Why Has China Cut Production of 500 Car Models?

What China’s Ban of 500 Car Models Means for Commercial Air Filtration Systems

Camfil Commercial Air Filter News – In an effort to ease the burden on the country’s commercial air filtration systems, the Chinese government has suspended production of more than 500 car models and model versions that fail to meet the country’s fuel economy standards. The move is one of the latest in a series of actions by Beijing to reduce severe emissions in what is arguably the world’s largest market for automobiles and take the lead in the fight against air pollution and climate change.

According to China’s Vehicle Technology Service Center, the suspension, which took effect on January 1 this year, applies to both domestic automobile manufacturers and partnerships with overseas car brands.

The suspension comes amid intensified efforts around the globe to crack down on pollution-spewing cars, which not only degrade air quality, but have also shown to cause high morbidity and mortality rates for drivers, commuters, and people living near freeways and roads with high road congestion.

“Internal combustion engines can be a major source of indoor air pollution in offices, schools, hospitals, hotels, shopping centers and stores especially where garages are attached,” explained Camfil USA’s Charlie Seyffer, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials for commercial air filters and 37-year ASHRAE member and active committee participant. “In large cities with a high number of vehicles present the ambient air is normally containing a high number of particles and various gases.”

Dangers of Car Pollution on Outdoor and Indoor Air Quality

The move is particularly important in the country as it produced a staggering 28 million vehicles in 2016 alone. Not surprisingly, major populations of Beijing and China also suffer from some of the worst outdoor and indoor air quality levels in the world, a problem attributed to the high traffic volume.

Aside from large automakers, China also has several small-scale car manufacturers, some producing no more than a few hundred cars every year. In recent years, the central government has tried to consolidate this quickly growing auto industry. This factor was likely instrumental in the suspension, which also applies to model versions, or cars with different combinations of engines and transmissions, which are constantly being deregistered.

Role Played by Commercial Air Filters in China

In response to China’s air quality crisis, many homes and buildings are being outfitted with commercial air filters to keep dirty outside air from contaminating indoor spaces.

The Chinese leadership is under intense pressure to solve the problem of air pollution, a hot-button issue in China that promoted rare protests on the Chinese social media network WeChat, where people demanded the Government to finally take action. In the country’s northern cities, the smog can be so thick and toxic it has been known to temporarily shut down schools and businesses.

Another reason for China’s air pollution woes is the uncontrolled use of coal for power generation. While billions have been pledged for renewable energy sources and production, there were still hundreds of new coal power plants built across China in 2017. This, in turn, has prompted the Chinese government to push through with plans to build the largest carbon market in the world, providing energy companies in the country with a real financial incentive to shift to green technologies.

China Takes on Pollution with Giant Industrial Air Filtration System

China has also taken more creative paths toward solving its air quality crisis, including using vacuumed particulate matter to build special bricks. In 2016, the Chinese government, with the help of a Dutch design studio, also erected a 20-story industrial air filtration system designed to suck in and purify 5 to 18 million cubic meters of air each day.

The tower was built on the outskirts of Xian, a city of more than 8 million people in the country’s central region, which also has some of the country’s worst air pollution.  The government claims that the air purifying tower, nestled between high-rise apartment buildings, is capable of reducing concentrations of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) by as much as 19 percent over an area of four square miles.

Can Commercial HEPA Filters Remove Pollutants from Vehicles?

Of course, this begs the question: can commercial air filters remove pollution from cars?

Short answer? Yes.

High-efficiency air filters are specifically designed to capture and remove PM, including the particles that come out of a car’s tailpipe known as soot, and the dust produced by regular wear and tear on brakes and wheels.

The long answer, however, is that air filters can’t remove gaseous pollutants like nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and sulfur oxide. This type of removal will require the addition of a molecular air filtration system, such as one using activated carbon. The activated carbon acts like a super absorbent sponge, attracting gaseous pollutants produced by vehicles and other gaseous sources.

How to Choose Industrial High Efficiency Air Filtration Systems

When choosing industrial high efficiency air filtration systems to protect their indoor air quality in a building surrounded by severe outdoor air pollution, it’s important to first conduct an audit on:

• The sources of pollutants outside and inside a building
• The size of the rooms requiring purification
• The presence of any special contaminants inside of a building such as biological contaminants or chemical pollutants

Camfil USA can help you find the best commercial air filtration systems for your building’s needs. Get in touch with our team or explore our catalog of commercial air filters to learn more about their indoor air quality benefits.

 

Lynne Laake

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620

E: Lynne.Laake@camfil.com

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Indoor Allergy Alert – Learn the Easiest Way to Capture Pet Dander

Learn about the importance of using home air filters in preventing pet dander from affecting indoor quality in homes and buildings.

