team at the forefront.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="blue-bg highlighted-sec resources-learn-more-style">
<div class="highlighted-sec-info"><span>INCORPORATING THESE CONCEPTS INTO THE PLANNING OF YOUR FACILITY WILL ASSIST YOU IN
ACHIEVING A HIGHER STANDARD OF INFECTION PREVENTION. CHECK OUT THIS <a class="get-in-touch-text-bold font-weight-500" href="https://shyield.ca/disinfection-standards" rel="noopener">ARTICLE</a> ABOUT
PREVENTING POWDERY MILDEW TO GAIN A REFINED UNDERSTANDING OF THE ISSUE, HOW TO CONTROL
IT, AND WHAT YOU SHOULD USE TO CONTROL IT.</span></div>
</div>
</div>

DESIGNING YOUR FACILITY FOR INFECTION PREVENTION

<div class="d-flex flex-column detailSpacing">
<div class="mb-3 detail-description">As the creators of SHYIELD™ Disinfectants, we often write about the importance of
disinfecting greenhouse surfaces to prevent the spread of both plant and human pathogens.
But in the process of getting rid of harmful microorganisms, there’s another step that is
at least as important as disinfection – the need for cleaning and removing soils from
surfaces.</div>
<div class="mb-3 detail-description">So why does cleaning matter so much? To understand this, picture a pair of bud trimming
scissors covered in a layer of resin. As you probably know from experience, this resin can
be tough to remove once it gets stuck on your tools and other surfaces throughout your
facility. To get rid of this, a product with detergency properties, like soaps and
commercial cleaning products, is needed to dislodge this tough organic residue that is
stuck to the surface.</div>
<div class="mb-3 detail-description">When it comes to infection prevention, this cleaning step is especially important. Consider a pair of scissors contaminated with powdery mildew; it would be nearly impossible to properly kill the fungus if it was shielded by a layer of dirt. For this reason, cleaning and disinfection go hand in hand – cleaning is required to remove dirt residue from the surface, and disinfection is the process of actually killing harmful microorganisms to prevent them from being spread to other plants.</div>
<div class="mb-3 detail-description">This becomes a key factor to consider when selecting a disinfectant. Disinfectants are good at killing pathogens, but many lack detergency properties, meaning that they are not able to effectively clean and remove dirt residue from the surface at the same time. Disinfectants that lack detergency properties may not be effective on surfaces that contain even small amounts of soils, resin or any other organic contamination. These types of products will be unable to kill pathogens unless surfaces have been pre-cleaned with a separate detergent. The need for a second product adds a significant amount of time and effort to the overall procedure.</div>
<div class="mb-3 detail-description">However, this isn’t the case with all disinfectants – some products, such as SHYIELD™, are <span class="text-underline font-bold police-blue"><a class="police-blue" href="https://shyield.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one-step disinfectants</a></span>. These products contain detergents, also called surfactants, built into their formulation, which allows them to remove soils and kill pathogens in one step. In addition to cleaning surfaces, this also ensures that the disinfectant will not be inactivated by whatever dirt may be present on the surface. While heavily soiled areas should be dry-cleaned before disinfection, one-step products eliminate the need for a separate detergent. In cannabis production facilities, these products have a huge leg up over the competition, as leftover dirt on surfaces is a fact of life.</div>
<div class="mb-3 detail-description">There’s no doubt that disinfection is a critical piece of your infection prevention program, but it can’t work alone. Cleaning is just as important in the ongoing fight against pathogens throughout your facility.</div>
</div>

CLEANING CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR DISINFECTION PROTOCOL

