Sherwin-Williams develops microbicidal paint for health care facilities

Sherwin-Williams developed the first microbicidal paint to be certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that continuously kills infection-causing bacteria after 2 hours of exposure, according to a press release.

The company said the product gives health care systems and other facilities a new tool to prevent the spread of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).

The CDC estimated that one in 25 hospitalized patients in the United States will acquire at least one HAI, costing health care systems billions of dollars annually, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Approximately 722,000 HAIs and 75,000 deaths were reported to the CDC in 2011.

In response, Sherwin-Williams coating scientists and expert biologists developed Paint Shield to prevent the growth of common microbes. According to the release, the paint kills more than 99.9% of Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, Escherichia coli, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis and Enterobacter aerogenes, after 2 hours of exposure on painted surfaces. A test conducted by the EPA showed the effectiveness of the paint lasts up to 4 years, provided the integrity of the surface is maintained, the release said.

“Continued progress in combating HAIs will require a broad array of measures, including passive methods that are less dependent on human intervention,” Steve Revnew, senior vice president of product innovation at Sherwin-Williams, said in the release. “By continuing to kill MRSA and other bacteria, even after repeated contamination, Paint Shield offers hospitals and other facilities an important new tool to help in the fight against the spread of HAIs.”

Aside from health care systems, the company also suggested that the paint can be used in day care centers, senior care communities, residential housing and cruise ships.

Paint Shield, manufactured in 590 colors, will be available in Sherwin-Williams stores starting in 2016, the release said.