Ozone:

Many single room portable air cleaner brands like the Sharper Image Ionic Breeze and the Oreck XL are electrostatic air cleaners. They make use of an electric charge. A byproduct of this process is ozone. In sufficient quantities, ozone can be toxic; but even minute amounts can irritate those with asthma or other respiratory problems. Both the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the American Lung Association (ALA) advise against using ozone producing (in any amount) portable single room air cleaners. Unfortunately, there are NO government mandated parameters for indoor ozone levels as a byproduct from single room portable air cleaners. The FDA mandates an ozone level not to exceed 50 parts-per-billion (ppb) for medical devises, but the FDA does not recognize portable single room air cleaners as medical devises. The FDA mandate does not recommend indoor ozone levels under 50 ppb, and the mandate does not state that any amount under 50 ppb is safe. Since single room portable air cleaners are not considered medical devices, the manufacturers are not required to report ozone byproduct in any amounts, and the manufacturers may or may not voluntarily submit their single room portable air cleaners for ozone emission testing! CONFUSING AND NOT MUCH PROTECTION FOR THE UNSUSPECTING AND UNIFORMED CONSUMER!

Ozone Slideshow:

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