&nbsp;
<div class="d-flex flex-column detailSpacing">
<div class="mb-5 detail-description">One of the more frustrating parts of cleaning and disinfection is that we can’t actually
see whether the job has been done properly. Due to the microscopic nature of most
pathogens, the first hint that our infection prevention program isn’t working might be a
disease outbreak, at which point it’s already too late. For this reason, we need to rely
on environmental monitoring techniques to make sure harmful pathogens are actually being
eliminated on surfaces throughout the facility. Here we’ll break down how a simple
monitoring program can be implemented to ensure that your cleaning and disinfection
protocol is protecting your plants as well as your team from the threat of infection.</div>
<div class="mb-5 detail-description">
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-title mb-3">BEFORE YOU START – WHAT IS ADENOSINE TRIOPHOSPHATE (ATP)?</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">There are a number of ways to perform environmental monitoring on your surfaces, and
each comes with its own set of pros and cons. Microbiological methods (i.e., swabbing
the surface and culturing microorganisms on a plate) will tell you what types of
microorganisms are on the surface, but require several hours to days to produce
results, and require a certain level of expertise to perform properly.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">On the other hand, ATP bioluminescence testing doesn’t provide a profile of the types
of organisms on a surface, but will give you a quick snapshot of the overall
cleanliness of the surface. It is easy to use, and produces an instant result. Live
pathogens on a surface, including fungi and bacteria, produce a molecule called ATP,
which can be detected by swabbing a surface and measuring with an ATP meter.
However,ATP can be found in many other types of organic material, which includes food,
body fluids and other natural substances as well. Therefore,this test will give you a
sense of the overall bioburden on the surface, which can include microorganisms in
addition to other organic contamination. ATP and microbiological methods can work
together to provide a convenient, yet effective monitoring program.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="mb-5 detail-description">
<div class="detail-title mb-3">GETTING STARTED WITH ATP</div>
<div class="d-flex mb-3">
<div class="NumberContentIdSec">
<div class="NumberContentId">1</div>
</div>
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-description">When selecting an ATP meter, work with the manufacturer or sales rep to get the
appropriate training. Every ATP meter is unique, and may require special
considerations to make sure it is being used properly. For instance, the swabs may
need to be kept refrigerated and shaken for multiple seconds before inserting into
the meter.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="d-flex mb-3">
<div class="NumberContentIdSec">
<div class="NumberContentId">2</div>
</div>
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-description">Identify which surfaces in your facility will need to be tested, and the frequency
that testing will need to happen. High-risk surfaces for pathogen transmission, such
as growing tables or trimmers, which will come in direct contact with your plants,
should be tested more frequently. On the other hand, surfaces such as walls may only
need to be tested periodically, rather than after each cleaning procedure.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="mb-5 detail-description">
<div class="detail-title mb-3">SETTING A BASELINE</div>
<div class="d-flex mb-3">
<div class="NumberContentIdSec">
<div class="NumberContentId">3</div>
</div>
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-description">Work with the manufacturer of your ATP meter to determine PASS/FAIL readings that
make sense for your facility. As a general rule, you should perform your normal
cleaning and disinfection procedure and collect multiple samples for each surface.
Your manufacturer will be able to advise how your baseline data can be used to set
appropriate limits. While you may come across pre-set limit recommendations for your
meter, these may be based on different industries such as food production or
healthcare, where the needs for environmental cleaning may not reflect those of
cannabis facilities. Therefore, it’s important for every facility to determine these
limits independently.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="d-flex mb-3 detail-description">
<div class="NumberContentIdSec">
<div class="NumberContentId">4</div>
</div>
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-description">If you have the capability, microbiological swabbing can be used to confirm these
limits by seeing how they correlate to actual contamination of microorganisms on the
surface. This will allow you to ensure that your PASS limit is within an acceptable
range of actual surface contamination.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="d-flex mb-5">
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-title mb-3">TESTING AND TRACKING YOUR RESULTS</div>
<ul>
 	<li>
<div class="detail-description mb-4">Once your baseline readings have been established, you’re ready to start with
regular testing. Keep track of your readings for each surface over time, to allow
you to spot trends in contamination of your surfaces, and whether changes to your
protocols might be needed. Often, ATP meter manufacturers may offer a software
program to make this process easy.</div></li>
 	<li>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">If you notice a spike in your readings for a particular surface, or experience a
disease outbreak, microbiological swabbing can help you get to the bottom of what
is causing the issue. ATP testing and micro-swabbing can complement one another in
building a convenient yet robust monitoring program.</div></li>
</ul>
<div class="detail-description mb-5">Although no validation system is perfect, using ATP testing, in combination with
microbiological swabbing, can help provide an added level of comfort that your
cleaning and disinfection protocol is protecting your plants and your production team
against infection.</div>
<div class="readMoreBtnNew"><a href="https://dev-shyield.com/request-an-assessment" class="read-more-common-btn customButton btn btn-primary" type="button">REQUEST FOR A <strong>FREE</strong> FACILITY ASSESSMENT</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

