Source ForPressRelease.com

Hand luggage security trays at airports have until recently been overlooked as a health risk. A recent scientific study* has now proven that they are heavily contaminated with bacteria and viruses capable of causing infections which also could quickly develop into an outbreak of the flu and other epidemics. In response to this situation, the startup company Pro-In Protect Innovations has developed a special protective single-use inlay which minimizes the risk of infection from contaminated luggage trays.

At the end of August 2018, the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Finland and the University of Nottingham in the UK published a study* funded by the European Union on bacterial and viral load at airports. Airport security trays, which are provided to scan hand luggage and other personal items, have been found to be the most heavily contaminated. Luggage trays pose one of the highest health risks and play a key role in the spread of epidemics and pandemics.

Pathogens can remain active in the luggage trays and on personal belongings for days. Nothing has been developed to combat this problem until now. The startup company Pro-In Protect Innovations, based in Eschborn, Germany, has now come up with a special protective inlay for luggage trays called Pro-In Protect Inlay. The inlay is placed inside the security tray and is immediately discarded after use. Direct contact between the surface of the trays and personal belongings is eliminated which prevents any contamination during the security check process. As Eckhard Melz from Pro-In Protect Innovations explains, "The protective inlay provides a reliable and hygienic solution which safeguards the health of everyone concerned. This simple measure minimizes the risk of infection from pathogens and contaminants." The inlays are simple and quick to use, so they do not disrupt the airport security screening process.

The Pro-In Protect Inlay is available in two different materials: a regranulated material made from recycled plastic or a fully recyclable PE film. The company is also planning to manufacture the tray inlays from other environmentally-friendly materials. The innovative protective inlays have been developed to fulfill the requirements of airports, airlines, large organisations which have their own security checkpoints and hotels.