Space Age Play

• The Valencian company Saludes Play has launched, in collaboration with the Pureti Group, an innovative solution for cleaning and sanitising playgrounds that helps to stop the spread of viruses such as COVID-19, as well as eliminating dirt, bad smells, bacteria and other air pollutants in the presence of light.
  Specifically, it is a nanotechnology-based system that is capable of self-disinfecting the surfaces of playground equipment and shock-absorbing floors.
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  This is achieved by generating a photocatalysis process with a technology that has the particularity of having been endorsed by NASA to enhance the cleaning and disinfection of surfaces.
  In the words of Gonzalo Beta-Frigola, director of Saludes Play, it is a “revolutionary system that will allow children to play in parks with a high level of safety due to its air purifying qualities, promoting their wellbeing and improving the environment and sustainability of these spaces”.
  He also assures that “the application of this solution to current facilities will make them hostile to viruses, bacteria and microbes, and will allow a safer use of this type of equipment, especially in pandemic situations such as the current one”.
  The solution consists of applying a protective coating to the playground that generates a photocatalytic process to self-disinfect the surfaces against viruses and bacteria, which is completely harmless for people and especially for children. Photocatalysis is a process that works with sunlight, purifying the air and the area.
  The system consists of a transparent water-based solution and ultrafine particles of titanium dioxide (TiO2), a compound used in many of our everyday items, which is created naturally and promotes solar absorption. In this sense, he added that “one square metre of application of this solution allows us to obtain the renovating and purifying effect of an adult tree”, adds Beta-Frigola.
  
  This natural solution is currently the most durable on the market, retaining 80% of its capacity after 5 years outdoors. “This high durability of the air purification functions allows us to offer a sustainable option, as it helps to save time, energy, water, money and chemicals,” says Gonzalo Beta-Frigola.
  In this sense, “several studies support the efficiency of TiO2 as an antiviral property, since it inactivates the influence of the virus,” says Joaquín Piserra, CEO of Pureti Group.
  Moreover, its application follows two simple and quick steps. First, the facilities are cleaned and then the liquid solution is applied. This is distributed over all the surfaces of the park and on the ground by means of a micro-nebulisation process, which allows a perfect adhesion to the area in an effective way, with a low environmental impact.
  
  Saludes Play has reached an agreement for the cleaning of parks with Pureti Group. This is the reference company in the sector of advanced photocatalytic surface treatments, whose work has important partners such as NASA.
  This alliance was formed as a result of a study of the photocatalytic products on the market carried out by NASA, which “demonstrated the quality and effectiveness of Pureti’s products, and it is an organisation with which we continue to work together with the European Research Consortium”, says Joaquín Piserra.
  Likewise, NASA “has endorsed the effectiveness of photocatalytic treatments through their use in numerous space missions”, he concludes.
  Moreover, this technology has won the European iSCAPE project and has been recognised by HORIZON 2020 as one of the 10 most disruptive technologies for combating pollution in Europe over the next 60 years.
  It is also endorsed by numerous prestigious universities, studies, recognised laboratories and awards. In this sense, the Ainia technology centre has validated the efficacy of the product in different materials and is currently developing more studies in direct collaboration with Saludes Play to certify its properties in materials commonly used in urban equipment.

Saludes Play is currently the only company in the sector in Spain that manufactures all its products first-hand: playgrounds, continuous rubber flooring and tiles, etc. The company is highly committed to the Circular Economy and Sustainability. In addition, all the playgrounds it products are certified and comply with the European standard EN 1176/7, among others.
It is part of the Industrias Saludes group, which specialises in signage, road safety, mobility and urban equipment.

INDUSTRIAS SALUDES is an industrial group that in 2020 celebrated 120 years of presence in the signalling, road safety, mobility and urban equipment sectors.