Camfil Clean Air Solutions Reminds People to Watch PM1 Video and Share with #CamfilPM1 @CamfilUSA

Apr 28, 2020 (KISSPR.com via COMTEX) — Riverdale, NJ — “To provide a healthy and productive indoor air environment, the focus should be put on filtering particles that are 1 μm (micrometer) or smaller in diameter – particles known as PM1 (Particulate Matter 1). Watch this video to learn more about ePM1.” Camfil Clean Air Solutions

What is PM1?

Particulate matter can ravage human health, according to the EPA, with its effects ranging from an irregular heartbeat to premature death. The severity of health effects increases as particulate matter gets smaller. While larger particles are filtered out in the throat, respiratory tract, and by the lungs’ alveoli, the human body cannot completely defend itself against PM1. PM1 is particulate matter smaller than 1-micron in diameter.

Learn more about PM1

How does PM1 increase risks associated with COVID-19?

With 2020’s ongoing outbreak of COVID-19,high efficiency air filters may be more important than ever to public health. Global air pollution solution experts from Camfil are addressing the pandemic in a variety of ways in order to educate the public about the scientific aspects of the disease, as well as the scientific solutions that can be used to combat it.

Besides the adverse health effects associated with PM1, it can also interrupt production machinery and affect production materials. With the widespread need for ventilators, sanitary equipment, and medicine, efficiency in factories and cleanrooms cannot be compromised.

Additionally, lung tissue damage caused by small particulate matter may put infected individuals at a higher risk of severe adverse consequences from the disease.

The highly communicable novel coronavirus is carried by respiratory droplets that can linger in the air for as long as two hours and can be small enough to be categorized as PM1. However, it’s possible that infected respiratory droplets of any size can enter the body and cause an infection. For more information about reducing exposure to PM1, watch Camfil’s recent video.

Related:

“Why People with Certain Blood Types May Benefit More from Air Filters”

With an extended period of time that respiratory droplets can remain airborne, effective air filtration is a must. If respiratory droplets are not removed from the air, the possibility exists that they could be transported elsewhere in the building through the HVAC system.

Guidelines such as social distancing, hand washing, and general hygiene should be followed as these are the primary methods to lower the risk of infection. However, we should all be aware of the risk of contaminated air and educate ourselves on how to lessen that risk with high-efficiency air filters. In buildings with shared HVAC systems, we have the opportunity to help protect our neighbors as well.

Contact a Camfil USA air filtration expert here for more details

 

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Media Contact:

Lynne Laake

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620

E: Lynne.Laake@camfil.com

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Source: Story.KISSPR.com Release ID: 13204

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COVID-19 (Corona Virus) and Air Filtration Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

New York , April 21, 2020  During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have questions about the nature of the virus, how it spreads, and what can be done to prevent it from spreading so rapidly. While handwashing, social distancing, and good hygiene are all essential, there are other angles to look at, too.

Air filtration experts from Camfil Clean Air have added a virus filtration FAQ section to their website, with each of the twelve commonly asked questions explained in depth in both video and text form.

Being educated is one of the best weapons against the spread of the pandemic. Read on for the answers to twelve frequently asked questions about virus filtration during the COVID-2019 pandemic, according to air filtration experts.

12 Questions and Answers about COVID-19 and air filtration

Q: Is COVID-19 spread primarily by air? 

A: Long distance airborne transmission is not the primary method of communication. Instead, the disease is primarily spread by respiratory droplets that come from coughs, sneezes, and other fluids expelled by infected individuals.

Q: Can respiratory viruses spread by air? 

A: Yes. Droplets infected with a respiratory virus, including COVID-19 and influenza, as described above, can remain airborne for varying amounts of time, depending on their size. They can later be inhaled or picked up after settling on surfaces.

Q: Is there something I can do to quickly mitigate the airborne spread of COVID-19 in my building? 

A: Use 100% supply air if you are recycling air to save money on energy. Fresh air dilutes the concentration of viruses in the air created by recirculation and helps reduce the spread of viruses through a building.

Q: Are air filters effective in capturing airborne illnesses? 

A: It depends on the efficiency of the air filter. ePM1 filters are most effective in removing infected droplets from the air because they capture particulate matter larger than 1 micrometer. Find out more about ePM1 here.

