Public Health Agency: 1970s Technology Puts us all at Deadly Legionnaires' Risk?

DERBY, England, October 22, 2010 - With no culprit yet announced following the recent fatal outbreak of
Legionnaires' disease through the South Wales Valleys, questions are being
raised about old machinery putting our health at risk. In August the disease
left twenty victims in hospital and claimed two fatalities. Authorities'
investigations have centred on water treatment plants in the region, but
worryingly no definite source has yet been found.

One possible culprit: unhygienic, outdated "mechanical seals" from as far
back as the 1970s, still in use on public water processing pumps. These
machine parts typically feature 'bug traps' which are almost impossible to
clean properly, and which can cultivate disease.

According to a spokesperson from the Public Health Agency, "The control
of Legionnaires' disease in a water system is through good engineering design
and maintenance [...] any areas where there can be a build up of dirt and/or
scale can be a reservoir for bacteria growth (not just Legionella),
particularly where there is stagnant water."

Despite this, the problem remains far more widely spread than we would
ever like to believe. According to Alan Roddis, Engineering Director of
mechanical seal manufacturer AESSEAL ( www.aesseal.com ) and
ComponentSeals.com (www.componentseals.com/): "a worrying fact is
despite being published nearly a decade ago, very few seal designs in process
equipment in the food and drink industry today conform with the EHEDG (the
European Hygienic Engineering and Design Group) basic recommendations.

Unhygienically profiled mechanical seal designs can present a danger to
human consumption as the cavities and crevices which contact the processed
fluid, are practically impossible to thoroughly clean as explained in the
article, "The importance of hygienic seal design", November 2010, World
Pumps."

The "mechanical seal" is an important part of any water pumping system.
They are designed to stop leaks; keeping water in and contaminants out, but
the designs are often complex and unhygienic. Like a chipped cup, some older
designs provide hard to clean areas which could become a fortress for the
disease.

Note to Editors

Three full quotes from strong sources including PHA available at
www.componentseals.com/news?action=view&newsID=67

    Sam Smith
    AESSEAL plc
    Tel: +44(0)1709-514-081
    e-mail:sam.smith@aesseal.co.uk

Sam Smith, AESSEAL plc, Tel: +44(0)1709-514-081, e-mail:sam.smith at aesseal.co.uk