California Assembly Bill 2276 requires that all home air cleaners sold in the state meet stringent requirements for safety and show that any ozone that may be emitted by the air purifiers must meet ozone limits, that is, be lower than or equal to predetermined standards. California’s 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 the ozone emitted from indoor air cleaning devices in order to protect public health. All air cleaning devices sold in California must meet the regulation requirements by October 18, 2010, the full compliance date.
While the standards apply only to California, they are actually excellent for residents of all states because the independent testing of the air purifiers shows which ones meet the stringent standards and which ones do not. When purchasing an air cleaner for your home environment, particularly if a family member is asthmatic, don’t you want the best and the safest? Don’t you want to make sure you purchase one that does not emit ozone, an odorless gas that is believed to make the home environment worse for asthmatics and allergy sufferers? Don’t you want to purchase one that has met independent standards for electrical safety?
Any indoor air cleaning device that does not meet California’s standards but is sold on the internet or by catalog is required to display a notice that states: Does not meet California requirements; cannot be shipped to California. The Air Resources Board even addresses air purifiers manufactured in CA that do not meet the requirements but that will be sold only out of state. The concern is that any units returned to the manufacturer may go into use in California and, therefore, the manufacturer must affix the does-not-meet-standards labels.
Ozone is Okay High in the Sky, but Not at Ground Level. Although a layer of ozone high in Earth’s atmosphere protects the planet from 99% of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation, ground-level ozone is a key ingredient of smog and has a negative effect on the air we breathe. Some air purifiers sold in California (the Sharper Image’s Ionic Breeze is often given as an example) emit ozone as a byproduct of the generation of negative ions using ultraviolet light. Even after elevated levels of ozone were reported to be a cause of lung disease, attacks by asthma sufferers, hospitalizations, and even premature death, companies continued to sell ozone-producing air cleaners in California.
Although the public was advised of the potential health hazards, excellent marketing seemed to compel California residents to continue to purchase these potentially hazardous air cleaning units. To stop such devices from being sold in California, Assembly Bill 2276 was passed. Go to CA ARB. Calling for a state agency to enforce standards for indoor air cleaning devices, California’s Air Resources Board created testing requirements for independent laboratories as well as standards to be met in order for an air purifier to meet certification requirements. On the ARB site given above, you will find links to a page listing the air purifiers that meet California’s 2010 standards as well as a link to the page listing the air cleaners / ozone generators that are considered potentially hazardous.