Q: Are ePM2.5 and ePM10 filters good enough to capture viruses? 

A: No. These filters are not built to effectively filter out the smallest particles in the air, which is necessary to see a significant reduction in infected droplets.

Q: Should I upgrade my filters during the outbreak? 

A: It depends on what filters you already have in place and whether or not your existing ventilation system will be able to handle higher grade filters.

Q: Can captured viruses be released from the filter back into the airstream? 

A: Current research indicates  COVID-19 viruses can remain active for a few days under ideal circumstances.  When viruses are captured by a filter, they become strongly bound to the fibers within the filter media,   dry out and die within a few days.

Q: Should I change out my filter after the outbreak? 

A: The virus outbreak does not affect your maintenance schedule. Stick to your regular protocol.

Q: What else will further improve air quality? 

A: If you’ve already turned off circulation, you can further improve air quality with the addition of air cleaners and purifiers. Air purifiers and cleaners allow you to apply a significantly higher filtration efficiency to places where it would not otherwise be possible.

Q: How should used air filters be treated? 

A: It’s unlikely that viruses will survive inside the air filter until it’s changed, but you should always use good hygienic protocol when changing air filters. This includes long sleeves and pants, disposable gloves, respiratory mask, and eye protection.  Seal the used filters inside a bag before moving it.

Q: Is it a good idea to change my filters during the outbreak? 

A: Stick to your regular maintenance schedule. If this requires that you change your filters during the pandemic, then do not delay the planned filter change.

Q: Does dual-stage air filtration provide more protection than single-stage? 

A: No. Efficiency depends on the filter class of the stages, so dual-stage air filtration isn’t necessarily more effective.

About Camfil USA Air Filters 

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. Camfil firmly believes 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 life cycle – 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.

The Camfil Group is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, and has 28 manufacturing sites, six R&D centers, local sales offices in 26 countries, and 4,180 employees and growing. We proudly serve and support customers in a wide variety of industries and in communities across the world. To discover how Camfil can help you to protect people, processes and the environment, visit us at www.camfil.com.

If you have any further questions about virus filtration during the pandemic and what steps you should take to protect your air supply, contact a Camfil representative.

https://www.camfil.com/en-us/insights/life-science-and-healthcare/virus/frequently-asked-questions-about-viruses-and-filtration

 

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Why the Air Filtration Industry Is Needed Most

If a list were put together of areas in the world that desperately need the help of the air filtration industry to protect air quality inside homes and buildings, the continent of Africa would be on that list.  

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 2.2 million deaths in the Africa region can be attributed to environmental causes. Of that number, 600,000 annual deaths are linked to air pollution, long recognized as a silent and invisible killer in many African countries. 

In fact, Africa’s air pollution problem causes more premature deaths than childhood malnutrition or contaminated water and is poised to balloon to the same levels seen in China and India, where the crisis now impacts the climate and public health.

“As global prosperity continues inching upwards,  many major worldwide environmental issues such as the thinning ozone layer and deforestation are being addressed,” said Mark Davidson, Manager of Marketing and Technical Materials at Camfil USA. “But outdoor air pollution from particulates and VOCs generated from mobile and stationary sources continues to be a problem in both rural and urban areas.” 

This problem is particularly true in fast-developing nations in Africa such as Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, and South Africa. Data from an Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) development center study reveals that:

• Between 1990 and 2013, the total annual deaths from outdoor air pollution rose to 250,000, or 36 percent. 
• Over the same time, deaths from household air pollution (HAP), or pollution from residential energy use, increased by 18 percent, representing 250,000 fatalities.

 What is Air Pollution and Where Does Pollution Come From?

Air pollution is caused by dangerous particulate matter and VOCs,  released in large quantities into the air. These airborne pollutants are known to cause disease and death to humans and cost billions of dollars in damage to  animals and food crops. But where do particulate matter and VOCs come from? 

“Virtually any manufacturing or industrial activity creates both particulate and VOC pollution, releasing organic and inorganic substances into the air that may cause a variety of diseases.  Some cancers and exacerbated symptoms of pre-existing respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are most common” notes Davidson..

