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Thursday, June 20, 2019

Reducing the Risk of Oral Cancer with Air Filters

Learn how one study found that poor outdoor and indoor air quality can increase the risk of oral cancer, and how replacing your air filters can help.

New research from Taiwan suggests that high levels of air pollution are linked to a higher risk of developing oral cancer, showing that air filters may have more benefits than previously thought.

“Scientists have already established the connection between air pollution and a host of health problems, including respiratory issues like asthma and emphysema, structural changes in the heart, and even an increased risk of dementia,” said Camfil USA’s Charlie Seyffer, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials for commercial air filters and 37-year ASHRAE member and active committee participant. “These studies all point toward the same truth that there is no such thing as a ‘safe’ level of air pollution.”

Now an increasing number of researchers are saying that very high concentrations of air pollution has a correlation with a higher incidence of mouth cancer. The study, published in the Journal of Investigative Medicine, describes how Taiwanese researchers found the association by analyzing air quality data gathered from 66 air pollution monitoring stations across Taiwan in 2000.

Between 2012 and 2013, they cross-referenced this with the health records of more than 482,659 men that were over age 40 and who had availed of preventive health services and provided information about their smoking and betel nut chewing.

During this same period, 1,617 cases of mouth cancer were diagnosed among the research participants. Not surprisingly, frequent smoking and betel nut chewing were linked to increased risk of mouth cancer. But so too were higher levels of exposure to fine particulate matter, or PM_2.5—particles no larger than 2.5 microns in diameter.

Another Study Linking Particulate Matter to Poor Outdoor and Indoor Air Quality

This study’s findings add to the growing body of literature about the dangers of fine particulate matter (PM) on outdoor and indoor air quality.

For this study, the researchers focused on the men’s exposure to fine particulate matter based on their location in the country. Afterwards, the men were categorized into four groups, from lowest to high levels of air pollution exposure.

After factoring in things like age, smoking and betel chewing, and exposure to ozone and other types of particulate matter, the researchers found that men who were constantly exposed to the highest levels of PM_2.5 had a high risk of developing mouth cancer.

More specifically, when compared with men who were exposed to average annual PM_2.5 concentrations of 26.74 micrograms per cubic meter of air, men who were exposed to 40.37 μg/m3 or more had up to 43 percent greater odds of developing the cancer.

Global Impact of Particulate Matter Highlights Importance of Air Purifiers

The World Health Organization (WHO) has previously stated that average annual concentrations of PM_2.5 should not go beyond 10 μg/m³. While annual PM_2.5 levels in western urban centers like London, New York and Los Angeles have been found to exceed this standard, they are still much lower than the worst PM levels observed in the Taiwanese study.

While the problem of particulate matter (PM) pollution is one that affects almost all countries, it is especially pronounced in the developing world. According to data from the WHO, the average annual concentrations of PM_2.5 in Delhi is a whopping 122 μg/m³, 86 μg/m³ in Kabul, and 85 μg/m³ in Beijing.

The increased risk of developing diseases from PM_2.5 exposure is something that’s no longer a secret.

“PM_2.5 is especially dangerous because it is small enough to reach the smallest airways of the lungs, depositing themselves in the alveoli,” explained Seyffer. “From here, the PM can enter the bloodstream and reach the body’s vital organs, causing a host of health issues.”

This may explain why exposure to air pollution has also been linked to higher risk of diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and even autism spectrum disorder in the prenatal stage of children.

Reducing the Risk of PM-caused Cancer with Air Purification Systems

The researchers also note that certain components of PM_2.5 such as heavy metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are known carcinogens, which may be the reason why air pollution exposure is linked to cancer. As for why PM_2.5 represents the greatest risk to human health, the smaller diameter of these particles, combined with the larger surface area they cover, means it’s very easy for them to be inhaled and wreak havoc on the body. Still, it remains to be seen how much of an impact air purification systems can have on reducing the risk of certain cancers.

