The plastic Transportation Security Administration trays that hold thousands of travelers’ shoes and carry-on belongings at Chicago airports each day are being swapped for a version designed to fight the growth of bacteria. But you’ll probably still want to wash your hands before chowing down on the free in-flight pretzels.
New trays treated with an antimicrobial additive arrived at airport security checkpoints at Midway Airport earlier this month and will be at O’Hare International Airport by mid-June, according to the city Department of Aviation.
Germs are vacation souvenirs most travelers could do without, and there is evidence the trays at airport security can harbor them, according to a study published in the journal BMC Infectious Diseases last year.
During flu season, researchers tested frequently touched surfaces at an airport in Helsinki for traces of respiratory viruses. Four of eight samples taken from the security checkpoint trays had traces of the viruses, according to the study. That’s a larger share than researchers said they found than on stair handrails, elevator buttons or surfaces in restroom stalls.
Microban, the company that makes the additive in the new checkpoint trays, doesn’t promise products with its additives will prevent the spread of viruses or keep users from getting sick. Its additives are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency, which doesn’t allow marketing claims related to health benefits, said Microban spokeswoman Emily Best.
But Microban’s technology does keep the surfaces of products cleaner by making it harder for microorganisms to grow and reproduce, Best said. The company says its technology can be found in a wide range of products, including computer keyboards, sandals and baby changing stations.
Joe Ambrefe, CEO of SecurityPoint Media, the company that makes TSA trays with Microban’s additives, said tests of the trays showed the additive was “highly effective.” SecurityPoint Media and Microban did not share more details on the kinds of bacteria tested for or to what extent the treated trays reduced growth.
That’s one reason Emily Landon, associate professor at the University of Chicago Medicine, said travelers shouldn’t assume antimicrobial trays are an excuse to skip the basics, like keeping hands clean and avoiding people coughing and sneezing.
In general, airborne germs — like the ones you might encounter if stuck next to a sniffling passenger while waiting to get to the airport security checkpoint — pose a greater risk than those on surfaces, which still need to get past the skin to leave you under the weather, Landon said.
People also tend to assume antimicrobial products don’t need to be cleaned as frequently, which isn’t the case, she said.
“There are a lot of things that could be cleaner in a public space, but the way to do that is to clean them regularly rather than rely on an antimicrobial,” she said.
There’s no added cost to the city’s airports for the new trays, which are covered by an existing contract.
“It’s a value-add,” Ambrefe said.
Twitter @laurenzumbach