Southampton Village Cabinet Maker Builds Light Boxes To Quell COVID-19 - 27 East

Southampton Village Cabinet Maker Builds Light Boxes To Quell COVID-19

icon 6 Photos
The custom light box.

The custom light box.

The custom light box uses UV light to sanitize and disinfect.

The custom light box uses UV light to sanitize and disinfect.

A UV light unit is installed in a simple box in a custom-designed size.

A UV light unit is installed in a simple box in a custom-designed size.

Shimon Peretz in his shop on Mariner Drive in Southampton.  DANA SHAW

Shimon Peretz in his shop on Mariner Drive in Southampton. DANA SHAW

Shimon Peretz in his shop on Mariner Drive in Southampton.  DANA SHAW

Shimon Peretz in his shop on Mariner Drive in Southampton. DANA SHAW

Shimon Peretz in his shop on Mariner Drive in Southampton.  DANA SHAW

Shimon Peretz in his shop on Mariner Drive in Southampton. DANA SHAW

Kitty Merrill on Jun 18, 2020

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and even well before it hit our shores, Dr. Peter Michalos, a Southampton ophthalmologist, was fascinated with scientific research surrounding coronavirus.

One of the aspects of its treatment, and possible prevention, that caught his attention was the use of UVC light as a tool for sanitizing and sterilization.

He spoke to his friend Shimon Peretz, a custom cabinet maker from Wainscott who has a shop in Southampton Village, about the idea of making “light boxes.”

“We were chatting about coronavirus and I knew that UVC killed viruses, mold, bacteria in minutes, and was looking at these tiny UV boxes for cell phones and tooth brushes and the ones used in nail salons for instruments,” Dr. Michalos recalled. He asked his friend to design one for him for groceries, large packages, and mail. Mr. Peretz “did a beautiful job,” he said.

At his shop in Southampton Village, Mr. Peretz has custom built light boxes in varied sizes for clients. He makes them to order, depending on how they will be used. They can be tiny for cleaning glasses, or large to hold an order of groceries, he explained. Plywood is his preferred material for the boxes.

The lights are imported from China. “Unfortunately, nobody makes them here,” he said.

A lighting unit is affixed inside the lid of the box, which is lined with reflectors. It has an external switch, because UVC can be harmful to humans if exposed directly.

Objects like groceries, or mail, or, in smaller boxes, cellphones, are placed inside, a switch on the exterior of the box turns the light on, and what’s known as ultraviolet germicidal irradiation begins. Groceries can be sanitized in just three minutes, Mr. Peretz said.

The ultraviolet light spectrum includes three types of light : UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVC light has a shorter, more energetic wavelength. In the late 1800s, researchers discovered it could be used to kill germs, and put it to work for water purification in Europe.

In 1903, Danish scientist Niels Ryberg Finsen won the Nobel Prize in recognition of his contribution to the treatment of diseases, especially lupus vulgaris (a form of tuberculosis), with concentrated light radiation. He was extolled by Nobel for opening a new avenue in medical science.

Aware that ultraviolet light had an inhibiting effect on bacteria, Mr. Finsen theorized tissues that had been attacked by bacteria might respond to treatment with light. He used concentrated beams of ultraviolet light to treat patients with lupus vulgaris with some success.

According to the tech and science website CNET, a UVC light sanitizer acts by penetrating the thin wall of a small microscopic organism and destroying its nucleic acids. This disrupts the DNA structure and either kills it or renders it unable to reproduce — and therefore harmless. As a result, the use of UVC light to sanitize and kill germs has many applications.

“UV is a known disinfectant for air, water and surfaces that can help to mitigate the risk of acquiring an infection in contact with the COVID-19 virus when applied correctly,” according to the International Ultraviolet Association, a nonprofit dedicated to the advancement of ultraviolet technologies to help address public health and environmental concerns.

For over 100 years, researchers studied UVC light and its applications for killing germs and bacteria. However, interest in the use of light slowed when society embraced a different way for combating infection — antibiotics.

The coronavirus pandemic prompted a resurgence in interest in using light as a sanitizing agent. UVC is currently being used by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to sanitize train and subway cars.

Mr. Peretz has designed, made, and installed custom furniture and cabinets from his shop in Southampton Village under the company name Shape & Structure since 1991, when he moved to the East End.

He recalled getting his start as a furniture maker when he was living in Soho. A friend bought a loft and asked him to help build a wall, which led to more construction work. When he was called upon for a cabinetry job, he said, “I fell for it. It was like with my wife. I met my wife and that was the end.”

You May Also Like:

Disabled Eastport Woman Wins Empowerment Grant, Will Use Funds To Purchase Beach Wheelchair for Public Use in Bellport

Listening to Allison Hallock speak about the beach is like being there with her. She ... 12 Nov 2024 by Michelle Trauring

Immigrant Advocacy Group Centro Corazon de Maria Names New Executive Director

Leydy Renteria-Merced knows what it’s like to be a newcomer, knows about the struggle of ... by Cailin Riley

PHOTOS: Hampton Bays American Legion Dedicates New Atrium

Hampton Bays American Legion Hand Aldrich Post 924 not only celebrated veterans on Monday, but ... 11 Nov 2024 by Staff Writer

Community Members and Leaders On Hand To Kick Off Rogers Memorial Library Revitalization Campaign on Saturday Afternoon

During a few brief remarks to the community members gathered around the crackling indoor fireplace ... by Cailin Riley

Quogue Library Exhibition Will Focus on Early Paintings of Allan Bridge, Artist Who Created 'The Apology Line'

When Allan Bridge started “The Apology Line” in 1980, he had no way of knowing ... by Cailin Riley

PHOTOS: Southampton Celebrates Veterans

The Commission on Veterans Patriotic Events hosted Veterans Day ceremonies on Monday with a parade ... by Staff Writer

Food Pantries Race To Fill Growing Need on East End

Every Wednesday, at about 1:30 p.m., the traffic begins. One by one, the cars form ... 7 Nov 2024 by Michelle Trauring

Local Animal Nonprofits Rescue, Rehabilitate, Release and Find Forever Homes

With the South Fork’s rich history and bountiful wildlife, different nonprofits are dedicated to helping ... by Julianne Mosher

Help Me Help You Help Us With Donations to Nonprofits

Catherine Stoll is a mainstay of Heart of the Hamptons. She logs countless hours sorting clothing donations at the food pantry and emergency assistance program on Meeting House Lane. “I don’t consider my job done at the end of the day and say, ‘Wow, I did some good today,’” Stoll said. “I just say, ‘Okay, tomorrow, I’m going to tackle these three things.’ There is no shortage of something to do, and someone in need.” She came to be like many volunteers post-COVID on Eastern Long Island. Stoll moved to Southampton in 2020 after more than three decades of summering ... by By J.D. Allen

Different Children, Adolescent Nonprofits Bring a Sense of Community to Kids of All Ages

In a tough economy for today’s working class, local nonprofits have made it their mission ... by Julianne Mosher