As a general rule, it’s best to maintain a controlled environment in growing and
processing areas whenever possible. This means ensuring that the humidity levels are
regulated, so as not to create conditions where bacteria and other pathogens can
thrive. Adequate air filtration is also essential to prevent the formation of
micro-climates, which can act as breeding grounds for pathogens like powdery mildew.

When designing your facility for optimal infection prevention, it’s also important to
minimize the potential for cross-contamination from dirty areas into production rooms.
This can be accomplished in part by having a dedicated room where people can enter to
remove dirty footwear and clothing, acting as a barrier between the outside
environment and the production areas. In addition, the use of personal protective
equipment (PPE) such as shoe covers, coveralls and hair covers are important in
ensuring that contamination by people entering the production areas is kept to a
minimum.

Another factor to consider is plant movement: limiting the movement of plants,
wherever possible, is a good practice to lower the risk of disease transmission
between plants. Ideally, your facility will be designed to ensure that unnecessary
plant movement is eliminated.

With any area that will be cleaned or disinfected, the type of material used will have a huge impact on
your ability to successfully kill
pathogens. In general, look for surfaces that are non-porous, smooth and easy to clean. For flooring,
seamless materials are ideal: a film may
be placed over the floor in greenhouses for easier cleaning. The materials used should be non-absorbent
and should be free of cracks and
other crevices – these breaks in the material will make it more difficult for your cleaner/disinfectant
to penetrate the surface, and can provide
an environment for pathogens to thrive. A few examples of surface types that tend to work well are
stainless steel, most plastics, polyvinyl
chloride, rubbers and epoxy.

It’s also a good idea to consider the compatibility of your materials with whatever disinfectant product
you will be using. While the materials
mentioned above tend to be fairly chemical-resistant, it’s important to check with your disinfectant
manufacturer to ensure that your
disinfectant won’t cause unnecessary wear and tear on these materials over time.

When it comes to pest control in your facility, cleaning isn’t enough – disinfection
is the process of actually killing viruses, bacteria and fungi that can cause disease
in your plants. Disinfectants in Canada are registered under Health Canada, and carry
a Drug Identification Number (DIN). It’s important to make sure that your disinfectant
carries efficacy against the pathogens you’re concerned about (more on this in later
posts), and has good activity in the presence of organic material. Another key aspect
to think about is safety – disinfectant products should be non-toxic and
non-irritating, putting the safety of your team at the forefront.