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 products are tested by independent laboratories and certified by international bodies, and our GD-MD medical line is registered as a Class I medical device in the European Union.
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 independent peer-reviewed studies on drain-borne contamination. They examine the risk in drainage systems, not this product.
Testing. Independent laboratory testing conducted by SGS-CSTC in 2025 demonstrated greater than 99.9% retention of aerosolized MS2 bacteriophage under controlled test conditions. Tested device performance, not a health outcome.
Role. A physical barrier at the drain opening, adding a layer to the P-trap, routine cleaning, and the hygiene protocols a facility already runs.
SELECTED STUDIES
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 certified it for use in food handling and preparation environments. The certificate gives food safety auditors documentation for the facility's HACCP audit file.
Role. A physical control at the drain opening that works alongside routine drain sanitation and environmental monitoring.
For food & beverage manufacturers
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.
Research. SGS tested: >99.9% retention of aerosolized MS2 viral surrogate under controlled laboratory conditions. Tested device performance, not a health outcome. 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.
Role. A seal at the drain opening that helps limit sewer odor and drain air rising into occupied rooms in hospitals, hotels, offices, and industrial buildings.
Is Green Drain a medical device?
In the European Union, our medical line, Green Drain GD-MD, is a Class I medical device under MDR (EU) 2017/745, registered in EUDAMED, the EU's medical device database. Its legal manufacturer, Green Drain Europe ApS in Herning, Denmark, issued the current EU Declaration of Conformity on September 14, 2026, and holds the technical documentation.
What it does. GD-MD is a passive mechanical device intended for installation in floor drains. It functions as a one-way barrier allowing fluid passage while restricting the upward movement of air and aerosols from drainage systems. It works alongside the P-trap, cleaning, and infection prevention and control measures, and replaces none of them. It does not prevent, diagnose, treat, or cure disease, and no claims are made regarding reduction of infection rates or patient outcomes.
Scope. Other countries regulate medical devices under their own frameworks. For GD-MD's regulatory standing, see the EU MDR documents below; for the standard line, see our Certifications page.
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
A physical barrier at the drain, certified by HACCP International for floor drains in facilities that run a HACCP-based food safety program.
Restaurants & Food Service
Drain flies, sewer odor, and recurring health-inspection findings start in the drain.
Hotels & Hospitality
Seasonal closures and low-occupancy floors leave P-traps to dry out 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.