Aside from particulate matter, the researchers also found a significant link between exposure to ground-level ozone levels between 28.69-30.97 parts per billion. Ozone is a known irritant of the lungs and airways. This invisible gas also contributes to the formation of smog in the atmosphere and, subsequently, acid rain. Ozone can react with other pollutants in the atmosphere to generate particulate matter.

Limitations of Study Do Not Negate Value of Commercial Air Filtration Systems

It should be pointed out, however, that this is an observational study, so it can’t be used to establish cause. For starters, it does not consider the research participants’ level of exposure to air pollution through their entire lives, which can easily be lower or higher than the level of exposure during the researchers’ observation period. The researchers were also careful to note that they did not have enough data to look at how much PM_2.5 enters the mouth, which could have made a stronger correlation between the pollutant and oral cancer. Likewise, the findings of this study must be duplicated in other countries to establish stronger links. Still, these limitations don’t take away from the importance of commercial air filtration systems on human health.

Air pollution has long been linked with multiple forms of cancer, including pancreatic, liver, breast, and lung cancer, which means that good air quality is now a necessity in terms of overall health.

And if someone in your household has existing health problems like asthma and heart disease, the need for clean air is even greater. In this case, you have a more urgent need to install home air filters to protect their health.

Work with a Reliable Air Filter Manufacturer to Have the Best Air Filter Solutions

Whether you need an air filtration system for home, commercial, or municipal applications, it’s important to choose one with the help of a trusted air filter manufacturer. Camfil USA can recommend the ideal air filtration solution for your industry based on factors such as:

The size of the indoor spaces requiring air purification
The most common types of airborne pollutants present
Existing challenges, such as lack of ventilation, presence of radon gas, volume of foot traffic

For example, if the most common type of airborne pollutant is particulate matter, you are better off attaching high efficiency filtration systems to your HVAC unit. High efficiency filters are specifically designed to capture PM down to the sub-micron size range, including those lung-damaging particles. On the other hand, if you have high concentrations of gaseous pollutants and volatile organic carbons (VOCs) from chemicals, cleaning products, and machinery, you can use an activated carbon filter, which is designed to absorb gases.

For more information about the different types of air filter products offered, get in touch with Camfil USA. Our team will be happy to answer all of your questions about maintaining good indoor air quality in homes, commercial buildings, offices, schools, hospitals, or any other facility.

Lynne Laake

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620

L: Connect on our LinkedIn Page

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Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Banksy Mural Draws Attention to Air Pollution and Need for Air Filtration

Banksy’s latest mural brings attention to an outdoor and indoor air quality crisis in a Welsh Town, where residents and businesses are protecting themselves with air filters.

Renegade street artist Banksy is back in the spotlight, popping up in Wales with a new mural in Port Talbot that appears to be a commentary on the town’s air pollution problem. The mural, taking up two garage walls forming a right angle, shows a child playing in the snow, sticking his tongue out to catch snowflakes on one side of the wall. Peering around the corner, however, reveals that the “snowflakes” are actually ash produced by a dumpster fire. The mural highlights the struggles of Port Talbot, a small town located a few miles off the Swansea Bay, where the community relies on air filters to keep the air inside homes and buildings clean and safe to breathe.

A video posted on Banksy’s official Instagram account confirms the mural as his creation. In it, the video zooms in on the mural with the children’s song “Little Snowflake” playing in the background, and then pans up to show the nearby Tata Steel Plant, a major employer in the town that has long been criticized for polluting the air in this small Welsh town. Ironically, the garage’s owner was later found to work for the plant as a steelworker.

While the mural brings attention to a chronic problem in Port Talbot, residents have had mixed reactions over it. Some people love it, while others have tried to deface the mural with paint, prompting the town council to set up a perimeter fence to protect artwork that could end up being worth millions of dollars.