HOW TO VALIDATE YOUR CLEANING AND DISINFECTION PROTOCOL

<div class="d-flex flex-column detailSpacing">
<div class="mb-3">As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, terms like “disinfection” and “infection
prevention” are now firmly lodged in our vocabularies. Along with this, the pandemic has
also brought an explosion in new disinfectant products on the market, each claiming to
offer unique benefits in the fight against infection. Electrolyzed water, also known as
ECA Water or ECA Sanitizer (Electro-Chemical Activation) has been around for some time,
but has caught a new wave of interest in light of our increased focus on infection
prevention within cannabis-licensed producer facilities. Your best weapon to cut through
the noise and properly evaluate these products is your ability to think critically and
understand the basic criteria for choosing the right disinfectant to optimize your
sanitation program.</div>
<div class="mb-5">Electrolyzed water uses electricity to convert salt water, sometimes with the addition of
an acid, into a hypochlorous acid solution, which releases chlorine to destroy pathogens.
The major difference between the chemistry of electrolyzed water and bleach is the pH;
however, both use chlorine-based active ingredients, which have been used for dozens of
years in disinfectants. Electrolyzed water often involves using a machine to prepare the
disinfectant solution on demand from the base ingredients, but can also be sold as a
ready-to-use product. With the resurgence of this technology in recent times, here are
some questions you can ask to think critically:</div>
<div class="d-flex mb-5">
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-title mb-3">IS IT DIN- OR EPA-REGISTERED?</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">All disinfectants must be registered with Health Canada or the EPA in the United
States. Whenever researching a disinfectant, you can use Health Canada’s
<a class="police-blue" href="https://health-products.canada.ca/dpd-bdpp/index-eng.jsp" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Drug Product Database</strong></a> or the EPA’s
<a class="police-blue" href="https://ordspub.epa.gov/ords/pesticides/f?p=PPLS:1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pesticide Product Label System</a></strong> to ensure that
the product is appropriately registered. If the product doesn’t appear, this is a red
flag and can indicate that the product’s claims are not supported by the appropriate
government agency.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="d-flex mb-5">
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-title mb-3">WHAT IS THE SAFETY PROFILE?</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">Whatever disinfectant you choose should be non-toxic and non-irritating to the eyes
and skin when used properly. Electrolyzed water products might be advertised as safe
or as a “chemical-free” solution because the starting product is salt water, but this
is misleading; the in-use solution has been changed chemically to make it effective
against pathogens, in turn making the solution more toxic. Chlorine-based products,
especially when used at higher concentrations, have been associated with eye, skin,
and respiratory irritation, and often have a harsh chemical odour. Make sure to
reference the product label and Safety Data Sheet (SDS) to understand any safety
precautions associated with both the raw materials as well as the in-use solution.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="d-flex mb-5">
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-title mb-3">IS IT A ONE-STEP DISINFECTANT?</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">Some disinfectants are formulated with detergents, which gives them
<a href="https://dev-shyield.com/blogs/cleaning-can-make-or-break-your-disinfection-protocol" class="custom-small-gray-text-a">cleaning capabilities</a>. These types of
products can be used as one-step disinfectants, meaning that surfaces do not need to
be pre-cleaned with a separate detergent prior to disinfection. Electrolyzed water
does not contain any detergents, and has been shown to be significantly less effective
in the presence of dirt.<sup>1</sup> The need for a separate pre-cleaning step with electrolyzed
water can add a lot of time and effort to your protocols when compared to using a
one-step product.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="d-flex mb-5">
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-title mb-3">IS IT EFFECTIVE AGAINST RELEVANT PATHOGENS IN A REALISTIC CONTACT TIME?</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-3">When researching a new disinfectant, one of the most important things to consider is
its efficacy profile. The disinfectant you choose should be effective against a broad
spectrum of pathogens that are relevant to your facility, including harder-to-kill
viruses, bacteria, and fungi, and should have label claims to support this. However,
this isn’t enough – it also needs to work in a realistic contact time, which is the length of
time that the liquid must stay wet on the surface to be fully effective. Some
electrolyzed water products have <strong>contact times</strong> as long as 10 minutes, which is
difficult to achieve in realistic conditions.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="d-flex mb-5">
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-title mb-3">IS IT PRACTICAL FOR YOUR FACILITY?</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-5">Technologies such as electrolyzed water often involve a significant upfront investment
in the equipment, along with regular maintenance, and involve complicated processes to
produce the correct concentration. Furthermore, electrolyzed water is naturally
unstable, with the concentration of available chlorine rapidly dropping when exposed
to light or open air.<sup>2</sup> This can result in solutions having a short shelf life, and
needing to be replaced on a regular basis, driving up costs. Another aspect to
consider is compatibility with the surfaces and equipment throughout your facility:
chlorine-based products are known to corrode metals, which can lead to massive costs
if expensive equipment needs to be replaced.</div>
<div class="detail-description mb-5">Electrolyzed water is just one example of the many new technologies that are likely to
emerge as we make our way out of <a class="police-blue" href="https://shyield.ca/covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVID-19</strong></a>. By
asking a few key questions, we can equip ourselves with the knowledge to think
critically about how we clean and disinfect.</div>
<div class="detail-description"><span class="custom-small-gray-text-a">REFERENCES: 1.</span> Fertelli D, Cadmun JL,
Nerandzic MM, <i>et al</i>. Effectiveness of an electrochemically activated saline
solution for disinfection of hospital equipment.
<span class="font-style-italic">Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol</span> 2013;34(5):543-4.
<span class="custom-small-gray-text-a">2</span>. Xuan XT, Wang MM, Ahn J, <i>et al</i>
. Storage and stability of slightly acidic electrolyzed water and circulating
electrolyzed water and their property changes after application.
<span class="font-style-italic">J Food Sci</span>  2016 Mar;81(3):E610-7.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

ELECTROLYZED WATER – BLEACH BY ANOTHER NAME?

