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January 30, 2005
Ozone Alert
My old buddy Jerb sent me this warning I'll pass along to you.
I almost bought one of these Living Air systems a year ago, and was just about to buy one now. I went online and started to do some research and discovered some scary things. If you own one of these (or any ozone generating air purification device like SpringAir or Biozone) or are contemplating buying one, you should read some of the following:
California Air Resources Board (California E.P.A.): -- this article was published on January 21, 2005. Environmental Protection Agency American Lung Association The gist of it is that ozone creates free radicals (it's the definitive "oxidant"), which many of us attempt to counteract through vitamins and minerals, etc... (anti-oxidants). Also, these devices which intentionally generate ozone are recommended against by the agencies listed above, and many others -- particularly for homes with children, elderly persons, or anyone suffering from asthma or any lung/throat/respiratory problems. If you own such a device and have been told that the "laundry/bleach smell" shows that it's working -- read up -- the smell indicates an unhealthy concentration of ozone.
The California E.P.A. has concluded that running these devices can create a 24/7 First Stage Smog Alert condition in your home. If you do any exercise or semi-strenuous activity in close proximity to an operating ozone-generating device, you should beware of lung/throat irritations or respiratory infections. The ozone generator may be the cause.
And the worst part is, when running in a safe (low ozone-emitting) manner, it is questionable whether the devices actually provide any beneficial air cleaning effects. If it seems too good to be true, I guess it is, right? As a final word of caution, the Living Air is only sold via Multi-Level-Marketing methods (try to find one at Home Depot or Sear's). Although negative ion producing devices (like the Sharper Image Ionic Breeze) are safer, there are still cautions regarding these, as they apparently create high ozone levels in living beings which are in close proximity to them. Several studies that attempted to prove the benefits of negative ions ended up killing rats. If you're looking for air-cleaning alternatives, the American Lung Association recommends using 3M Filtrete allergen-reducing central air filters (to be replaced every 3 months), and running your central air fan as much as possible. The filters cost about $50 - $80 a year, depending on size. I'm going to buy one at Home Depot and see if there's any noticeable air improvement.
Posted by mbowen at January 30, 2005 03:13 PM
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