The dangers of breathing mold-contaminated air are well documented and firmly established – and ongoing decontamination is a vital health practice in any mold-prone environment.

 

But a further complication of mold in the luxury boating industry is the offensive odors generated by airborne mold fungus. These rank odors are easily drawn into HVAC systems and distributed throughout closed-system environments.

 

The risks of harboring patches of mold that generate contaminated and foul-smelling air are multiplied in warm and humid environments that are close to water. And mold doesn’t limit itself to dank, old harbor scows. Yachts and other high-end watercraft that travel the high seas and visit exotic island ports are especially vulnerable to accruing spores that even when can leave behind a malodorous reminder that belies the cleaning attempts that have occurred.

 

Even the most immaculate and well-maintained vessels are capable of placing passengers and crews in a highly undesirable atmosphere of noxious odors. And maybe also leave them apprehensive about what toxins they may be breathing.

This white paper focuses on advances in the application of chlorine dioxide, a supremely effective chemical for killing mold spores – AND a supremely effective deodorizer that doesn’t just perfume the air, but kills dead the spores in the air that cause odor.

Going further with decontamination

 

The science of decontamination has taken a giant step forward in recent years with the introduction of chlorine dioxide gas as a highly effective destroyer of dangerous mold, bacteria and virus microbes. The chemical is a derivative of chlorine that has long been used in water purification. Chlorine dioxide has been proven powerful enough to purify the water in huge municipal reservoirs, yet safe enough to be used in toothpaste.
 

It’s also a routine sanitizer for fruits and vegetables – approved safe for human consumption by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

 

And the methods and safety protocols for applying chlorine dioxide gas are also well understood, with guidelines established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

 

Beyond those safety approvals is the fact that chlorine dioxide is by far the most environmentally safe high-powered decontaminator. Because it is a gas, chlorine dioxide quickly dissipates. It does not leave behind toxic residues that must be washed off areas that have been treated – and does not run off or leech away to contaminate soil and water.

 

That means chlorine dioxide is a highly effective contaminant that doesn’t linger to cause residual environmental concerns.

 

A new company called Controlled Performance with Gases (CPG) has developed a system it calls Klean Bio-Zones to effectively deliver chlorine dioxide gas. And engineers have worked out special, adaptable techniques to tackle widely varying commercial cleaning challenges.

 

CPG has implemented specialized solutions for applications as diverse as maintaining clean environments for children with critical care needs, and providing healthy stabling and shipping environments for million-dollar thoroughbred racehorses.

 

The common denominator of those applications is the absolute need for clean environments – and that’s exactly the standard of health safety desired in maintaining passenger safety and providing a pleasant experience aboard yachts and cruse lines.
 

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