Why Home Air Filters Are Necessary for Battling Pet Allergies

Any homeowner with dogs or cats knows how important home air filters are for capturing pet dander—the tiny pieces of dead skin cells shed by animals with fur or feathers. After all, when a dog goes through a period of shedding, it can trigger allergy attacks for those who are sensitive to dander. These allergens are especially problematic for people with breathing problems, bringing about complications such as asthma. The problem with pet dander is that it is usually invisible to the naked eye, making it hard to predict when it will end up in the respiratory tract.

And the problem is more prevalent than one would think. It’s estimated that around 15 percent of Americans are allergic to dogs or cats, while 30 percent of people who have been diagnosed with asthma remain as pet owners anyway. This is consistent with other studies noting how many people who have been advised by their doctors to give up their pets refuse to do so.

Pet Dander One of Many Biological Contaminants that Can Affect Indoor Air Quality

Pet dander, however, is just one of many types of biological contaminants affecting indoor air quality in homes and buildings. Pets also produce allergy-inducing proteins through their sweat, urine, feces, and even saliva. When combined with other common indoor pollutants found indoors, such as pollen, mold, mildew, and dust mites, it can create a toxic indoor air environment that can be worse than most conditions found outdoors.

“Microbiological contaminants include viruses, bacteria, fungal spores, protozoa, algae, animal dander, and animal and insect excreta,” said Camfil USA’s Charlie Seyffer, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials for commercial air filters and 37-year ASHRAE member and active committee participant. “They often live and reproduce in microclimates, such as damp basements and bathrooms.”

Fungi, mold, and mildew commonly grow on the coils and condensate pans of heat exchangers, as well as the condensate and defrost pans of refrigerators and air conditioning units. If not maintained or cleaned properly, these locations can form a microclimate conducive to biological contaminant growth.

Important Role Played by High Efficiency Air Filtration Systems

Surprisingly, studies also show that around half of people with pet allergies don’t exhibit symptoms of allergic reactions right away. This also explains why high efficiency filtration systems are in such high demand among homeowners, many of whom have family members who, after years of having pets around, suddenly show symptoms of allergic reactions.

Unfortunately, pet dander is perhaps one of the most efficient allergens out there, being very sticky and clinging to many things. And because many people can spend as much as 90 percent of their time indoors, their risk of developing medical complications due to allergy exposure can be very high.

Symptoms of Exposure to Biological Contaminants Prevented by Home Air Filtration Systems

Some of the symptoms associated with allergic reactions to pet dander include sneezing, coughing, runny nose, watery eyes, nausea, and even fever. Among the most susceptible to complications from allergies include children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing allergy problems or breathing problems, making home high efficiency air filtration systems all the more important for them.

As a person inhales the microscopic particles in pet dander, the body recognizes them as foreign substances, prompting the immune system to activate a defensive reaction to remove them from the body. What follows is what’s commonly known as an “allergic reaction,” which manifests itself in the inflammation of the airways, activation of the tear ducts, and production of mucus in the nasal cavities.

Going Beyond Home Air Purifiers

While home air purifiers are a tried and proven solution against all kinds of allergens found in almost any home environment, the best solution is still to remove the pollutant at their source. But, if this course of action is not feasible, other ways to mitigate the effect pets have on indoor air quality include:

• Regularly vacuuming carpets, furniture, and upholstery, where pet dander clings, and for best results use vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters
• Using bedding encasements that prevent allergens from penetrating the mattress or foam
• Avoiding the use of furnishings that attract dander or prevent pets from reaching these furnishings like your bedding
• Washing pets and their beddings regularly
• Brushing dogs and cats outside to keep dander out of the house
• Keeping litter boxes clear of the air intakes or air supplies for HVAC units

Choosing Home Air Purification Systems for the Household

When choosing a home air purification systems, it’s important for the air filter to be appropriate for the containment needs and challenges of the house.

Air filters come in four main categories:

• Flat filters
• Pleated panel filters
• Extended media filters including pocket and box filters
• Electronic filters

To address the contaminants generated from pets, a filter with an efficiency rating of MERV 13 or ePM2.5 is an excellent choice for most applications. For highly susceptible individuals air purifiers that include a combination of HEPA filters and odor absorbers are the best option.

Each filter type has its own strengths and ideal applications. To learn more about home air filters for allergy prevention, get in touch with Camfil USA. We specialize in designing air filters for a wide variety of applications, including homes, schools, hospitals, and manufacturing facilities among others. Talk to the Camfil USA or explore our catalog of home air filters to learn more about our product line.

