Buying an industrial air purifier

In early 2024, a shocking statistic was released by the international nonprofit InfluenceMap: between the years of 2016 and 2022, 80% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions were produced by just 57 companies¹. Carbon dioxide is not the only concerning emission generated by industry: industrial practices are responsible for releasing other air pollutants that contribute to climate change and harm the environment and air quality. Everyone suffers from industrial air pollution, but one of the most at-risk groups is the employees themselves. How can industrial employees protect themselves? Can an industrial air purifier help? Read on to learn more.

Industrial air pollution

Air pollution produced by industrial practices is complex. Depending upon the industry in question, it may vary in consistency, containing a complex mixture of fine particle pollution, industrial construction dust, gaseous pollutants like volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mould and spores, and more.

Some of the most polluting industry sectors include: energy (electricity and heat, the largest polluter), transport, manufacturing and construction, agriculture, general industry, buildings, waste management, land-use change and forestry, and aviation and shipping^2,3.

Source ³

A 2021 study noted that the industrial pollutants most heavily linked to premature mortality, especially in vulnerable populations, include:

• Particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10)
• Carbon monoxide (CO)
• Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
• Sulphur dioxide (SO2)⁴

In an industrial setting, employees are exposed to all of the above components of air pollution but also dust, chemical pollution (like VOCs), allergens, germs (viruses and bacteria), and moulds and other spores. It is estimated that half of outdoor pollution emitted enters indoor spaces, and for industrial workers who spend at least 35 hours per week in these work spaces, exposure level is high. Furthermore, dangerous chemical fumes, particles, and chemical odours produced indoors are also a threat to respiratory health.

What are the health risks?

These emissions are linked to respiratory, lung, and cardiovascular-related diseases, but studies have also shown a connection between air pollution exposure and mental health disorders, loss of fertility and productivity, increased risk of obesity and diabetes mellitus, and more. Another study out of an industrial area in Italy found a significant association between residents of the area and mortality from non-accidental causes, all cancers, cardiac diseases, and neurological diseases⁵. A study out of Norway produced similar results: elevated levels of NO2, PM10, and PM2.5 released by industry all lead to an increase in all-cause mortality⁶.

For sensitive individuals working or living in industrial settings, exposure to germs and allergens like dust, dust mites, and mould spores may exacerbate respiratory conditions like allergies, asthma, and COPD.

Why install an industrial air purifier?

An industrial air purifier may be installed for different reasons. First and foremost, an industrial air cleaner is an excellent way to safeguard workers from the dangers of poor indoor air quality (IAQ).

Another benefit of industrial air cleaners is improving air quality in areas where clean air may be essential to the industrial process. Dust and pollen produced by industrial processes may pose a problem in an industrial work environment, potentially polluting the supply chain. Industrial machines and equipment also suffer at the hands of industrial dust production and dust accumulation, and their lifespan is lengthened under improved air quality conditions.

For those living near industrial facilities, an industrial air cleaner may significantly help reduce exposure to harmful air pollution that is responsible for an increase in allergies, asthma, and other respiratory and cardiac conditions, especially in children.

Benefits of Eoleaf’s industrial air purifiers

As mentioned above, installing an industrial air cleaner may bring many benefits to employees, nearby residents, and even machinery.

Protect people’s health

Eoleaf’s industrial air purifiers protect people’s health, whether it be industrial workers or nearby residents in industrial areas who are exposed to industrial emissions and pollution. Investing in indoor air pollution helps reduce the likelihood of developing and/or aggravating respiratory conditions, especially those of the upper airway. It may also protect against developing other disorders like those impacting the cardiovascular and immune systems.

Improve air quality

Of course, the purpose of investing in an industrial air cleaner is to improve indoor air quality in industrial settings. An industrial air cleaner helps remove industrial construction dust, particulate matter (especially PM2.5 and PM10), gaseous pollutants and fumes (ozone, carbon monoxide, and VOCs, to name a few), germs (bacteria and viruses), tobacco smoke, mould spores, and other substances that degrade indoor air quality.

Remove unpleasant odours

Industrial chemicals may produce unpleasant fumes and odours that may not only impact health but also worker productivity. Chemical processes and product odours may create headaches, fatigue, distractions, and make it difficult for employees to perform their daily tasks with precision.

Factors to consider when choosing an industrial air purifier

Filtration technologies: HEPA + carbon filters

An industrial air purifier is nothing without its air filtration technologies. When seeking out an air cleaner for your industrial setting, be sure that it offers the technologies that will target the pollutants found in your space. We always recommend that an industrial air purifier contains at least a HEPA-certified filter and an activated carbon filter, but additional technologies are a bonus.

HEPA-certified filters

High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA)-certified filters are one of the essential air purification industry standards that guarantee filtration performance. Air cleaners with a HEPA-certified filter are tested by third parties to ensure that they meet certain filtration standards. Rather than having their devices certified, some companies will use the term ‘HEPA’ in technologies that have been developed in-house (for example, ‘HEPASilent’ technologies found in Blueair air purifiers). Unfortunately, if a filter is not HEPA-certified, it is impossible to verify any claims regarding filtration percentage. Eoleaf devices contain medical-grade HEPA H13-certified filters, meaning that they are guaranteed to remove 99.97% of all air pollutants down to a size of 0.01 microns including particulate matter, tobacco smoke, pet dander, industrial construction dust and dust mites, mould spores, and more.

