EPA Grants Immediate Exception for Persistent COVID-19 Eliminating Paint Coating
In a move to bolster its efforts against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved emergency exemption requests from Georgia, Utah, and Minnesota for the use of BIAXAM, a supplemental residual surface coating. This coating will be exclusively used in Delta Air Lines planes and facilities within these states.
What is BIAXAM?
BIAXAM is an adhesive film that can be applied by trained applicators to various hard, non-porous surfaces. The film is designed to remain effective for up to 100 days on airport surfaces and up to 200 days on airplane surfaces. Laboratory testing data suggests that BIAXAM kills 99.999% of SARS-CoV-2 particles within two hours.
The Role of Surface Transmission
It's important to note that the risk of COVID-19 infection by touching contaminated surfaces is considered low by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The current scientific consensus is that surface (fomite) transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is possible but considered unlikely to be a major route of infection, especially compared to airborne transmission.
A recent comprehensive analysis in The BMJ (July 2025) found that in cases investigated for transmission routes, close contact and fomite transmission were generally unlikely or secondary, with airborne transmission being the more plausible route, particularly over distances greater than 2 meters in indoor settings with poor ventilation. This assessment aligns with multiple epidemiological, genomic sequencing, and environmental data, showing that although virus particles can deposit on surfaces, effective transmission via touching contaminated surfaces followed by self-inoculation in the respiratory tract appears rare.
The Use of BIAXAM
BIAXAM is an additional tool in limited use situations to aid in the fight against the virus and does not replace routine cleaning and disinfection. The EPA has provided emergency exemption details for BIAXAM on its website: https://www.ourwebsite/pesticide-registration/section-18-emergency-exemption-requests-and-coronavirus-covid-19.
While the use of BIAXAM is a step forward in Delta Air Lines' commitment to ensuring a safe travel environment, it's crucial to remember that the effectiveness of BIAXAM in reducing COVID-19 transmission has not been proven under real-world conditions. Always follow CDC, state, and local public health guidelines when using BIAXAM.
For further understanding of best practices for cleaning and disinfection, information regarding the risk of surface transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is available for learning. The focus of control measures has shifted toward improving indoor ventilation, masking, and vaccination rather than extensive surface disinfection protocols.
[1] The BMJ, July 2025. [2] World Health Organization and other research bodies.
- BIAXAM, an adhesive film designed to kill 99.999% of SARS-CoV-2 particles, is a supplemental residual surface coating that can aid in the fight against COVID-19, particularly on airplane surfaces, but its effectiveness in reducing transmission has not been proven under real-world conditions.
- Despite laboratory testing data suggesting the efficacy of BIAXAM, it is important to remember that the risk of COVID-19 infection by touching contaminated surfaces is low. The current scientific consensus, supported by multiple epidemiological, genomic sequencing, and environmental data, indicates that airborne transmission is a more plausible route of infection, especially in indoor settings with poor ventilation.