Examples of airborne pollutants include:

• Lead vapors
• Mercury vapors
• Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• Carbon monoxide (CO)
• Carbon dioxide (CO2)

Staying indoors doesn’t help because indoor air quality in a “sealed” room can still be affected by outdoor air pollution. Outdoor air can enter indoor spaces through cracks in the walls, ceilings, open doors and windows and  unfortunately, through a system designed to protect the indoor inhabitants: the ventilation system.

Commercial Air Filter Manufacturers Need to Support Air Pollution Success Stories

Commercial air filter manufacturers can support the momentum built by a number of African nations in their fight against indoor air pollution. During the second UN Environment Assembly, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released a report on air quality, discussing 10 measures to improve air quality according to six areas of concern:

• Indoor air quality
• Public transport
• Fuels and vehicle emissions
• Industry
• Waste burning
• Air quality legislation and regulations 

While the report shows that the majority of countries have yet to take concrete actions to improve air quality, it also brought attention to several success stories in Africa that can inspire a global change. These stories include:

• While billions of people around the world still depend on inefficient cookstoves and solid fuels for cooking, in Seychelles they succeeded in improving indoor air quality by implementing policies that encouraged the entire country to transition from solid fuels to liquefied petroleum gas.
• A mere quarter of the world’s countries have advanced fuels and vehicles standards, a regulatory policy that is proven to reduce particulate matter pollution levels, especially in urbanized areas. In 2015, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and Rwanda transitioned to using only low sulfur fuels.
• Several African countries joined the rest of the world in implementing national air quality standards. 

What Types of Air Filters are Required to Control Both Particulate and Pollution Caused by VOCs? 

It’s important to understand that there are different types of air filters available, each one designed to remove specific types of pollutants. 

For example, when it comes to capturing particulate pollution,  filters that utilize mechanical principles are most common.

• A mechanical air filter is the style most of us are familiar with. These high efficiency filters  remove airborne particles by trapping them in a filter media—usually some kind of fibrous and porous material. When attached to an HVAC unit, air that passes through the ductwork also passes through the fiber material, which traps particulate matter down to  1.0 micron in size. An extreme version of a mechanical filter is a HEPA filter which targets the smallest of particles. A HEPA filter can capture 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. 
• The other style of air filter is known as a molecular filter. Commonly referred to as activated carbon filters, these filters use the process of adsorption (ADsorption not ABsorption) to capture the molecules in VOCs which are up to 10,000 times smaller than what a particulate filter can capture.  

Choosing the Right Air Filter

Before choosing an air filter,  it’s important to work with a trusted air filter manufacturer or their designee who can help you determine what contaminants in your local environment need to be controlled. Controlling both particulate and VOC pollution is possible, and a qualified professional  can guide you through the process of selection.  

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.

Media Contact

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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The importance of indoor air quality during the coronavirus pandemic by Camfil USA

New Jersey, April 13, 2020  For the most part, everyone is stuck indoors as we all practice social distancing to keep ourselves safe and combat the spread of COVID-19.

You might be tempted to think that staying indoors means you’re safe from air pollution, but research shows that this is far from the case. Air pollution can occur indoors, too, and has been linked to occurrences of headaches, dizziness, and fatigue, according to the EPA. The World Health Organization calls this “sick building syndrome.”

In the U.S., we already collectively spend around 90% of our time indoors. With these numbers increasing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, managing indoor air pollution is even more important.

Where does indoor pollution come from?

• Outside sources, such as wildfires inversions, or major roads and freeways.
• Indoor sources that release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including wood glue, which often contains formaldehyde.
• Poorly designed and energy inefficient buildings that trap pollutants inside.

What are the effects of poor indoor air quality (IAQ)?

Poor indoor air quality can lead to a variety of negative health consequences, but research has shown a link between poor IAQ and cognitive function. Lower air quality increases the risk of:

• Reduced productivity and more sick days in the workplace.
• Lower test scores and attendance rates in schools.
• Difficulty making decisions.
• Decline in alertness.
• Decreased critical thinking abilities.
• Overall lower well-being.

How to Combat Indoor Air Pollution During the Coronavirus Pandemic

As we stay indoors and take precautions to avoid coming into contact with COVID-19, keeping our minds and bodies safe is important. Good lung health is essential for our bodies to be able to fight the virus if we do contract it.

If you are concerned about the air quality in your workplace, consider installing both a high efficiency particulate air filter and a molecular filter in your system. Look for experienced air filter manufacturers specializing in high efficeincy commercial air filteration applications to get the best results.

