In a separate statement, Wallach objected to the classification of the Ionic Breeze as an ionizer rather than an electrostatic precipitator; the EPA views the terms as synonymous.
Thalheimer distinguished the Ionic Breeze from a category of air cleaner known as ozone generators, which intentionally produce ozone to combine with other substances. "Ionic Breeze is emphatically not an ozone generator," wrote Thalheimer. Thalheimer also stated the Ionic Breeze "meet[s] the strictest standard" in ozone emissions -- 50-parts-per-billion -- referring to a limit set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for indoor medical devices. The agency doesn't consider air cleaners medical devices.
Sharper Image's Ionic Breeze ionizing air cleaner, at right, failed a Consumers Union test by producing what CU called dangerous amounts of ozone. A Whirlpool HEPA air cleaner, above, did better. Sharper Image disputes the findings and insists its product is safe.
(Whirlpool)
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Allowing large quantities of ozone -- the same gas found in high amounts on hot, sunny, smoggy summer days, when those with respiratory ailments are often warned to stay inside -- to be produced indoors can be harmful to asthma patients, said David M. Lang, head of the allergy and immunology division at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Lang cited studies that show that exposure to ozone at high concentrations is harmful to the health of people without asthma; those with the respiratory ailment face greater risk, he said.
"I think it's reasonable to discourage the purchase of the air cleaners that emit substantial amounts of ozone . . . based on the fact that this may be injurious to your health, particularly if you have asthma," said Lang. "I think it's a situation where . . . caveat emptor -- buyer beware -- is appropriate."
Last year two large studies, one in the Journal of the American Medical Association and the other in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, linked high ozone exposure in cities to a rise in premature deaths from cardiovascular and respiratory causes. The EPA neither certifies nor recommends air cleaners.
While all air ionizers create ozone, some give off more than others. The report recommended only one ionizing air cleaner -- the Friedrich C-90A ($450) -- calling it a "fine" performer "with negligible ozone." All five other ionizers were giving failing grades because of "poor performance, some with relatively high ozone." A HEPA device, the Whirlpool 45030 ($250), also won high marks from CU's testers.
CU evaluated the cleaners in a sealed room, where testers measured ozone amounts two inches from the machines, and in an "open, well-ventilated lab," where testers took measurements two inches and three feet from the machines, according to the report. The Whirlpool and Friedrich models earned a mix of "excellent" and "very good" ratings for ridding the air of particles containing dust, cigarette smoke and pollen; both got only fair ratings for noise. The Ionic Breeze earned an "excellent" noise rating.
Any air cleaner that produced ozone amounts exceeding the FDA's 50 ppb ozone limit failed CU's tests. Only the Whirlpool and the Friedrich models passed the sealed-room test.
In the two-inch test in the open lab, the Surround Air XJ-2000 ($80) produced the most ozone, 319 ppb, followed by the IonizAir P4620 ($70) at 168 ppb, the Ionic Breeze at 48 ppb, the Ionic Pro CL-369 ($150) at 33 ppb and the Brookstone Pure-Ion ($300) at 26 ppb. In the three-feet open lab test, the Brookstone emitted the least ozone of the ionizers at 2 ppb, and the IonizAir producing the most at 28 ppb.
The makers of the Brookstone, Ionic Pro and SurroundAir disputed the CU findings and said their products are safe and effective; they said that independent tests show their devices meet ozone emission standards. The maker of the IonizAir did not return several calls seeking comment.
The two recommended cleaners, in contrast, emitted far less ozone than the others. In the open lab, the Whirlpool produced 2 ppb of ozone at two inches away; the Friedrich emitted 5 ppb. At three feet away, the Whirlpool produced 1 ppb, and the Friedrich emitted 4 ppb.
Some allergists said that they have long recommended HEPA cleaners over ionizers because of fears about ozone output. They advise consumers to eliminate allergens such as tobacco smoke, mold and pet dander from the home instead of relying on an air cleaner to do the job.
Resources
• The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (www.aham.org) has developed standards for portable air cleaners that may help in evaluating their effectiveness in cleaning tobacco smoke, dust and pollen particles.
• Consumer Reports. www.consumerreports.org; view suggestions for improving indoor air quality. Subscription ($26 a year, or $4.95 a month) required to view the entire air cleaners report.
• Mayo Clinic's guide to allergy-proofing your home. www.mayoclinic.com; search for "allergy-proof."
• American Lung Association air cleaners information. www.lungusa.org; search for "air cleaning devices."
