Covid-19: JBS USA and Tyson Foods install air cleaning technology

Meat packaging companies JBS USA and Tyson Foods have reportedly installed ultraviolet (UV) air cleaning equipment at some of their facilities in the US to protect staff from the airborne transmission of the coronavirus (Covid-19).

Reuters reported that JBS USA, a US subsidiary of Brazilian meat firm JBS, installed ‘ultraviolet germicidal air sanitation’ equipment in the plant ventilation and air purification systems, which makes use of light waves to kill germs.

JBS USA told Reuters that it has installed ‘plasma air cleaning technology’ which uses bipolar ionization to neutralises air particulates including virus cells and bacteria.

It further added that it is collecting information on how these air treatment systems are working at the meatpacking plants.

In April, JBS USA has indefinitely closed its pork production facility in Worthington, Minnesota, due to the pandemic.

On the other hand, Tyson Foods is reportedly carrying out research on airflow and testing UV air treatment systems installed across several facilities.

However, it is still unknown the effectiveness of such technologies in killing the coronavirus.

Low temperatures at the facilities and crowded working conditions are said to have been one of the main causes for the virus to survive in the air for a longer time period and making meatpacking plants more vulnerable to infection.

Earlier this month, Tyson Foods announced that it is accelerating the move to incorporate robotic technology following a series of Covid-19 outbreaks at its meatpacking facilities.

The company intends to equip its facilities with equipment that can perform tasks such as chicken deboning.

Each week, around 39 million chickens are deboned at Tyson Food’s facilities in the US.