A building's drains should not be the weakest link in its safety system.
Every floor drain connects occupied spaces directly to the sewer. When the P-trap's water seal evaporates, that connection becomes an open pathway for sewer gas, odor, and pests. We exist to restrict the upward movement of air and aerosols through it.
Green Drain advances research and engineering on drain-borne contamination - the failure mode that connects building safety, infection control, food safety, and air quality through a single overlooked pathway. Our work is verified by independent laboratories, certified by international bodies, and progressing through the EU MDR medical device pathway.
Patient room or ICU sink with drain visible,
or biofilm/colony imagery from research
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Why have hospital outbreaks been traced to sink and floor drains?
Multi-drug-resistant organisms persist in drain biofilm and travel through plumbing. Outbreaks of CRE, CPE, VRE, and Pseudomonas have been documented as drain-mediated. Standard chemical decontamination has limited durability against organisms that live in pipe biofilm below the visible surface.
Research. Our public library indexes peer-reviewed studies on drain-mediated transmission events. In an SGS aerosol-retention test, the GD3 retained over 99.9% of an aerosolized MS2 bacteriophage viral surrogate. The protocol and report are SGS's, not ours.
Status. Specified in healthcare infection-control programs across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Australia. Used as a chemical-free physical barrier alongside existing decontamination protocols.
SELECTED STUDIES
Floor drain in food processing facility,
or environmental monitoring swab collection
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Why are floor drains classified as Zone 3 in food-plant environmental monitoring?
Floor drains are documented Listeria harborage sites. A single positive swab from a Zone 3 surface can trigger a facility-wide recall under FSMA. Most drain-cleaning chemistries do not reach the biofilm where the organism lives.
Research. NSF/ANSI 2 listed the device's contact materials as food-equipment safe. HACCP International endorsed it for use in food handling and preparation environments - an endorsement recognized under SQF, BRC, and FSSC 22000 audit standards.
Status. Specified in food and beverage manufacturing facilities for environmental control. Used as an auditable preventive control supplementing routine drain sanitation programs.
For food & beverage manufacturersDry P-trap with arrows showing gas pathway,
or occupied space with drain visible
~720 x 900px
What escapes through a drain when its P-trap dries out?
A dry P-trap is an open vent from the sewer to the occupied space. Air and aerosols from the drainage system - including hydrogen sulfide, methane, and bioaerosols - travel that pathway. Sewer-odor complaints in commercial buildings trace back to dry traps in up to 40% of cases.
Research. In an SGS aerosol-retention test on the GD3, the device retained over 99.9% of an aerosolized MS2 bacteriophage viral surrogate. Independent durability and chemical-resistance testing covers the conditions a drain seal sees in real operation, including the temperature and pH ranges relevant to sewer-side exposure.
Status. Adopted in healthcare, hospitality, commercial office, and industrial facilities to reduce odor complaints, hydrogen sulfide exposure events, and drain-mediated air quality issues.
Regulatory documentation context,
or clinical setting where Class I device applies
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Why is Green Drain pursuing medical device classification in the European Union?
Under EU Medical Device Regulation, products that contribute to infection prevention or environmental control in clinical settings can be classified as medical devices. Most plumbing accessories are not. Green Drain is pursuing this pathway.
Research. The device is undergoing the technical-file review and conformity assessment required for Class I MDR registration. Supporting documentation is published on this site as the process advances.
Status. Progressing through the Class I EU MDR registration pathway. Classification varies by jurisdiction; the documentation page is the canonical reference for current regulatory standing.
EU MDR documentationWhere this work shows up.
Drain-borne contamination affects every facility where occupied spaces share infrastructure with the sewer system.
Healthcare
A physical barrier in patient rooms, ICUs, and decontamination spaces, working alongside infection-control programs.
Food & Beverage Manufacturing
An auditable preventive control under FSMA, SQF, BRC, and FSSC 22000 standards.
Restaurants & Food Service
Drain flies, sewer odor, and recurring health-inspection findings start in the drain.
Hotels & Hospitality
Seasonal closures and low-occupancy floors guarantee P-trap evaporation in guest-facing spaces.
Senior Living
Vulnerable populations and shared infrastructure raise the stakes on drain-level contamination.
Aviation
Galley drains, lavatory drains, and ground service infrastructure where sealed protection is operationally critical.
Pest Management
A physical barrier that interrupts drain-fly, cockroach, and rodent ingress. IPM-friendly, chemical-free.
All industries
Browse the full list of verticals where drain-borne contamination is a documented operational concern.
See the research.
40+ peer-reviewed studies. One curated library. Open to anyone.