Sanitation tunnel that mists incomers with disinfectant solution being piloted at Tel Aviv’s Bloomfield Stadium.

In a post-lockdown world, the idea of entering crowded shopping malls or sports stadiums is thrilling, yet somewhat petrifying. But since public spaces can’t be avoided forever, it’s good to know they can be made safer.

One Israeli company doing just that is RD PACK. Usually in the business of constructing automatic machines that move, pack and store products, it created a sanitation tunnel that sprays incomers with a disinfectant solution to provide protection against bacteria and viruses, including corona-type viruses.

One such sanitation tunnel is now being piloted at the entrance to Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv. It will remain until the end of soccer season, even though games are currently being held without an audience.

The tunnel can also be placed at the entrance to other public spaces such as hospitals, airports, schools or office buildings. Its automatic system senses when someone is walking through the tunnel and turns on misting nozzles that spray the space with the disinfectant solution.

The saturated environment of the tunnel means that every facet of the people or objects passing through is sanitized, even if it’s not directly exposed to the misting nozzles.

The disinfectant solution being used in the tunnel is one that was developed by chemists Eran Avraham and Izaak Cohen at Bar-Ilan University, in which tap water can be turned into a powerful yet environmentally friendly disinfectant on demand.

According to its developers, the water-based solution is safe for skin and does not contaminate groundwater. Its bacteria-killing properties were proved in tests carried out in Israeli hospitals and has also proved effective in neutralizing corona-type viruses.

By Naama Barak/Israel21c