Some air purifiers fall short of claimed performance: ministry

Some air purifiers sold here, both foreign and local brands, fall short of the output promised by manufacturers, the government said Wednesday. 
 

A total of 35 models of air purifiers and 50 models of anti-particulate pollution facial masks met the criteria for safety, according to an inspection jointly conducted by the Ministry of Environment and relevant agencies.

Five purifier models, however, fell short of results the manufacturers promised, such as on their capabilities to remove toxic dust and noise levels. The models include those produced by Swiss brand IQAir, Japanese brand Sharp and Korean brand Prexco.

The inspection conducted from March 15 to July 31 involved checking the functions of the air purifiers -- how well they eliminated dust in the air -- and safety measures such as the possibility of the purifiers catching fire and whether they prevented electric shock accidents.

The inspection also looked into whether the purifiers’ filters contained toxic preservatives, such as Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazolinone.

Two models of air purifier filters, made by Noru Paint and Autech Group, were found to contain a small amount of Methylisothiazolinone and Methylchloroisothiazolinone, but do not pose any threat to human health, according to the ministry. The products, however, will be withdrawn from the market.

All 50 models of the masks inspected met safety standards, the ministry said.

(laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)