The EPA's determination confirms that the Zinnia-coated filter operates through dual-action aerosol trapping mechanisms under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
With the regulatory path now established, Steel Jupiter can proceed with its go-to-market plan, which includes performance testing multiple filter types across various real-world operational and environmental factors in simulated and actual settings, working with leading indoor air experts. Steel Jupiter anticipates completing this final validation testing over the next several months.
Steel Jupiter says that initial independent laboratory-scale testing demonstrates that its Zinnia coating, when applied to standard air filters, has the potential to trap up to 99.9% of airborne viruses, utilizing its water-based aerosol attracting properties. The coating does not impede filter airflow, leading to no increase in energy usage, thereby significantly enhancing virus-trapping effectiveness in a sustainable manner.
"We are pleased to move forward with the final steps in bringing filters coated with our transformative Zinnia coating to market," said Carlos Tellez, founder and CEO of Steel Jupiter. Tellez added that the company's aim is "to make enhanced airborne filtration technology accessible to all people in an energy-efficient and sustainable manner."
Founded in early 2021, Steel Jupiter is a US-based manufacturer focused on developing and deploying the patented Zinnia coating technology (under license from FXI Inc, UK), and in collaboration with its inventor, Professor Andrew Barron.
Professor Barron, who serves on the Steel Jupiter advisory board, is currently a visiting professor at the University of Arizona, and is a former environmental and energy professor at Swansea University in the UK, and a former chemistry professor at Rice and Harvard Universities. He is a director of FXI Inc UK, the owner and licensor of the CAMO Patent. Zinnia is the commercial name for CAMO in the Americas.