 

Lynne Laake

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620

E:Lynne.Laake@camfil.com

F: Friend  Camfil USA on Facebook

T: Follow Camfil USA on Twitter

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Why Home Air Filters May Help Prevent Dementia

Learn about a recent study linking dementia to poor outdoor and indoor air quality, and how home air filters may be a key investment in preventing its symptoms.

While the most common reasons cited by people using home air filters are to prevent allergy attacks and improve/protect the respiratory health of people living in the home or building, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that air pollution doesn’t just affect the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, it can also have a negative impact on cognitive function.

More specifically, air pollution has been linked to a greater risk of dementia. According to a new study, there is a positive correlation between high levels of residential air pollution and a diagnosis of dementia. The study’s lead author, Dr. Iain Carey of St. George’s, University of London, notes that older patients across London who were living in parts of the city with high air pollution were more likely to be diagnosed with dementia.

“There is evidence that the tiny airborne particles that make up air pollution can wind up in vital organs like the brain,” explains Camfil USA’s Charlie Seyffer, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials for commercial air filters and 37-year ASHRAE member and active committee participant. “There have been correlations in studies suggesting that air pollution may play a serious role in the development of dementia.”

But what exactly makes air pollution so dangerous, and why do we need to be wary of its effects?

What is Air Pollution and How Does It Affect Indoor Air Quality?

What we can be certain of, however, is that prolonged exposure to poor indoor air quality is bad for the human body. When we think of air pollution like smog, we simply think of it as “dirty air.” But air pollution is a complex mixture of toxic gases, particles, and liquid droplets in the atmosphere, produced by both natural causes such as volcanoes and wildfires, and also human activity like cars, factories, and power plants.

Long-term exposure or even brief exposure to high levels of air pollution can have toxic effects, causing all kinds of problems for the lungs and heart.

“Most of the research around air pollution centers on the effects of fine particulate matter or PM2.5,” says Seyffer. “This refers to particles that are smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter, or approximately one-quarter  the width of a strand of human hair.”

In the United States, airborne pollutants are classified as either being criteria or hazardous.

• Criteria air pollutants are produced by combustion processes from cars, factories and power plants. These pollutants include carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter.
• On the other hand, hazardous air pollutants refer to toxic chemical fumes, specifically arsenic, mercury, and benzene.

HEPA Filtration Systems May Be Crucial in Preventing Neurodegenerative Diseases

The UK study’s findings are consistent with other reports on the effects of air pollution on brain function, suggesting that HEPA filtration systems, which are designed to capture and remove airborne pollutants in indoor environments, may play a vital role in preventing these issues.

In 2017, The Lancet published a review of diseases associated with environmental pollution, showing that air pollution accounted for the most number of fatalities and health complications caused by pollution. The report, which sourced data from a variety of air pollution and health studies, also highlighted the need to further investigate the link between air pollution and its effect on brain function, particularly among children and seniors, whose brain function is in the developing and aging stages, respectively.

The report cites particle pollution found in car exhaust, a potential cause of increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases and neurodevelopmental disorders such as:

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Learning and intellectual disabilities
• Schizophrenia

The report’s findings, however, are far from conclusive, with the authors pointing out that even if air pollution was a risk factor, the next problem is to identify what types of pollutants are linked to brain function, and if secondary factors, like age, gender, and pre-existing conditions are also involved. It might even be that poor diet, which is common among low-income families that often live in areas with high pollution, may be a contributing factor.

Preventing the Effect of Air Pollution on the Brain with Home Air Purifiers

The good news is that particulate matter, the suspected key culprit in air pollution-related neurodegenerative diseases and neurodevelopmental disorders, is easily captured and removed by modern home air purifiers.

More specifically, a study that analyzed the brain tissue of residents in Manchester and Mexico City found that magnetite particles, which are released into the air by burning fossil fuels, can enter the lungs, cross the bloodstream, and end up in the brain. The brain also produces magnetite naturally, which seems to suggest that higher than normal levels of magnetite particles in the brain may cause abnormalities.

To differentiate natural magnetite and magnetite particles from air pollution, the researchers used a special electron microscope to analyze the surface properties of the magnetite particles. They found that the magnetite particles in the brain were produced under high temperatures—the same temperatures found in a combustion engine—proving that these pollutants can indeed travel through the bloodstream and cross the blood-brain barrier.

Home Air Filtration Systems and Alzheimer’s Disease

The study also suggests that using home air filtration systems to remove magnetite particles may help in preventing Alzheimer’s disease.

The researchers discovered that the particles had lodged themselves into protein deposits called amyloid plaques, which have been observed in large quantities in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. This observation has led to the suspicion that magnetite may be a key factor in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

The problem, however, is that for now there is no evidence that magnetite itself may be involved in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Still, there are strong links between amyloid plaques and magnetite levels—a correlation that’s enough to warrant further research.

