Tampa, October 18, 2001

BBJ Environmental Solutions, Inc. (OTCBB: BBJE - news) has received numerous calls in the past few days asking if BBJ products are effective against anthrax. It is tempting to say, "Sure, we are a broad-spectrum antimicrobial." That, however, could be potentially misleading. What these people are really asking is, "Can I use your products to protect myself against anthrax or some other biological terrorist attack?" That question is more precise and the answer is complex.

"We know that air delivery systems are one of the most effective ways to spread these deadly organisms. At BBJ Environmental Solutions, we have studied infection control extensively in order to minimize the number of infections spread in health care facilities and food processing plants and are well aware that airborne organisms can pose a significant risk," says Robert Baker, Chairman and CEO. Let's look at a case that has been in the news; the staff member at the publishing building in Boca Raton, Florida. Although we do not know what actually happened, it is believed that this man opened an envelope containing anthrax spores while sitting at his desk (spores were found on his computer keyboard). Such spores are very light and opening the envelope no doubt caused some of them to become airborne. He inhaled some of these, which eventually led to infection and death. Inhalation anthrax is extremely rare and by far the most deadly form. Once the spores germinate, the symptoms appear quickly. The symptoms are caused by the toxins, which kill cells and cause fluids to accumulate in tissues within the body. Anthrax does not spread from person to person. It can only spread when it is in its spore form and the bacteria do not produce spores while they are actively growing in an infected person.

How could this man have protected himself? Let's assume that he suspected that he would be receiving dangerous mail and that he wanted to choose a product to protect himself. He could choose BBJ MicroBiocide, which inhibits growth of many common bacteria but is not a disinfectant. He could chose BBJ Spray Disinfectant/Cleaner, an effective hospital strength disinfectant, but one that does not destroy spores. He could choose formaldehyde, which is quite toxic, but is believed to destroy anthrax spores. Let's say he decided to be super safe and chose all three products and sprayed them all over his desk and chair including the computer keyboard. If, as we suspect, his exposure was from the airborne spores from the envelope, he still would have become infected and died. He would not have been protected because the computer keyboard had nothing to do with how he was exposed to the spores in the first place.

So is there a role for our products in protecting against biological terrorism? Possibly, but only as part of a comprehensive preventative maintenance program that should be in place in every building whether there is a threat of bio-terrorism or not. One possibility is that spores could be released into the outside air intakes or return air duct of a building. In this case filters would remove many of the spores. As the spore contaminated air stream moved through the air handler, additional spores would stick to the moist surfaces of the cooling coil. If the surfaces are clean and treated with a growth inhibiting treatment (BBJ MicroBiocide), the spores would most likely be washed down the drain along with the condensate water and would not be able to germinate, thereby producing more active anthrax. There is a fair chance that not enough spores would remain in the air stream to cause infection. According to Phil Amuso, Director with the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Laboratories in Tampa, Florida, "an infection normally occurs only where a fairly high concentration of spores are present in the air."

Contrast the above with a poorly maintained system. If filtration is absent or poorly maintained so there is bypass, most or all of the spores would pass the filtration stage. Spores passing through and onto a dirty coil with accumulated organic material on the surfaces might be trapped on those surfaces and not likely to be washed down into the drain but would remain as part of the ever accumulating contamination. Eventually, if conditions allowed, many of the spores would germinate and amplify into a high concentration of live organisms that would eventually produce more spores. As the friction of passing air increased, more and more of the accumulated contamination (including now concentrated anthrax) would erode from the coil surfaces and be carried into the occupied space. These particles could pose a significant infection risk. Therefore, it is important to routinely clean and maintain the HVAC system to prevent the buildup of organic material on the cooling coils and other moist areas of the system. If a small concentration of bacteria managed to reach this area, they can feed on the organic material and amplify to a greater concentration.

Can our customers protect themselves from bio-terrorism by applying BBJ MicroBiocide to their HVAC system? If BBJ MicroBiocide and our other products are used as part of a well planned and consistently executed preventative maintenance program, risk can be reduced and may make a critical difference. We cannot assure our customers of a safe and perfect world but we can, however, use our knowledge and products to help them better and possibly more safely manage their indoor environments.

BBJ Environmental Solutions, Inc. manufactures disinfectants, cleaning and anti-microbial products that control air contamination in HVAC and refrigeration systems of health care, commercial facilities and homes. BBJ products are biodegradable and easy-to-use. For more information, contact Bob Baker or Michael Gordon, 813-622-8550 or rbaker@bbjenviro.com.