<div class="d-flex flex-column detailSpacing">
<div class="mb-3">It’s no secret that hydrogen peroxide is good at killing germs – that’s why it is
available in most drug stores as an antiseptic, to treat cuts or wounds on our skin. But
when it comes to killing viruses, bacteria, and fungi on surfaces, whether in LP
facilities, healthcare, or anywhere else, hydrogen peroxide needs some help to get the job
done. Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide®(AHP®), the technology used in SHYIELD™ Disinfectants,
harnesses the antimicrobial properties of hydrogen peroxide but allows it to work
effectively as a disinfectant. Here’s where pure hydrogen peroxide falls short, and how
AHP® overcomes this to deliver an effective solution for cannabis facility surfaces:</div>
<ul>
 	<li>
<div class="d-flex mb-3">
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-description mb-3"><strong>Stability</strong> – By itself, hydrogen peroxide is an unstable molecule. It tends to break down to
water and oxygen right away when exposed to open air and light – this is why
commercial hydrogen peroxide solutions are packaged in a brown bottle, to prevent
exposure. Once applied to a surface, the molecule would break down before it was
able to kill pathogens. AHP® uses chelating agents to stabilize the active
hydrogen peroxide, preventing this breakdown from taking place. The result of this
is a solution that remains stable for 2 years (with the exception of diluted
concentrate, which has a 30-day shelf life. No special storage precautions are
required, such as opaque containers, as SHYIELD™ disinfectant is not affected by
light.</div>
</div>
</div></li>
 	<li>
<div class="d-flex mb-3">
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-description mb-3"><strong>Speed of Activity</strong> – Even if hydrogen peroxide was capable of remaining active for long enough to be
effective, it would not work quickly enough to be a realistic choice for busy
cannabis operations. Pure hydrogen peroxide solutions take anywhere from 10–75
minutes to achieve disinfection. AHP® contains commonly used, safe ingredients
that “accelerate” the action of the hydrogen peroxide, killing viruses, bacteria,
and fungi in 3–5 minutes.</div>
</div>
</div></li>
 	<li>
<div class="d-flex mb-3">
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-description mb-3"><strong>Occupational Safety</strong> – Even a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide, which is the standard product in
pharmacies, is not ideal from an occupational safety standpoint, and some
solutions used in other products are much higher. The maximum concentration of
hydrogen peroxide in AHP® is 0.5%, six times lower than what you can buy off most
pharmacy shelves. The result of this is a solution that is non-toxic,
non-irritating to eyes and skin and is not associated with any occupational
hazards.</div>
</div>
</div></li>
 	<li>
<div class="d-flex mb-3">
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-description mb-3"><strong>Cleaning Capabilities</strong> – Hydrogen peroxide solutions do not naturally contain detergents – this means
that they would not be effective if applied to a surface with any residual dirt on
it. For LP environments, where oils, resins, and other organic debris are
everywhere, using a one-step disinfectant like SHYIELD™, with strong detergency
properties, can make all the difference.</div>
</div>
</div></li>
</ul>
<div class="d-flex">
<div class="d-flex flex-column">
<div class="detail-description">Alone, hydrogen peroxide may be useful for some things, but for cleaning surfaces in
cannabis facilities, it won’t make the cut. <span class="text-underline font-bold"><a class="police-blue" href="https://shyield.ca/products/family-of-products/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SHYIELD™ Disinfectants</a></span>, powered by
Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide<sup>®</sup>, use low levels of hydrogen peroxide, with
chelating agents, detergents, and other commonly used ingredients to create a
formulation that is effective against the toughest cannabis pathogens, while remaining
safe to your team.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

ACCELERATED HYDROGEN PEROXIDE® VS. HYDROGEN PEROXIDE: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

<div class="d-flex flex-column detailSpacing">
<div class="mb-3 detail-description">Although 70% IPA is a readily available disinfectant, it does have its limitations in
comparison to a formulated solution such as AHP® . Alcohols are known to readily
evaporate, making it difficult to achieve the required surface contact time, often making
it ineffective. The lack of detergency capabilities of alcohols makes them insufficient
cleaners. In addition, they are also inactivated in the presence of organic matter and are
known to be highly flammable and volatile.</div>
<div class="mb-3 detail-description">In comparison, SHYIELD™ contains the patented AHP® technology which is a formulation of
hydrogen peroxide, surfactants and other inert ingredients, which results in a stabilized
and a dramatically more effective disinfectant and cleaner. Not only does AHP® reach its
contact time without the need for additional reapplication steps, it has a HMIS rating of
0/0/0 at in-use dilution and contains ingredients listed on the EPA/Health Canada Inert
list of Generally Regarded as Safe list (GRAS).</div>
</div>

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