“Studies show that good indoor air quality has a positive effect on people’s productivity,” explains Mark Davidson, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials at Camfil USA. Camfil’s high efficiency commercial air filtration systems are used in a wide variety of industries worldwide. “They’re more alert. They show better cognitive performance thanks to improved oxygen flow. And they can even gain better general health.”

Media Contact:

Lynne Laake

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620

References:

https://cleanair.camfil.us/2020/04/03/supporting-productivity-with-commercial-air-filtration-systems/

https://bit.ly/2usazPH

 

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Why the Fight Against Air Pollution Must Go Beyond the Air Filtration Industry

How Lack of Information Contributes to Global Air Pollution – a piece on how basic information about the pollution health risks is not reaching people throughout the world.

While the air filtration industry has gone to great lengths to improve indoor air quality, creating advanced air filters that keep airborne pollutants out of homes, schools, offices, commercial buildings, and industrial facilities, these efforts don’t address a more fundamental fact of air pollution.

Each day, people make choices that affect the quality of the air they breathe. What seems to be mundane activities, whether it’s driving a car, burning wood in the fireplace, mowing the lawn every week, or using aerosol sprays, all contribute to the problem of air pollution.

“In recent years, air pollution has also become a public health issue. It has been singled out as a factor causing premature death and increasing the risk of respiratory or cardiovascular disease,” notes Kevin Wood, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Camfil USA. “Far from being anecdotal, air pollution causes 310,000 premature deaths in Europe alone and is a growing threat in countries with fast-developing economies.”

How the Issue is Affecting Indoor Air Quality

Worsening outdoor air conditions are just one of the many reasons that builders have changed their construction techniques over the last few decades. Today, many buildings are retrofitted with thicker insulation, vapor barriers, and new doors and windows that help keep the indoor air inside while preventing outside air from seeping inside. This approach, however, creates another indoor air quality issue.

What happens in many buildings is the sealed environment causes a buildup of indoor air contaminants and moisture, which in turn, makes the air unhealthy. The EPA notes that these conditions may cause Sick Building Syndrome—a common label to describe headaches, nasal irritations, fatigue, and respiratory illness linked to spending time inside a building. 

How Are Air Filter Manufacturers Addressing the Problem?

 Air filter manufacturers are upping the ante against pollution by emphasizing two styles of filters that target both particulate contamination and unwanted VOCs. 

Going Beyond l Air Filters 

Air filters, however, only treat the symptoms of an even bigger problem. In other words, there needs to be a concerted effort to address the actual source of air pollution.

While organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank have launched campaigns to encourage action against air pollution, solving this challenge requires more than just top-down solutions, green technologies, and systems that shut out air pollutants from indoor spaces.1

Time and again, countries and cities that provide their constituents with access to information about air pollution show the greatest strides in fighting it.

For example, while the Montreal Protocol was instrumental in sounding the alarm on the ozone layer crisis, the United States government’s decision to ban chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were common in refrigerators, aerosol cans, and hairspray, and launch a public awareness campaign on their dangers, was ultimately what stopped the crisis from worsening. Today, studies show that the decision to fix the ozone hole is finally paying off. 

These findings are consistent with clean air strategies used in other countries. Ireland, for example, introduced a smoky coal ban in the 1990s and paired it with a public awareness campaign that led to significant improvements in air quality in urban areas. 

Does This Mean High-Efficiency Air Filters  Are Not Needed?

Even if, by some miracle, the air pollution crisis was fixed tomorrow,  particulate and molecular filters would still play a critical role in buildings where occupants are exposed to airborne contaminants like pollen, dust, equipment off-gassing, and chemical fumes. These contaminants can be found in:

• Pharmaceutical facilities
• Manufacturing sites
• Hospitals and other healthcare facilities
• Airports
• Schools 

Final Notes on Choosing  Air Filters 

When choosing an air filter, remember that not all air filters are the same. Focus on air filters that deliver the capture efficiency needed for the local environment and one that maintains the required level of airflow.    To find the filter that accomplishes both efficiency and airflow expectations, select an air filter manufacturer that has the experience and a proven commitment to improving indoor air quality across a wide range of industries. 

