Ozone Standards for Air Purifiers Sold in California - AB 2276 Air Cleaner Regulation

Ozone Standards for Air Purifiers Sold in California - AB 2276 Air Cleaner Regulation

California Assembly Bill 2276 requires all home air purifiers sold in the state to meet strict safety requirements and demonstrate that any ozone that may be emitted from the air purifiers must meet ozone limits, i.e. h. must be lower than or equal to the specified standards. The California Air Resources Board states:

In accordance with California Assembly Bill 2276 (2006, Pavley), the Air Resources Board (ARB) developed and adopted a regulation in September 2007 to limit ozone emissions from indoor air purification devices to protect public health. All air purification devices sold in California must meet regulatory requirements by October 18, 2010, the date of full compliance.

Although the standards only apply to California, they are great for residents of all states because independent testing of air purifiers shows which ones meet the strict standards and which ones don't. When purchasing an air purifier for your home environment, especially if a family member has asthma, don't you want the best and safest? Don't you really want to buy one that doesn't emit ozone, an odorless gas that is believed to worsen the home environment for asthmatics and allergy sufferers? Don't you want to buy one that meets independent electrical safety standards?

Any indoor air purification device that does not meet California standards but is sold online or through a catalog must bear a notice stating: Does not meet California requirements; cannot ship to California. The Air Resources Board is even targeting air purifiers made in California that don't meet the requirements but are only sold outside the state. There is a concern that any equipment returned to the manufacturer can be used in California and therefore the manufacturer will have to affix the labels that do not meet the standards.

Ozone is fine, high in the sky but not at ground level. Although an ozone layer high in Earth's atmosphere protects the planet from 99% of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation, ground-level ozone is a key component of smog and has a negative impact on the air we breathe. Some air purifiers sold in California (Sharper Image's Ionic Breeze is often cited as an example) emit ozone as a byproduct of producing negative ions with ultraviolet light. Even after elevated ozone levels were reported to be a cause of lung disease, asthma attacks, hospitalizations and even premature death, companies in California continued to sell ozone-producing air purifiers.

Despite informing the public of the potential health hazards, excellent marketing appeared to compel California residents to continue purchasing these potentially dangerous air purification devices. To prevent the sale of such devices in California, Assembly Bill 2276 was passed. Go to CA ARB. The California Air Resources Board required a state agency to enforce standards for indoor air purification devices and created testing requirements for independent laboratories and standards that must be met for an air purifier to meet certification requirements. On the ARB site noted above, you will find links to a page listing the air purifiers that meet the 2010 California standards, as well as a link to the page listing air purifiers/ozone generators that are classified as potentially hazardous.

Inspired by Sandra Merlo