Lysol Air Sanitizer scoops a R&D100 Award!
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We’re excited to announce that Lysol Air Sanitizer, has been awarded a 2024 R&D100 Award. Known as the ‘R&D Oscars’, the R&D100 Awards are the most prestigious innovation awards program and have been for the past 60 years. The awards celebrate worldwide innovation and honour great research and development (R&D) pioneers and revolutionary ideas in science and technology from across all industries.
Lysol Air Sanitizer won an R&D100 award in the ‘Process/Prototyping Category’. This is a testament to the transformative work our R&D teams are doing around the world to drive sustainable growth and delight consumers with new and relevant solutions.
The Science Inside Lysol Air Sanitizer - a new category
Air contamination became a key issue during the COVID-19 pandemic with homes and offices becoming a breeding ground for viruses and bacteria. While there was a range of air filtering devices at premium price points, there were no mass solutions available to consumers. That’s why Reckitt partnered with aerobiology experts and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create a rigorous testing protocol to ensure Lysol Air Sanitizer became a game-changing product in the fight against airborne bacteria and viruses.
Some of the biggest challenges for this project were to demonstrate the in-air efficacy of Lysol especially in the backdrop of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Knowing the product can fight against airborne viruses has been scientifically rewarding and seeing the success of this product in the market including competitive acclamation R&D awards, has been a prideful moment in my career.
M.Khalid Ijaz
Senior Research Fellow and Director of Scientific Affairs, Equity, Claims & Compliance
In its ability to sanitize the air, Lysol Air Sanitizer was positioned to become an essential household item offering the consumer the ability to control airborne bacteria and viruses at an affordable price-point and availability. Now widely available at a variety of retailers, one year on, this disruptive innovation is continuing to be a success and generating strong category growth.
EPA and The First Foray in Antimicrobial Products
One of the biggest R&D challenges I encountered was how to effectively work with an active that was functional in the air. The active needed to be sufficiently volatised to be efficacious against airborne microbes. I needed to not only manipulate the formulation but also the packaging aspects to properly convert the active to a vapour state.
Anthony Kevek
Lysol Research Manager
The R&D team developed robust efficacy and safety testing protocols to ensure Lysol Air Sanitizer met the EPA standards for anti-microbial efficacy and consumer safety. This was no mean feat, and it led us to achieve the first antimicrobial product registered by the EPA that is effective in killing airborne bacteria and viruses.
Traditional disinfectant or sanitiser products have – up to this point – only been able to address surface-bound bacteria and viruses. This “in-air distinction” sets Lysol Air Sanitizer apart as a trailblazer in the industry, providing consumers with unparalleled protection from the spread of airborne pathogens.
Innovation is never easy, especially when it comes to creating a new consumer category, so it is fantastic to see the team’s hard work generate such a successful product. The internal and external awards show just how much everyone recognises the merit of Lysol Air Sanitizer.
Robyn Walker
R&D Senior Manager, Lysol innovation
Thank you to the R&D 100 Awards for recognising Reckitt’s groundbreaking innovations to revolutionize indoor air care and redefine hygiene standards. All these awards are amazing accolades and we’re very proud of this achievement and all of our team’s hard work!