But to alter the law fundamental

2022.07.31
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But to alter the law fundamental

But to alter the law fundamentally would take congressional action, EPAs Carroll said. Yet surface tests comprise half of the test results the company lists on its pathogen reduction webpage, a GPS spokesperson confirmed. She was surprised by how well she was feeling.. The company that makes the devices, ActivePure Technologies, said Shumaker was not an authorized or known salesperson of its products. This [study] is totally damning, said Delphine Farmer, a Colorado State University associate professor who specializes in atmospheric and indoor chemistry who reviewed the Boeing report. This translates to savings on your utility bills and reduces the chances of needing expensive repairs, Lozano says.

And a majority of EcoQuest International assets were bought in 2009 by ActivePure Technologies, according to its 2021 press kit. Called ActivePure Technology, and commercially available since 2013 as the Air Scrubber Plus, the key to its function is a proprietary blend of reactive metals added to the original titanium dioxide coating. If an ozone generator is not on this list, it does not mean that it is safe for use. His solution: If a pesticide device makes a public health claim, it should be evaluated with the same rigor used for pesticides like ant spray. 2022 The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. 2022 The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Testing in independent labs and feedback from thousands of installations demonstrate that GPS technology works and can play an important role in making comprehensive air cleaning and filtration systems even more effective.. Prior to purchasing an air cleaner, consumers are encouraged to eliminate or reduce indoor pollution sources and to ventilate areaswith outdoor air. Many schools used federal funds to purchase the products.

Ozone is released through the charging process, although these devices typically emit much less ozone than ozone generators. New York State Department of Health officials released the study in response to a KHN public records request about the education departments COVID-era guidance, which urges schools not to buy ionizers. He finds the company-by-company approach to be a game of whack-a-mole., A company goes away because they have regulatory scrutiny and reinvent themselves a few months later, he said. scrubber aerus 2022 Fortune Media IP Limited. GPS records show the test was done on bacteria suspended in the air. People are scared because of covid, and they capitalize on it., In filing a motion to dismiss the case, GPS told the court the lawsuit was an attempt to distort the facts and assert baseless claims, doing grave damage to GPSs business in the process., The GPS court document also says the disclaimers on its website make it unreasonable for any consumers to believe that the efficacy demonstrated in GPS studies will necessarily be the same for their particular application., It asserts that most of the GPS statements identified in the plaintiffs lawsuit such as safe to use and cleaner air amount to non-actionable puffery as they are vague generalities and statements of opinion.. Given the specific environment this was tested in, the quality of the materials, and the method in which the virus was dispersed, it is safe to say that the bipolar ionization system used in this experiment has the ability to deactivate SARS-CoV-2 with the given ion counts, the Aug. 7 report from the third-party lab says. Federal Trade Commission officials have written warning letters to some air cleaner companies during the pandemic. Electrolux (now Dallas-based Aerus Holdings) furthered the technology by developing an air purification product that kills pathogens both in the atmosphere and on surfaces. The benefits reaped by these two featuresthe antimicrobial agents and clumping capabilityhave been proven by peer-reviewed scientific studies, says Lozano.

Whats more, these friendly cleaners are also mostly negatively charged ions. But it is devoid of any concrete, specific allegations plausibly alleging that GPS made even a single false or deceptive statement about its products., The plaintiffs case cites a KHN investigation that found that more than 2,000 U.S. schools had bought air-purifying technology, including ionizers. 1001 IStreet, Sacramento, CA 95814 In 2001, a judge fined Alpine $1.49 million for failing to stop making unsubstantiated claims about its devices, which it had said relieved allergies and removed indoor pollutants. EPA spokesperson Tim Carroll said in an email that the agency is developing more outreach materials for schools on air purifiers. If you win the $1.02 billion Mega Millions prize, youll be hit with a massive tax CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice. S&P Index data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. It completed a study of two devices powered by GPS technology that another aviation company now markets to clean the air and surfaces in planes. During a test in an empty classroom, they found that levels of harmful ozone gas and ultrafine particles that can cause cardiovascular problems were elevated, indicating worse indoor air quality when the AtmosAir Bipolar ionization unit is operating, the 2013 state Bureau of Toxic Substance Assessment report said.

If you get any serious government oversight, a big chunk of this industry will go away, said Siegel. I see no other path forward.. It is a simple and elegant solution to a broad range of air quality related issues. This fact sheet discusses these health risks and provides effective, alternative solutions to address indoor air quality problems. The Boeing engineers used the companys technology to try to kill E. coli on surfaces in a lab but found no observable reduction in viability after an hour. : Class Action Claims Global Plasma Solutions Air Cleaning Products Make the Air Worse https://www.classaction.org/blog/falsely-advertised-class-action-claims-global-plasma-solutions-air-cleaning-products-make-the-air-worse, Boeing: Use of Bipolar Ionization for Disinfection within Airplanes https://www.boeing.com/confident-travel/research/use-of-bipolar-ionization-for-disinfection-within-airplanes.html, CDC: Ventilation in Buildings (What is a HEPA filter and why use a portable HEPA air cleaner?) Elevated exposures to ozone can cause permanent lung damage, and repeated exposure can even increase the risk of dying among persons already in poor health. A Boeing study found the technology isn't effective enough to use on planes. Before astronauts are able to undertake long-term missions into the solar system, theyll need technologies that allow them to grow their own fruits and vegetables. aerus scrubber ), ClassAction.org: Falsely Advertised? Those levels have ranged from 2,000 to 10,000 and even up to 30,000 ions per cubic centimeter when an HVAC system is running, according to records provided to KHN and statements made by company representatives. Companies that make the devices are subject to virtually no standardized testing or evaluation of their marketing claims. Thats the step Shumaker pleaded guilty to skipping. In addition to converting ethylene into harmless byproducts, the scrubber was also found to kill pathogens. air scrubber aerus filtration