To learn more about the importance of indoor air quality control, talk to Camfil USA. If you’re interested in learning more about our air filtration systems, please visit Camfil Air Filter Locations here

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

 

Sources:

1. http://blogs.worldbank.org/voices/five-reasons-act-now-endpollution

 

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Supporting Productivity with Commercial Air Filtration Systems

Learn why poor indoor air quality is a problem for productivity and find out how commercial air filtration systems can help fix it. 

Air pollution as a concept is often associated with the air outdoors. For example, when there’s a wildfire, people are advised to stay indoors to avoid smoke inhalation. The same thing happens during atmospheric inversions when cold air laden with pollution is trapped close to the ground by a layer of warm air above. Even buildings near major roads and freeways are advised to keep road-facing windows closed to prevent pollution from coming inside. Not surprisingly, concerns about polluted outdoor air have led to increased interest in high efficiency air filter product. 

 

But there’s another factor to consider. Pollution can also come from indoor sources. In offices, for example, furnishings like tables and cabinets can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, causing indoor air quality problems. This is often due to how inexpensive wood furniture is made using glue that contains formaldehyde. Controlling VOCs requires another type of filter known as a molecular filter. 

The Relationship Between Energy Efficiency and Indoor Air Quality

Another reason poor indoor air quality has become such a big problem is due to how some buildings were designed in the recent past The oil crisis of the 1970s resulted in a trend of buildings being more airtight to improve their energy efficiency due to the large demand HVAC fans place on energy usage.  The idea was that sealing up a building with better insulation and plugging leaks on doors and windows would prevent warm air from going outside and cold air from entering the building or vice versa. 

This led to a problem called sick building syndrome, which the World Health Organization has since linked to poor indoor air quality.

 

More than forty years later, awareness has become far more widespread. But indoor air quality is something that still has to be managed by building managers, school administrators, and business owners. Buildings are dynamic environments, after all. The combination of multiple people exhaling CO2, off-gassing of furnishings, equipment, and even things like peoples’ clothes all have an impact on air quality. 

 

The good news is that buildings have since moved on to having mechanical ventilation systems that force stale air out and push new air in. High efficiency particulate air filters ensure that throughout this process, airborne pollutants don’t circulate indoors. 

 

High Efficiency Air Filters Should Play a More Important Role 

Situations that allow fumes from undesirable substances to accumulate in indoor air are not unusual. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average person spends about 90 percent of their time indoors, making it easy for them to inhale air pollution off-gassed by furnishings and from particulates from cooking, heating, and lighting. While high efficiency air filters have become more common, many buildings across the country continue to rely on low efficiency, low priced, air filters. Many commercial and retail facility managers do not even know what filters are protecting the air their occupants are breathing. 

Apart from the widely recognized negative health effects of air pollution, studies have shown that poor indoor air quality in homes, schools, and offices can also affect productivity. In one study, low indoor air quality was linked to reduced worker productivity as well as lower scores and higher rates of absenteeism in schools. 

 

Indoor Air Quality and Its Impact on the Brain and Body

 

One study on indoor air quality specifically looked at the effects of air quality on cognitive performance in the workplace. The researchers placed different groups of people into rooms that mimic regular office conditions, with some rooms having low concentrations of VOCs (similar to an office with low-emission furniture) and others having higher ventilation levels. 

The study found that scores reflecting decision-making and critical thinking were higher in the well-ventilated rooms than those with VOCs. The researchers also found that the combination of high ventilation and low VOC levels was the most effective. In any case, it’s clear that having a mechanical ventilation system backed by industrial air filtration has obvious benefits for any workplace.

“Studies show that good indoor air quality has a positive effect on people’s productivity,” explains Mark Davidson, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials at Camfil USA. “They’re more alert. They show better cognitive performance thanks to improved oxygen flow. And they can even gain better general health. This translates into fewer sick days and improved well-being.”

For Office Air Filter Systems, Look for Experienced Air Filter Manufacturers

If you are concerned about the air quality in your workplace, consider installing both a high efficiency particulate air filter and a molecular filter in your system. Look for experienced air filter manufacturers specializing in commercial applications to get the best results. 

For more than 50 years, Camfil USA has built commercial air filtration systems for a wide variety of industries. Talk to our team to learn more about our air filter solutions today. 

https://cleanair.camfil.us/locations/

 

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