03 Dec 2024

Evaqvent Creates a Safer Work Environment

Evaqvent works to improve the working conditions for personnel handling freight containers by ventilating the toxic chemical fumes that often accumulate in containers during shipping. However, there are challenges related to industry knowledge.

"Many people working with containers worldwide are not even aware of this risk," says Gunnar Johnson, one of the founders.

The company was founded by Urban Svedberg and Gunnar Johanson, two experts in occupational hygiene and toxicology with over 70 years of combined experience. Together, they have invented effective solutions that help create a safer work environment for those handling freight containers daily.

"We saw a need to protect those who risk exposure to hazardous chemicals in containers every day," says Gunnar, a professor of toxicology and expert on occupational exposure limits. "The problem is bigger than many think – almost one in eight containers we examined had chemical levels in the air that exceeded one or more exposure limits. With our products, we can change this and prevent more workers from risking their health," he says.

Nearly a billion shipping containers are shipped annually. This means that hundreds of thousands of workers are at daily risk of exposure to toxic or carcinogenic substances.

Discovered Carcinogens

Evaqvent, based in Sundsvall, has developed various solutions to ventilate containers quickly and efficiently. The simplest is a nozzle inserted into the container door gap. The nozzle is connected to a fan that extracts and removes the contaminated air via hoses. About 90% of the pollutants are eliminated within an hour. Ventilation occurs at the loading dock just before unloading, so logistics are not significantly affected.

Evaqvent's products can easily be connected to a container to ventilate all the toxic fumes that have formed.

Chemical fumes can originate from various sources. Many goods, such as shoes, are made with adhesives that release volatile substances during shipping. "For example, we have seen that shoes can emit substances that are 30 times above the occupational exposure limit. When these substances accumulate in a sealed container during several weeks of shipping, the air can become directly hazardous to health," explains Gunnar. Several cases of poisoning and even deaths have been described.

Urban and Gunnar have examined the air in hundreds of containers arriving in Sweden and identified nearly 50 different chemicals, many of which are carcinogenic.

Hundreds of Thousands of Exposed Workers

Additionally, fumigants – strong pesticides – are often used in containers to prevent pests from spreading across national borders. But these agents are toxic and can be directly lethal if a person is exposed to them without proper ventilation. "We have seen fumigant levels so high that it would have been deadly to be there," says Gunnar.

Due to the risks of hazardous fumes, the IMO, the UN's International Maritime Organization, recommends that containers always be mechanically ventilated before unloading. The problem is that most people are unaware of the risks or these guidelines.

"Nearly a billion shipping containers are shipped annually, and it takes about two hours to unload each one. This means that hundreds of thousands of workers daily risk exposure to toxic or carcinogenic substances," Gunnar notes.

"We have developed a method to make the work environment safer. As far as we know, Evaqvent is the only company in the world offering a simple solution to this problem. Evaqvent's ventilation solutions have already been installed at Swedish border controls and have been appreciated for their user-friendliness and efficiency.

"A Natural Measure"

Several large multinational companies have also started using their technology in their distribution centers. But despite the successes in Sweden and with some international customers, it is difficult to reach the market.

"Central warehouses and logistics operators work under time pressure and are reluctant to add another step to the process. Maybe they are also afraid of creating concern among the staff. But we are convinced that the solution we offer is the right way to go. It is simple and smooth and should be a natural measure to implement for a safer work environment.

Currently, Gunnar and Urban are the only employees at Evaqvent. "We have been working on this for many years and hope that the technology we have developed can gain greater spread and increased use. Our goal is for more people to realize the risks and dare to address the problem," says Gunnar.

Click here to read more about Evaqvent!