Inspection 2/26: Air purifiers

The Swedish Electrical Safety Authority and the Swedish Chemicals Agency have conducted a joint market surveillance initiative to inspect air purifiers on the Swedish market. The inspection covered air purifiers that emit ozone as a by-product and are designed to be left running while people are in the room. The main purpose of the project was to check the ozone emissions of the devices, but also to examine whether the products comply with other electrical safety and chemical regulations.

Another aim of the project has been to provide information about the risks of exposure to ozone emitted from devices when ozone is used as an air purification method. The project is a continuation of a review previously conducted by the Swedish Electrical Safety Authority, which focused on ozone generators that intentionally emit large amounts of ozone and are intended for use in enclosed spaces. The discussion on ozone as a purification method therefore includes both ozone generators intended for use in enclosed spaces and air purifiers with ozone as a by-product that are intended for use with people in the room.

Ozone, which is a highly reactive substance, can be used as a biocidal product to combat viruses, mold, and fungi in cars, houses, and other spaces. Ozone is a gas that is toxic when inhaled and can irritate the respiratory tract and eyes, causing breathing difficulties and coughing. In Sweden, there is no ban on supplying ozone generators to the general public, as there is in Norway, for example. However, we do have Swedish regulations governing the handling of particularly hazardous substances by private individuals, precisely to prevent harm to the general public. As ozone is classified as a particularly hazardous substance, it is covered by these regulations.

The results of the review showed that 4 out of 20 air purifiers analyzed did not meet the limit values for ozone emissions, with three of them far exceeding the limits. Electrical safety testing and chemical analyses also revealed deficiencies. Several of the air purifiers have deficiencies that indicate that the companies selling them lack the knowledge needed to sell safe products on the market. All companies in the distribution chain must take action to ensure that the products they sell meet legal requirements and are safe. The manufacturer's risk assessment for an air purifier needs to take into account, among other things, the dangers of ozone and foreseeable misuse to ensure that it does not pose a risk to the user or other persons.

Supervision and market control are important pieces of the puzzle in creating the conditions for a market where companies operate on equal terms. Effective market surveillance is needed to ensure that it is not profitable to ignore legislation and to contribute to more safe products on the market. Cooperation between the Swedish Chemicals Agency and the Swedish Electrical Safety Authority has enabled a breadth and depth of control that would not have been possible if the authorities had acted individually.