Copper Clean™ patches have been outfitted on eight Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) buses that will run for the next year and be tested for efficacy and durability every few months. This is now one of several Copper Clean™ projects being funded by Teck Resources Ltd. as their commitment to having antimicrobial copper protecting the citizens of Toronto and Vancouver.
Bacteria such as MRSA and C. difficile experience a decrease in live cells on copper surfaces after only a few minutes, with viruses such as influenza and coronavirus seeing similar results.
Both Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration register copper as a public health product owing to its antimicrobial properties.