Why Banksy Chose to Bring Attention to Port Talbot’s Outdoor and Indoor Air Quality Problem

It should come as no surprise that Banksy chose to shine the spotlight on the town’s outdoor and indoor air quality problem. In the past, Banksy has used his art to bring attention to other social issues such as war, LGBT rights, and the right to privacy amid government surveillance among others.

Air pollution, which is no less dangerous to society, rightfully deserves as much thought. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than seven million premature deaths can be attributed directly to air pollution exposure, which has been known to cause lung and heart disease, diabetes, and even neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

What is Driving Port Talbot’s Focus on Clean Air Solutions?

In May 2018, the WHO listed Port Talbot as one of the most polluted towns in the United Kingdom. While the WHO initially made the mistake of identifying Port Talbot as the most polluted town in the U.K., the organization later retracted the announcement, admitting it had referred to faulty data. Still, residents know that there’s an air pollution problem, which is why many continue to use air purifiers in their households and businesses.

As mentioned earlier, the town largely places the blame for its air quality woes on the Tata Steel Plant, whose emissions were observed to cover houses, cars, and pets in July last year, an event that may have served as the inspiration behind the mural.

Can Air Filtration Solutions Protect People Against Factory Emissions?

The fact that industrial facilities like the Tata factory produces air pollution emissions shouldn’t be surprising. Factories routinely fabricate, refine, and process all kinds of raw materials and chemicals, which in turn produces air pollution byproducts. It doesn’t help that these factories also burn fuel as a source of energy, which also creates pollution byproducts.

“Combustion generates H2O, NO, NO2, CO, CO2 and particulate [matter],” said Camfil USA’s Charlie Seyffer, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials for commercial air filters and 37-year ASHRAE member and active committee participant. “Impurities such as metals, mercaptans, sulphur oxides, and other particles can be emitted. Some of the particles are large and settle out, but the majority of the particles are submicron and remain suspended in the air for long periods of time.”

Port Talbot’s Struggles with PM Support the Importance of High Efficiency Filtration Systems

Since 1996, Port Talbot has been observed to have elevated concentrations of PM₁₀, or particulate matter no larger than 10 microns in diameter. In fact, health and environmental officials have recorded events when the daily average level of PM₁₀ exceeded 50 µg m-3 for more than 35 days—exceeding both the EU and the UK’s air quality standards for PM₁₀ concentrations. But while PM₁₀ is indeed dangerous to human health, the good news is that it’s easily captured and removed by high efficiency filtration systems.

How to Choose the Best Air Purification Systems and Air Filtration Solutions

When looking for the proper air purification system or air filter solution, it helps to work with a reliable air filter manufacturer or distributor, as these companies will have the expertise to refer a solution that’s appropriate for the air quality challenges and type of pollutants that need to be removed.

At Camfil USA, we are committed to providing homes, workplaces, and other facilities with commercial air filters and air filtration solutions that clean and purify the air. Talk to our team to learn more about how to protect your indoor air quality against air pollution with a reliable Camfil USA air filter.

Lynne Laake

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620

The post Banksy Mural Draws Attention to Air Pollution and Need for Air Filtration appeared first on Air Filters for Clean Air.

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Thursday, June 13, 2019

Can Air Filters Help Prevent Depression Caused by Pollution?

The findings of a recent study suggest that exposure to poor outdoor and indoor air quality makes people unhappy. Learn how air filters can help.

Air Filtration News – Traditionally, a country’s gross domestic product (GDP) has been the measure of a nation’s well-being and progress. It’s the key performance indicator when assessing the financial health of a country—the higher the GDP, the better off its citizens were or so conventional wisdom would have us believe. But a look back at our history clearly shows that a strong economy is not always accompanied by individual happiness.

Air Pollution Linked to Lower Happiness

For one, your environment may have a lot to do with how happy you are. According to a joint study conducted by a team of researchers from MIT and the University of Beijing in China, there is a direct link between the amount of particulate matter in the atmosphere and happiness. If proven, this would mean that high efficiency air filters don’t just help you breathe easier, they also help you stay happier.

