Ozone air cleaners – not recommended if you suffer from asthma

Ozone air cleaners are great for removing odors such as that from cooking and from cigarette smoke. The other benefits of ozone air cleaners are more debatable though.

This was evidenced a few years back when one manufacturer of ozone air cleaners, Alpine Industries, found itself in court.
The judgement prohibited the company to make claims “.. that any Alpine product can eliminate, remove, clear or clean from indoor air any pollutant, contaminant, microorganism (including bacteria, viruses, mold and mildew), chemical or particulate, or any specific quantity or amount of any of the foregoing.”

Ozone is quite effective with the removal of smoke and odors, and the judgement allowed the company to claim that their Alpine air purifiers “can remove ‘visible’ tobacco smoke and some odors (without specifying what odor)…”

Both the American Lung Association and the Environmental Protection Authority warn against ozone air cleaners - air purifiers that rely solely on ozone to purify the air. Some air purifiers emit low levels of ozone as a by-product, and are not at issue here.

Both organisations find themselves opposed to ozone air cleaners for the following reasons. Whilst ozone is not very effective at destroying pollutants at low concentrations, it is a powerful lung irritant at higher concentrations. In addition, when ozone reacts with these pollutants, it is possible that more harmful chemicals are created.

The American Lung Association in particular is quite concerned about the possible harmful effects: “persons with asthma have increased susceptibility to ozone and exposure to low concentrations results in increased symptoms, medications use and hospitalizations.”

For more information on related products, please choose from the following:

HEPA Air Cleaners |Electrical / Ionic Air Purifiers | Ozone Air Purifiers