A local sterilization company has seen its business skyrocket during the pandemic. Not only is it serving its regular food-industry customers but new ones like law firms, dentists and hair salons who want to protect against COVID-19.
Before the pandemic, Dan Glier of Glier's Meats in Covington was looking for an additional step to keep his food safe. The concern with the meat industry is bacteria. In 2018 ,he learned about Extreme Microbial Technologies, a Centerville company that purifies the air and ultimately cleans everything in the room.
The machine takes the moisture from the air, creates a spark that produces ozone and the water and ozone are combined to create molecular hydrogen peroxide.
Glier ordered three machines and they were working so well he ordered three more - all before the pandemic. Then Glier noticed something. Nobody was getting sick and his employees weren't missing any work. He says none of his employees have gotten the coronavirus.
Glier tells of the story of when he called owner Randall Mount. "I said, 'Is this thing effective for viruses?' And he said 'Yes, it kills viruses too, but that's not what we were aiming our machine for.' "
Michael Karaman, president of James Free Jewelers in Cincinnati and Dayton, heard about the benefits of Extreme Microbial Technologies and now has it in all of his stores and offices. Karaman still offers masks and cleans constantly. Extreme Microbial is just one sanitizing step. "I wish that every retailer in the country will do that, at least something to protect us from the COVID enemy that comes against us," he says.
Extreme Microbial says the system is safe. The hydrogen peroxide gas is 50 times lower than OSHA and EPA acceptance. Owner Mount says he's had it in his house for eight years and hasn't gotten sick.
Glier says he had a school and a library call him to discuss the product. Extreme Microbial says Christo Rey and Ohio Northern University have his product.
This technology isn't new. It was developed for NASA in the 1960s. It's not cheap either. Mount says it's $1,400 for a 2,000-square foot building.
Extreme Microbial does have competitors and there are other ways to sanitize which also claim to kill 99.9% of viruses including Ozone and Ultraviolet Light. On the EPA's website the agency says it cannot confirm whether, or under what circumstances, such products might be effective against the spread of COVID-19.
