Clearing The Air: Why Air Purifiers Are The "It" Home Device Of 2020

Air Purifiers Combat Health Risks Associated with Indoor Air Pollution

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Jun 16, 2020, 09:00 ET

MONTVALE, N.J., June 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- While outdoor air pollution is a topic of global concern, research shows that indoor air quality may pose an even higher risk.

"With the righteous concerns around the world, we felt it was very important to add value by informing and educating on this vital subject," says Peter Weedfald, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing of Sharp Electronics Marketing Company of America.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the concentration of some indoor pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations¹. It is often what is brought into and done within the home—and that can't physically be seen—that causes poor indoor air quality like ultrafine particles from burning substances like wood or natural gas, for example.

As you would expect, outdoor pollutants like radon, smoke, and chemicals can seep in through doors and cracks. However, you may be surprised to learn that the EPA links increased concentrations of indoor pollutants to energy-efficient construction and synthetic building materials, emissions from cooking and cleaning, as well as personal care products, household cleaners, and pesticides².

The American Lung Association reports that poor indoor air quality can contribute to the development of infections, lung cancer, and chronic lung diseases such as asthma³. Some of the materials that make indoor air unhealthy include:

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): Gasses that are emitted from products or processes that may cause cancer
Bacteria and viruses: Infective agents that are too small to be seen by light microscopy and may cause illness, like the common cold or influenza and could make some diseases like asthma worse
Dust mites: Microscopic, insect-like pests that may trigger allergic reactions
Mold: The growth of fungi on surfaces where high humidity, condensation and water leaks are present, commonly resulting in eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lung irritation.
Pet dander: Microscopic flecks of skin shed by pets that may trigger allergies

"With advances in air purification technology, people can help to clear the air by adding air purifiers to their homes, offices, and classrooms, especially during allergy and flu season," says Jim Sanduski, President, Sharp Home Electronics Company of America.

One way the CDC recommend improving indoor air quality is to utilize air cleaners⁴. How do air purifiers work, and what type should consumers buy?

There are two air purifying methods on the market – "Active Cleaning" and "Passive Cleaning." Sharp Air Purifiers with Plasmacluster^® Ion Technology use both.

Plasmacluster^® Ion Technology is an Active Cleaning technology. Positive and negative ions are dispersed by the outgoing air flow throughout the room to neutralize and pull apart airborne pollutants, thereby reducing the pollutants in the air⁵. Plasmacluster^® Ions can even help reduce odors trapped within fabrics, furniture, and drapery.

U.S. laboratory testing in a controlled environment shows that Sharp's Plasmacluster^® Ion technology has been proven effective in reducing certain viruses, bacteria, and mold. For example, MS2 (a viral stimulant for influenza and similar viruses) was reduced by 90.3%. Bacteria, including E. Coli was reduced by 94.0%, Staphylococcus Epidermidis by 84.3%, and Serratia Marcescens by 89.7%. Common mold and fungus, including Penicillium Citrinum were reduced by 87.7% and Aspergillus Niger by 85.8%⁶.

Passive Cleaning air purification only works on the air that passes through the device's filter. Sharp Air Purifiers use TrueHEPA filtration to capture 99.97% of the pollutants from the air that passes through the filter from 0.3 microns or larger. Sharp's Long-Life TrueHEPA and carbon filters may last up to 5 years, depending on your model and environment.

For more information and tips, reference the EPA's Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home or Sharp's Simply Better Living blog.

About Sharp Home Electronics Company of America (SHCA)

SHCA is the U.S. Consumer Products Group of Sharp Electronics Corporation, the U.S. sales subsidiary of Sharp Corporation, a worldwide developer and manufacturer of one-of-a-kind premium technology products. SHCA includes the manufacturing of certain home appliances in Memphis, TN, together with the sales & marketing and servicing of home electronics in the United States. Leading products include Sharp Carousel®, Microwave Drawer™, SuperSteam+ ovens, and Plasmacluster® Ion air purifiers.

Sharp Corporation appears on Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies for 2020, received a 2018 Thomson Reuters TOP 100 Global Technology Leader Award, and appeared on the Forbes America's Best Employers 2017 list. Learn more at http://www.sharpusa.com/.

Sharp, Plasmacluster, and all related trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sharp Corporation and/or its affiliated companies. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Press Contact:
Kellyn Curtis
972.816.1355
[email protected]

¹ United States Environmental Protection Agency, Report on the Environment: Indoor Air Quality - https://www.epa.gov/report-environment/indoor-air-quality#note2
² United States Environmental Protection Agency, Report on the Environment: Indoor Air Quality -https://www.epa.gov/report-environment/indoor-air-quality#importance
³ American Lung Association, Indoor Air Pollutants and Health - https://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/indoor/indoor-air-pollutants/
⁴ CDC, Indoor Air Quality - https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/formaldehyde/docs/factshheet_indoor_air_quality.pdf.pdf
⁵ Seventeen (17) globally renowned, independent research organizations have certified the effectiveness and efficiency of Plasmacluster Ions against 29 types of harmful substances such as viruses, allergens, mold, fungi, bacteria and odor.
⁶ Tested in an independent lab – Intertek – in a 441.1 cu ft test room with the efficacy of decay measured at 1, 2, and 4 hours with the fan set on low, med, and high.

SOURCE Sharp Electronics Corporation