Saturday, October 4, 2008

Ozone Air Purifiers Banned in California


It wasn’t easy I’ve heard. An agency in my state (California) took a courageous stand for healthy air at home last year. In a step that surpassed the federal and other state efforts to regulate the emissions from air purifiers, the California Air Resources Board “banned popular in-home ozone air purifiers.” From these ostensibly home air cleaning devices a half million Californians have been exposed to amounts of ozone above the federal government’s health standard. The agency actually named the culprits.

While many people aren’t yet aware of this regulation, it finally goes into effect in 2009.

Reported L.A. Times’ Janet Wilson, “The machines deliberately inject ozone into a living room or bedroom, or directly into nasal passages via a personal breathing device worn around the neck. They have been marketed on the radio and over the Internet for years under brand names such as Living Air Purifier, Mountain Air or Fresh Air.

The companies also employ direct marketing, in which salespeople who say they are satisfied consumers go door-to-door or advertise the products to friends and colleagues, then earn a commission for each unit sold.” A quick "google" check shows a legion of these devices are marketed online. Homeowners do have safe alternatives.

No comments: