Camfil is in the vanguard of a growing international movement to reduce the negative health effects of polluted air. As a leader in clean air solutions, we actively inform and educate customers, decision-makers, and the general public about threatening air pollutants and the tangible benefits of effective air filtration and high indoor air quality.
The 2021 theme for the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies is “Healthy Air, Healthy Planet” which emphasizes the health aspects of air pollution, especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic. - United Nations
World Health Organization estimated that seven million people die worldwide annually because of air pollution. Breathing air with a high level of pollutants causes a long list of illnesses and this invisible threat affects every biological system in our body. National Geographic magazine did an entire issue (April 2021) about air pollution and why we need to give it the sustained attention it deserves.
Although air pollution is harmful to everyone, it is the health of the most vulnerable groups in society that is jeopardized the most: sick people, the elderly, children, and people from more unprivileged areas. Over our lifetime, exposure to air pollution has health effects at every stage in life, from being in the womb during pregnancy to old age. With breathing being essential to life, people rightfully need to question the quality of their air.
Air pollution is a global problem and we can't fight this invisible threat unless we understand the seriousness of the issue. Read more at United Nations: click here
In recent years, measurement and reporting have pre-dominantly related to PM10 and PM2.5, but we know today that PM1, and especially the smallest particles in the PM1 fraction – ultrafine particles (< 0.1 μm) and nanoparticles (< 0.05 μm) – are the most dangerous. Most PM1 particles originate from combustion processes, with diesel engine emissions a major contributor to city environments. These ultrafine particles are harmful because they can pass through the body’s natural defenses and reach the very fine structure of the lungs, where they enter the bloodstream and affect critical organs. This is why ventilation system customers should choose the most effective and protective air filters to remove PM1, especially in urban areas.
Currently, traffic air pollution and COVID-19 airborne virus infection are the two indoor air quality (IAQ) issues of greatest public concern, with particles found in the highest numbers for both problems in the PM1 particle size range. Air filtration is the only fully tested technology with International Technical Standards giving data to show hazardous PM1 particles are removed from the air. MERV 15A and higher or ISO 16890 ePM1 class filters must be used to remove particles from the ventilation air. As a backup to main HVAC ventilation systems, air purifier systems using HEPA filters H14 tested to EN1822:2019 can be used.
Camfil air filters are widely used in the air handling units (AHUs) of ventilation systems in buildings like schools, offices, homes, hospitals, and airports to provide the basis for a clean, healthy, and productive indoor environment with high Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). Products and services are supplied to facility management companies, government agencies, public, office, and commercial buildings, schools, and companies providing ventilation and air conditioning service. In North America, compact filters with pleated filter media and multi-pocket bag filters are popular filter styles. Camfil’s filters in this market include the energy-saving 30/30® Dual 9, Hi-Flo® ES, and Durafil® ES2 filters. For all indoor environments with air pollution, Camfil offers high MERV-rated filters and ozone-rated filters combining particle and molecular filtration. The solutions include air purifiers and air cleaners, including the range for industrial and smaller standalone City M and CC500 air purifiers with particle and molecular filtration for offices, retail sectors, schools, and homes.
Camfil’s high-efficiency filters and cleanroom filtration solutions are critical for supplying clean, uncontaminated air in many manufacturing processes. The life sciences and food and beverage industries, where products have to be produced in strictly controlled environments to avoid biocontamination, product spoilage, and high costs. Other critical filtration applications are supplied for biopharmaceutical facilities and ceiling systems for hospital operating rooms to eliminate airborne infectious contaminants.
Many advanced microelectronic fabrication plants in the world use Camfil’s MCC filtration solutions in cleanrooms and on process equipment to avoid problems like acidic corrosion, condensable organic deposition, or exposure to low levels of damaging ammonia. All of these issues can negatively impact production yield and costs for many advanced products, such as wafers, microchips, semiconductors, microprocessors, and memories and displays for smartphones and tablets. Camfil tests 100 percent of its ULPA filters for MCC and has also developed a range of filters that are fully certified against organic outgassing.
Incorporating an odor control solution with molecular filtration into an existing HVAC system is sometimes not an option when space is limited and the installation requires costly modifications. This was the situation at the plant of a major biopharmaceutical manufacturer of medicines, vaccines, and medical devices. At the plant, employees complained of a nuisance odor emanating from the lab and cold storage area where fermentation samples were stored. The fermentation process caused an unpleasant and distracting smell. Camfil’s molecular filtration specialists investigated the odor and offered an immediate and quick-fix solution that only required an electrical outlet: a plug-in vertical freestanding air cleaner configured with molecular filters.
It is the invisible threat that we are connected to, no matter where we are. Even though particulate matter is the most worrying issue for clean air, we can't ignore other harmful pollutants, gases that cause equal or more damage to human health, critical processes, and the environment. The most important takeaway is that air has no boundaries and these tiny particles travel many miles. We can't blame just one system or process, it is a combination of different human activities. To understand your air quality challenges surrounding you or your business, please contact Camfil air filtration experts in your local area.
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