The advantages offered by this new method compared to traditional disinfestation techniques may be summarized as follows:
Complete effectiveness of disinfestation, whatever the stage of the life cycle of the biological agent;
Speed of treatment, not more than a few minutes for objects treated inside the modular chamber, otherwise, with the portable device, the time increases since the treatment has to be performed step by step, but this method is still much faster than any employed up to now because it does not make use of hazardous chemicals and therefore offers immediate access following treatment.
Minimum risk of damage to treated materials; continuous monitoring of the object being treated ensures that the risk of damage is practically non-existent.
Saving of electricity and greater energy efficiency (the microwaves heat only the object itself and more than 90% of the energy irradiated is converted into heat); compared to other methods, the energy required to deliver the microwaves is not excessive.
Complete absence of toxic residues produced by the treatment. After treatment, electromagnetic energy does not persist and no toxic substances, which will not be permitted after 2015, are released.
Possibility to access the treatment area immediately, since electromagnetic energy does not persist after treatment.
Complies with International legislation regarding environmental protection: the innovative MW technology is in line with the agreements signed in the Montreal Protocol and incorporated in the European Regulation (EC) No 2037/2000 on the use of toxic substances and gases. In the practice of disinfestation, this technology replaces Methyl Bromide, a highly toxic gas definitively banned from 1 January 2005 by the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol.
Treatment costs are lower compared to traditional methods with consequent lowering of prices for the customer.
Complete absence of electromagnetic radiation allows technicians to work safely and efficiently.
ADVANTAGES FOR HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT
D.A.Greenproject
always attentive to natural and ecological topics does not employ outdated disinfestation techniques using pollutants and harmful substances that pose a risk to customers and technicians.
WHICH AND WHY?
Some methods still used for disinfestation are: A) fumigation, B) anoxia, C) organic solvent preservatives.
A) Gas fumigation is a treatment performed in a vacuum or temperature-controlled chamber in which the object to be disinfested must remain for a considerable time (about 48-72 hours). These chambers are normally closed-loop systems, fitted with suction and absorption systems for the gas deployed typically based on the use of carbon filters. The fumigation of wood and paper-based materials is carried out using ethylene oxide, hydrogen phosphide or methyl bromide.
Ethylene oxideis a toxic gas classified as dangerous because it is:
highly inflammable (Directive 67/548/EEC as amended and directive 96/82/EC as amended);
carcinogenic (Group 1 – International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC));
potentially mutagenic – Cat.2;
irritant to the eyes and respiratory tracts with possible severe respiratory difficulty, dizziness, acute pulmonary edema.
Methyl bromide is a toxic gas which has had a significant impact on the depletion of the ozone layer. Due to its negative environmental impact the Montreal Protocol prohibited the use of methyl bromide from 1 January 2005.
B) Anoxia requires objects to be treated inside airtight containers where specialized equipment is used to remove oxygen from the air and replace it with a mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide. The procedure requires a treatment period of between 20 and 30 days; however its effectiveness against some species of insects and pests has yet to be proven and it is certainly ineffective against the eggs.
C) The use of organic solvent preservatives requires surface treatments which involve the impregnation of the various surfaces with liquid insecticides. This method, however, does not always produce a complete disinfestation in a single treatment, because it lacks the power to penetrate the treated material. Moreover, in the case of objects with decorated or lacquered surfaces, the product used may cause irreparable damage.