The study is particularly important for a city like Beijing, which has long struggled with high pollution levels despite China’s economic boom over the last few decades. Indeed, things have gotten so bad that one study by researchers at Chinese Hong Kong University found that the country’s air pollution is the culprit of more than 1 million premature deaths every year. The economic cost of global air pollution is also massive: $38 billion each year.

Poor Outdoor and Indoor Air Quality the Direct Cause of Unhappiness

Unsurprisingly, this air pollution crisis in China has caused tremendous dissatisfaction among the country’s citizens, who find themselves living in conditions with poor outdoor and indoor air quality. This has prompted the Chinese government to engage in some of the most aggressive anti-air pollution campaigns in the world.

But this dissatisfaction may actually be a direct result of air pollution exposure.

The paper, published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, is the product of the work done by a team of researchers led by Siqi Zheng, the Samuel Tak Lee Associate Professor in MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning and Center for Real Estate, and the Faculty Director of MIT China Future City Lab. Zheng found that higher concentrations of air pollution are linked to a reduction in people’s overall happiness levels.

The study was also co-authored by Jianghao Wang of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Matthew Kahn of the University of Southern California, Cong Sun of the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, and Xiaonan Zhang of Tsinghua University in Beijing.

“It’s no secret that exposure to air pollution is dangerous to human health,” says Camfil USA’s Charlie Seyffer, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials for commercial air filters and 37-year ASHRAE member and active committee participant. “It affects respiratory health, our ability to think, productivity in the office and even our relational and recreational activities with our families.”

This MIT study, however, specifically alludes to the greater impact air pollution has on people’s lives and well-being.

Inconvenience, Air Filtration Systems and Less Time Outdoors

There are many reasons why air pollution makes us unhappy. For starters, we know that air pollution can cause serious inconvenience to our daily routines, requiring us to make changes to our lifestyles. For example, someone from Los Angeles who has grown tired of the smog covering the city may move to a cleaner city, leaving behind family and better economic opportunities. They may also have to spend money on protective equipment such as air filtration systems and spend less time outdoors. Pollution can be so debilitating at times that some people have found the need for individual room air purifiers to address periods of high pollution where they are cognizant of the effect on their health.

Zheng notes that all of these factors come together to give air pollution a major emotional cost. Air pollution disrupts people’s lives. The disruption makes them unhappy. The unhappiness forces them to make irrational decisions, which is Zhang and his team’s area of focus.

In fact, their research shows that on days with high air pollution levels, people have been found to be more likely to engage in risky or impulsive behavior they tend to regret later. This behavior may be the result of short-term anxiety and depression, Zhang explained.

Using Social Media to Measure Happiness Levels and Need for Air Purifiers

To better understand the different ways air pollution disrupts the lives of people living in 144 Chinese cities with poor air quality, the researchers monitored social media networks in real-time and cross-referenced their findings with current pollution levels.

Real-time monitoring was important because traditionally, gauging happiness levels was done through respondent questionnaires, which had the weakness of being limited to a single time instead of the overall feeling of happiness or satisfaction.

The researchers then acquired data on urban air pollution levels, specifically, concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM), or PM_2.5—the primary level of air pollutants found in Chinese cities. Because PM_2.5 is so small, it can easily reach the smallest alveoli of the lungs, and cross into the bloodstream from there. When this happens, PM can reach the body’s organs, including the brain, kidneys and liver. It should come as no surprise then why PM is linked to health issues ranging from Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes to kidney disease and obesity.

Using a machine-learning algorithm to scour tweets on social media at times when air pollution was particularly bad, the researchers found a clear negative association between air pollution and happiness levels. Perhaps most interesting is how women were found to be more sensitive to air pollution than men.

While the study is obviously important, it is actually not the first to look at the relationship between air pollution and happiness. One study in Germany found that residents who lived downwind of a large power plant that product air pollution emissions were significantly less happy than residents who lived upwind of the plant.

