Teck, Royal Ontario Museum partner to showcase copper’s antimicrobial properties

Image from the Royal Ontario Museum.

Teck Resources (TSX: TECK.A and TECK.B, NYSE: TECK) and Canada’s Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) announced Thursday a partnership to outfit ROM with antimicrobial copper surfaces and build awareness around the health benefits of copper.

ROM is the first museum in Canada to incorporate antimicrobial copper, which continuously kills bacteria and reduces the spread of infection, to help create a safer environment for visitors and staff.

Through its Copper & Health program, Teck has donated C$500,000 to ROM which is being used, in part, to outfit high-traffic areas with antimicrobial copper surfaces known as CuVerro Shield by Aereus Technologies.

This installation will cover door handles, washroom stall latches and other high-touch surfaces to provide an added layer of protection to ensure the health and safety of all those who visit the museum.

Funding will also go towards an interactive digital educational program to explain the health benefits of copper and illustrate the important role this natural resource plays today and for the low-carbon future.

Copper has unique antimicrobial properties and is proven effective in eliminating up to 99.9% of harmful bacteria within two hours of contact. When installed in high-touch, high-traffic locations, copper can help reduce the spread of infectious disease.

This ROM and Teck initiative is the latest in a series of contributions through Teck’s Copper & Health program to expand the use of antimicrobial copper which also includes partnerships with numerous B.C. hospitals, post-secondary educational institutions, Vancouver International Airport and on public transit in Vancouver and Toronto.