In the latest episode of Behind SafeTouch: Meet the Consortium, we speak with Ignacio Zurano from Lomartov, the partner leading sustainability assessment and safe production within the SafeTouch project.
Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, SafeTouch aims to revolutionise hygiene through the development of smart, self-decontaminating microfilms for high-touch surfaces in hospitals, public spaces, and transportation.
Lomartov’s role in SafeTouch is to ensure that the iST microfilm is not only effective but environmentally responsible and safe throughout its entire lifecycle. As Ignacio explains, sustainability is no longer a separate consideration from technical and economic feasibility. It needs to be part of the design process from the start.
“You don’t start from the roof. That’s why I think it’s important to start with sustainability from scratch.”
This means providing continuous environmental and sustainability feedback to the consortium as the device is being developed, rather than running an assessment after the design is finalised. The goal is to identify potential environmental and safety concerns while choices are still open, not to discover them at the end when they are difficult and costly to address.
Ignacio also highlights the concept of safe production and safe use, which places human health at the centre of the design process. The iST device must not pose risks to the people manufacturing it or to the end users interacting with it in hospitals and care facilities.
“Safe use and safe production is translated to that: to protect life, and involve this dimension in the productive process and the use phase.”
This dual focus on environmental sustainability and human safety is central to SafeTouch’s approach. While the project’s primary objective is to develop a technology that eliminates pathogens on high-touch surfaces, Lomartov’s work ensures that this is achieved responsibly, with evidence-based sustainability credentials rather than assumptions.
Watch the full interview with Ignacio to learn how Lomartov is embedding sustainability and safety into SafeTouch from day one.
This interview is part of the Behind SafeTouch: Meet the Consortium video series, where we introduce the people and expertise shaping this innovative project.