What Does this Mean for High Efficiency Filtration Systems?

For now, it’s not exactly sure how studies like this are related to solutions like high efficiency filtration systems. What we do know is that in recent years, there has been an increase in demand for air filtration systems due to concerns about air quality. And this anxiety may be a part of the unhappiness associated with air pollution.

While the MIT study obviously adds to the growing body of literature on the broader effects of air pollution, more research still has to be done to understand the factors causing this unhappiness. Obviously, health is a crucial factor. We can also assume that the off-putting appearance and smell of smog may be another cause of unhappiness. For individuals with existing health conditions or sensitivity to toxic air, the unhappiness associated with air quality is probably greater as well.

“Perhaps air pollution even has a temporary direct impact on the cognitive functions of people,” said Seyffer.

Choose High-Quality Home Air Purification Systems and HVAC Air Filters

If your concerns about air pollution have prompted you to look for air purification systems or heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) unit air filters, it’s important to be selective about your air filter provider. Look for a trusted air filter manufacturer or distributor with several years of experience in your industry. More often than not, these companies will recommend a specific solution designed for the size of the room requiring filtration, the most common types of pollutants present, and the type of existing ventilation system.

At Camfil USA, we know how important it is to keep the indoor air quality in your home clean and safe to breathe. Talk to our team to learn more about how you can protect your indoor spaces from air pollution. You may also explore our catalog of high efficiency air filters for your home, commercial or industrial buildings to learn more about our air filtration products.

Lynne Laake

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620

SOURCE: PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED

Sources:

http://news.mit.edu/2019/china-link-happiness-air-quality-0121

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Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Camfil USA Launches New Web Experience For End Users

Dallas, TX / June 12, 2019 — Riverdale, NJ based Camfil USA a national and international leader in clean air solution has launched a new web experience for its end users accessing web content in the USA. The new web site offers a modern look, easy-of-use experience and customer-centric navigation at https://www.camfil.com/en-us/.

Keeping the end user at its core, Camfil USA offers a mobile-optimized web experience. The redesigned site provides global access in multiple languages rolling out throughout 2019 with key features to make the customer journey efficient, easy and helpful.

One of the new user interface features is a product finder, which helps solve one of the biggest previous challenges. The product finder tool helps users search by industry with filters like “product category,” or use a combination of filter options to display available products.

In addition to finding the desired product, the new web experience offers: search for air quality insights, brochures, case studies, certificates, drawings, instructions, product documentation, specifications, technical publications. Test drive document finder here.

The new website also boasts a newly developed section named Insights. This section is a helpful resource for visitors to learn more about air filtration through articles, videos and shareable content across all categories associated with Camfil’s mission to keep the air we breathe safe and clean.

“The Camfil Insight portal is the definitive source for industry information, company projects, customer testimonials and more,” says Kevin Wood, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Camfil USA, Inc. “We encourage you to explore the new content and share with friends, family and colleagues.”

“Investing in our new digital platform is the beginning of Camfil’s digital journey,” Sara Arrhenius, Camfil’s Vice President of Group Marketing Communications, said. “With the help of our customers’ insights, we developed a set of new tools to enhance the user experience. Combined with our new virtual-reality tools, interactive customer experience centers and further development of digital tools, we continue to spread the message ‘clean air – a human right.’”

For more than half a century, Camfil air filters has been helping people breathe cleaner air. To learn more about the industries that Camfil USA services, visit https://www.camfil.com/en-us/industries.

Lynne Laake

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620

E: Lynne.Laake@camfil.com

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Friday, June 7, 2019

Do “Giant” Industrial Air Filters Really Work?

Industrial Air Filtration – According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 4.2 million people die each year due to exposure to air pollution. And with nine out of 10 people on the planet inhaling polluted air, there is a real risk of anyone suffering from its negative health effects.