Activated carbon filters

Activated carbon is another essential technology when choosing an air purifier. HEPA-certified filters, although extremely efficient against fine particles, do not remove gaseous pollutants like VOCs or unpleasant odours. Activated carbon filters have been a tried and true technology for centuries in the removal of chemical pollution and gaseous pollutants.

Other technologies

For the cleanest air available, it is highly beneficial for an air cleaner to offer other filtration technologies and depollution methods like photocatalysis, ionisation, and UVC sterilisation. The latter not only targets germs like bacteria and viruses, but it sterilises the filter once it captures pollution particles. Without UVC sterilisation technologies, these pollutants may escape and gain access to your indoor spaces once more during filter changes or when using the device with a spent filter. Eoleaf devices contain all of the above and more as part of our 8-step air purification method, guaranteeing the cleanest indoor air available.

Sizing

In order for your indoor air to be properly filtered by an industrial air purifier, it needs to be properly sized to your industrial space. In order to do this, consider two different metrics: CADR and ACH.

An air cleaner’s Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) determines how the volume of filtered air it is capable of producing and how effectively it cleans the air in your space. CADR is another industry standard that allows consumers to compare device efficiency between brands. Devices with higher CADR ratings produce more filtered air and are, thus, more desirable. Buyer beware: some companies may claim a high CADR without the device being HEPA-certified, so their efficiency is not guaranteed.

Air Changes per Hour (ACH) is another helpful tool when determining room size compatibility. ACH refers to the amount of times the air in an indoor space is completely exchanged with filtered air in one hour. In industrial spaces with heavy levels of pollution, an ACH of 4 or 5 (meaning that the air is replaced 4 or 5 times per hour) is ideal and recommended for the air to be completely filtered. Reach out to Eoleaf’s air purification experts to have ACH calculated using your industrial space’s specific volume and desired usage of your industrial air cleaner.

Eoleaf is here to clear your industrial air

Do you manage an industrial plant and aim to protect your employees from industrial emissions? Are you a resident who lives close to an industrial plant who wants to protect your health from harmful air pollution? Eoleaf is here for you, providing some of the most efficient industrial air purifiers on the market. Reach out to discuss your needs with our team anytime to let us help you breathe cleaner indoor air.

Frequently asked questions

What advantages do commercial air purifiers have over home versions?

Commercial or industrial air purifiers are designed to pull in more significant volumes of polluted air. They are usually also built to filter the air in larger spaces. The benefit of an Eoleaf air purifier is that it simultaneously offers the pricing of a home air purifier with the power of a commercial air purifier.

Which kinds of filters are used in industrial air purifiers?

Many industrial air purifiers are equipped with similar air filtration technologies but differ in power. The main air filtration technologies found in industrial air purifiers are HEPA-certified filters, activated carbon filters, photocatalysis, ionisation, UVC sterilisation, and more. Eoleaf devices contain all of the above!

Can chemical pollutants and tiny dust particles be removed by industrial air purifiers?

If the device is equipped with a medical-grade HEPA-certified filter (either HEPA H13 or H14), then yes. These filters remove at least 99.97% of all air pollutants down to a size of 0.3 microns. Eoleaf devices remove 99.97% of air pollutants down to a size of 0.01 microns, including chemical pollutants (thanks to our activated carbon filters) and tiny dust particles.

What is the cubic metres per hour purifying capacity of industrial air purifiers?

Eoleaf devices offer impressive CADR ratings (purifying capacity of industrial air purifiers in cubic metres per hour). Find them below:

• AEROPRO 40: 420 m3/h
• AEROPRO 100: 570 m3/h
• AEROPRO 150: 670 m3/h (our most powerful and recommended industrial air purifier model)

Which industries benefit the most from using industrial air purifiers?

All industries benefit from using industrial air purifiers to keep their employees safe from industrial air pollution. However, the most polluting industries that would benefit most include energy (electricity and heat), transport, manufacturing, and agriculture. See the graphic included in this article for a more detailed list of most-polluting industries.

Resources

¹ Thorsberg, C. (2024, April 9). 80 percent of global CO2 emissions come from just 57 companies, report shows. Smithsonian.com. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/since-2016-80-percent-of-global-co2-emissions-come-from-just-57-companies-report-shows-180984118/

² Munsif, R., Zubair, M., Aziz, A., & Nadeem Zafar, M. (2021). Industrial Air Emission Pollution: Potential sources and sustainable mitigation. Environmental Emissions. doi:10.5772/intechopen.93104

³ Ritchie, H., Rosado, P., & Roser, M. (2024, January 5). Breakdown of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions by sector. Our World in Data.  https://ourworldindata.org/emissions-by-sector

⁴ Rahman, M.M., Alam, K. & Velayutham, E. Is industrial pollution detrimental to public health? Evidence from the world’s most industrialised countries. BMC Public Health21, 1175 (2021). doi:10.1186/s12889-021-11217-65

⁵ Bauleo L, Bucci S, Antonucci C, Sozzi R, Davoli M, Forastiere F, Ancona C. Long-term exposure to air pollutants from multiple sources and mortality in an industrial area: a cohort study. Occup Environ Med. 2019 Jan;76(1):48-57. doi: 10.1136/oemed-2018-105059. Epub 2018 Sep 14. PMID: 30217927; PMCID: PMC6327870.

⁶ Naess Ø, Nafstad P, Aamodt G, Claussen B, Rosland P. Relation between concentration of air pollution and cause-specific mortality: four-year exposures to nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter pollutants in 470 neighborhoods in Oslo, Norway. Am J Epidemiol. 2007 Feb 15;165(4):435-43. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwk016. Epub 2006 Nov 29. PMID: 17135427.