Consumers' Air Cleaner Portal
This page last reviewed December 7, 2012
Not all air-cleaning devices are appropriate for home use; some can be harmful to human health. Ozone generators, which are air cleaners that intentionally produce ozone, should not be used in the home. Such devices produce levels of ozone several times higher than health-based standards set for ozone. Ozone is a gas that can cause health problems, including respiratory tract irritation and inflammation, serious breathing difficulty including asthma, and permanent lung damage.
Links to information that can help you select a safe and effective air cleaner are provided below.
California Certified Air Cleaners
In response to Assembly Bill 2276 (2006, Pavley), the ARB adopted an air cleaner regulation to limit the ozone emissions from indoor air cleaning devices. For information on the regulation, see our fact sheet on the regulation.
All air cleaners sold in California must be certified by ARB. Some manufacturers have submitted test results and obtained ARB certification of their air cleaning devices as required under the regulation. Approved air cleaners are listed at California Certified Air Cleaning Devices, which is updated periodically. Approved air cleaners must also show a label on the packaging similar to the sample label shown on this web page. Certification is based on the devices' low ozone emissions and electrical safety.
In addition to ARB certification, there are other factors to consider in selecting a suitable air cleaner, so please check both the certified list and the information in the sections below entitled "How to Select a Safe and Effective Air Cleaner" and "Air Cleaners To Avoid" to make the best selection for your needs.
How to Select a Safe and Effective Air Cleaner
- California Certified Air Cleaning Devices
- Air Cleaning Devices for the Home Frequently Asked Questions (Fact Sheet, Feb. 2005)
- Consumer Reports, some air cleaner information is available for free, information on ratings is by subscription
- "Air Purifiers: Filtering the Claims," Consumer Reports, December 2007, Issue 12, pages 48-51. Posted with permission; for educational purposes only.
- Clean Air Delivery Rates (CADR) of Many Air Cleaners - Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM)
Air Cleaners to Avoid
- Potentially Hazardous Ozone Generators Sold as Air Purifiers
- Fact Sheet: Beware of Ozone-Generating Indoor "Air Purifiers"
- Fact Sheet: California's Regulation to Limit Ozone Emissions from Indoor Air Cleaning Devices
Related ARB Air Cleaner Information
- Regulation to Limit Ozone Emissions from Indoor Air Cleaning Devices
- Fact Sheet: California's Regulation to Limit Ozone Emissions from Indoor Air Cleaning Devices
- Manufacturer's Web Page
- Report: Evaluation of Ozone Emissions From Portable Indoor "Air Cleaners" That Intentionally Generate Ozone, May 2006
- Report: Evaluation of Ozone Emissions from Portable Indoor Air Cleaners: Electrostatic Precipitators and Ionizers, Feb. 2008
- Final Research Report: Survey of the Use of Ozone-Generating Air Cleaners by the California Public, December 2006
- Press Release: Some Devices Marketed as Air Cleaners Dangerous to Public Health, issued May 31, 2006
- Presentation: Actions to Address Indoor Ozone Generators: Health Update to the Board, May 5, 2006
- Presentation: Ozone Generators Sold as Air Purifiers: Health Update to the Board, January 20, 2005
- Press Release: ARB Warns, Danger from Popular "Air Purifying" Machines, issued January 20, 2005
Other Sources of Air Cleaner Information
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Ozone Generator website
- "Air Cleaners: Some Do Little Cleaning," Consumer Reports, October 2005, Vol. 70, Issue 10, pages 39-41. Posted with permission; for educational purposes only.
- "New Concerns About Ionizing Air Cleaners," Consumer Reports, May 2005, Vol. 70, Issue 5, p. 22. Posted with permission; for educational purposes only.
- Additional information on air cleaners and particles
If you need further assistance after reviewing these links, please email Mike Gabor or Stephanie Parent or call us at 916-445-0753. Subscribe to a listserv for future activities related to indoor air quality.