The problem of air pollution goes back several decades and was first addressed by the signing of the Clean Air Act, which allowed the EPA to set ambient or outside air quality standards. In turn, this helped push for investments and adoption of green energy and clean technologies that generated less air pollution emissions.

But it’s also true that these solutions take time to bear fruit, which explains why efforts are being made to address air pollution in other ways, particularly in some of the world’s worst cities in terms of air pollution.

Giant Commercial Air Filters Taking the World by Storm

A number of companies have developed experimental commercial air filters to capture airborne pollutants on a massive scale. One such tower, reportedly the largest in the world to date, was unveiled in Xian, China, which has long struggled with air pollution.

Standing at 328 feet, the giant air tower purifies outside air by drawing the air into glass rooms, which are heated using solar power, creating a greenhouse effect. This process pushes the hot air up the tower and into a series of filters before being released back into the atmosphere as clean air. Since it began operating, the Xian air purifier tower has reportedly been cleaning more than 353 million cubic feet of clean air each day, dramatically improving the air quality in its immediate vicinity.

According to Cao Juniji, the project’s lead researcher, the Xian air filter tower is just the first of many more towers that are slated to be built across China. Patents filed by his team show plans of even more massive towers, with one towering at 1,640 feet—enough to purify the air for a small city.

Solving India’s Air Pollution Crisis with Custom Industrial Air Filters

Another country struggling with air pollution levels similar to those in China is India, so it should come as no surprise that certain groups in both the public and private sector have made similar efforts to build custom industrial air filters.

One such group is Kurin Systems, an India-based air purification company whose founders say they were inspired by the giant air purifier tower in Xian and plan to install their own 40-foot purification tower in New Delhi. The tower is designed to purify an astounding 1,130 cubic meters of air every day, enough to cover an area of two square miles.

Depending on the results of these towers, they may become fixtures in the world’s most polluted cities, giving everyone a reason to breathe easy.

Effect of Giant Commercial Air Filters on Indoor Air Quality

Aside from their ability to clean air for entire communities, giant air filters such as the one in Xian can also encourage people living in houses or apartments to open their windows for better ventilation. This functionality ensures that the indoor air quality in rooms isn’t affected by a buildup of contaminants from indoor sources such as cooking, cleaning, lighting, and the use of chemical cleaners and disinfectants.

Industrial Air Filter Manufacturers Are Addressing a Common Problem

Although it may seem that Xian and Delhi are two completely different cities, in terms of air quality they share a common problem with cities in the United States—smog. Industrial air filter manufacturers are all too aware of the problem, which is why their solutions are specifically designed to capture pollutants produced by combustion processes, which make up smog.

“Combustion generates H2O, NO, NO2, CO, CO2 and particulate [matter]. Combustion can also emit hydrocarbon gases, vapors, and organic particles,” said Camfil USA’s Charlie Seyffer, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials for commercial air filters and 37-year ASHRAE member and active committee participant. “Impurities such as metals, mercaptans, sulfur oxides, and other particles can be emitted.”

Smog is a complex mixture of airborne contaminants such as particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and ozone among many others. It comes from the words smoke and fog, and was first used to describe the smelly haze that blanketed many parts of London during the industrial revolution, a period of mass production and use of coal.

Can Giant Industrial High Efficiency Air Filters Replace Home or Buiding Indoor Air Filtration?

While industrial high efficiency air filter towers hold tremendous potential as a way to produce clean air for entire communities, they don’t necessarily replace home or building indoor air filtration solutions—not yet anyway.

For homes and buildings in highly polluted areas, such as neighborhoods near freeways, factories, and airports, air purifiers and HVAC system air filters are still the most effective way to ensure indoor air quality is clean and safe. Air purifiers and industrial air filters also capture airborne pollutants from indoor sources, such as chemical fumes from paints, solvents, and furniture, and particles from cooking, heating, and lighting.

To learn more about the importance of indoor air quality control, talk to Camfil USA. You can also explore our catalog of air filtration systems to learn more about our products.

Lynne Laake

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620