Choosing Home Air Purification Systems

Even if the links between air pollution and brain diseases and disorders have yet to be fully established, there are plenty of other reasons to install home air purification systems in your home.

For starters, air filter systems are especially useful for preventing allergy attacks and respiratory ailments like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), and bronchitis among others. For individuals with these pre-existing conditions, home air filters may very well be a lifesaver.

Before buying air purification systems for your home, it’s best to consult the advice of a reliable air filter manufacturer. These companies can assess the containment needs and air quality issues of your home or building before recommending a proper-strength air filtration solution. For best results, you may be advised to install a combination of a HEPA filter and a gaseous filtration system.

• A first stage of high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that are capable of capturing and removing particulate matter (PM) smaller than 0.3- micron in diameter at a minimal rate of 99.97 percent.
• And a second stage with a gaseous filtration system designed to capture molecular pollutants like odor-causing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using a super absorbent fiber material that typically includes activated carbon.

For all your air filtration needs, talk to the experts of Camfil USA. Get in touch with the Camfil USA team to learn more about the different ways our solutions can protect the indoor air quality inside your home. You may also explore our catalog of home air filters to learn more about our product line.

 

Lynne Laake

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620

E:Lynne.Laake@camfil.com

F: Friend  Camfil USA on Facebook

T: Follow Camfil USA on Twitter

Y: Watch Camfil Videos on YouTube

L: Follow our LinkedIn Page

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Air Filtration in Museums – Preserving the Past

Cold weather and winter holidays make the warm, entertaining (and educational) confines of a museum an attractive prospect. To keep the contents of these artifact filled buildings in good condition, preserving often decades of history, one of the most important factors is air quality. 

Critical parameters for air quality in museums include temperature, relative humidity, lighting, particulate pollution (dust), molecular (gaseous) pollutants, and pests. Various filter solutions are available, but molecular filtration offers a particularly cost-effective method of controlling harmful pollutants which can otherwise have devastating results.

Sulphur dioxide, for example, blackens old paintings, oxides of nitrogen corrode bronzes and stone sculptures, and ozone accelerates the deterioration of paper, textile and other organic materials. Activated carbon molecular filtration can control these harmful gases. Microporous activated carbon comprises a network of inter-linked fissures and pores. When a gas molecule collides with the carbon surface, an attraction is formed and it is retained.

Camfil has designed and supplied air filtration systems to many well-known museums and art galleries globally, including the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the British Library in London and Moderna Museet in Stockholm.

It also helped at the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg which contains more than 1.3 million objects and 25,000m2 of exhibition space. Many of its works of art represent a major source of particles and gases when they are moved or cleaned and this caused breathing complaints, nausea and eye irritation among employees.

Dust-binding light metals were also found in high concentrations, particularly in the museum’s photo department where exhibition objects are photographed and documented. Furthermore, the work environment was affected by the use of flash photography, which generated high ozone emissions. Finally, the museum’s oversized ventilation system caused severe dust turbulence. Camfil’s CamCleaner 2000 was chosen to address these concerns because it is equipped with HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters which trap dust particles and microbes.

The unit for the museum was tailor-made with an attachment for six activated carbon filter cartridges to provide both particle and molecular filtration. The CamCleaner is mounted on a trolley for easy movement around the museum.

Another high-profile project – this time at the Art & Historical Museum in St Petersburg, Russia – has more than three million artifacts within its collections, of which only a small part are permanently on display. Restoration work, however, creates dust and particles which require more cleaning of the artifacts which can, in turn, damage them.

Camfil conducted air quality tests to determine the level of particles present which resulted in the company recommending specialist purifiers. Based on the space and layout, Camfil recommended CamCleaner 800 units, and the client subsequently installed 60 units throughout the museum display rooms, corridors and reception areas.

Next time you’re enjoying the sights of your local museum, consider the army of air filtration equipment that is helping to preserve history, art and culture from across the globe.

For more than half a century, Camfil has been helping people breathe cleaner air. As a leading manufacturer of premium clean air solutions, we provide commercial and industrial systems for air filtration and air pollution control that improve worker and equipment productivity, minimize energy use, and benefit human health and the environment. We firmly believe that the best solutions for our customers are the best solutions for our planet, too. That’s why every step of the way – from design to delivery and across the product lifecycle – we consider the impact of what we do on people and on the world around us. Through a fresh approach to problem-solving, innovative design, precise process control and a strong customer focus we aim to conserve more, use less and find better ways – so we can all breathe easier.

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