As particles clump around the charged clusters, or friendly cleaners, they become too large to escape the systems filter, which means theyre not able to go on and damage coils and blowers needed to help keep the system running effectively. New York City begins vaccinating students at schools. In another instance, Global Plasma Solutions blasted the testing chambers with 27,000 ions per cubic centimeter, which its products cant do in real-world conditions, he said. Del., No. Siegel, of the University of Toronto, consulted with U.S. government agencies targeting the misleading marketing claims of some air-cleaner companies about 10 years ago.

Not only does this disguise rather than eliminate odors, it can also have the dangerous effect of decreasing a persons ability to detect high ozone levels.

(800) 242-4450| helpline@arb.ca.gov The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not regulate the devices but, like academic air quality experts, recommends time-tested portable HEPA filters to clean the air in rooms. That study looked at the effect of the ionizers on the virus that causes Covid-19 when used on aluminum, a type of plastic called Kydex and leather. Its founder has said the method is advantageous because it goes out into the space of the room and seeks out contaminants, according to the complaint. Persons especially vulnerable to health problems from breathing ozone include children and those who already suffer from asthma or other respiratory diseases, including the elderly. The controversy is getting the attention of school officials from coast to coast. But academic air quality experts say the technology can be ineffective or potentially create harmful byproducts. These ions were dropping particles out of the air 100 times faster than relying on gravity alone, Lozano says. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Relief: Compensatory and punitive damages; restitution and disgorgement; and orders stopping the products sale and forcing corrective action. KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation. The scrubber was first flown on Space Shuttle Columbia mission STS-73 in 1995 and proved successful in preserving a crop of potato seedlings. (For large orders, please feel free to contact us directly about bulk pricing!

such as some types of Clorox wipes are safe and, Association of American Pesticide Control Officials, These states are sending residents stimulus checks up to $1,500 to combat inflation, These U.S. cities and towns are paying remote workers up to $20,000 to move there. This can be achieved by opening windows, using exhaust fans near pollutant sources (e.g. He noted companies are often turned in by their competitors. Also known as an ethylene scrubber, the device works by drawing in air through tubes coated with titanium dioxide. The following information provides the list of CARB certified air cleaning devices and additional information on how to choose a safe and effective air cleaner.

Last fiscal year, Carroll said, the agency issued 19 import refusal notices and sent six advisory letters for COVID-related air-purifying productsa small fraction of its 2020 pesticide actions. Scott Dulle, the director of building and grounds, said he went with technology he saw health leaders buying. They include arcane terms like natural decay and test conditions that only an expert could spot as different from those that prevail in real life. Were just pushing EPA to try and get updated, said Patrick Jones, president of the Association of American Pesticide Control Officials.

Besides making people feel better, Lozano says the technology also helps extend the life of a homes HVAC system. The Boeing study notes it was unable to replicate supplier results in terms of antimicrobial effectiveness., GPS cautioned that the Boeing tests examined disinfection of surfaces, not the air: While GPS products do have the ability to help reduce pathogens in air and on surfaces, GPS products are not chemical surface disinfectants.. At this point, it is only allegations.

The proposed class-action lawsuit says GPS makes deceptive, misleading, and false claims about its products based on company-funded studies that are not applicable to real world conditions., A GPS spokesperson said the lawsuit is baseless and misleading and that the company will aggressively defend against it. But unlike chemical pesticides, the EPA does not register devices and, therefore, does not routinely review their safety or efficacy, the agency said.

But as few independent authorities assess the effectiveness of the devices, school officials have been snapping them up. Thiscauses symptoms includingcoughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and impaired breathing. The California Air Resources Board is one of six boards, departments, and offices under the umbrella of the California Environmental Protection Agency. First, a Kansas State University study showed that ActivePure Technology reduced an indoor environments amount of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, by 99.8 percent and E. coli by 98.1 percent. dust and pollen) from the air, including the particles responsible for most allergies. Murrieta, CA 92562 GPSs claims that its technology eliminates volatile organic compounds are contradicted by studies showing that it increases the concentration of some of those compounds, Garner says. In another study the University of Cincinnati validated the technologys ability to extract particulate matter. Ozone is also known to deaden ones sense of smell. We followed the doctors and the hospitals and the government, he said. above stoves while cooking), Potential Health Effects from Ozone Generators (CPSC, 2006), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Ozone Generator, carefully follow directions on consumer products, such as cleaning agents, paints, and glues, properly maintain and operate gas- and wood-burning appliances, purchase building materials and wood furniture that do not emit formaldehyde, use candles and incense sparingly, if at all. There is no review associated with that, said James Votaw, a lawyer who specializes in chemical regulation law at Keller and Heckman in Washington, D.C. That is automatic.

In August, he pleaded guilty to distributing a pesticide device that was misbranded in that the product label was missing an EPA establishment number. In other words, he failed to follow the letter of a little-known law. And the postcards that got him into trouble? FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. But EPAs resources were not the same as they were many years ago, Neuschafer said, as the agency is working with smaller staffing and budgets. Ozone generated by air purifiers does little to remove chemical pollutants. GPS pointed to another study, one conducted in the weeks before Boeing began its study in September, by a third-party lab. The Air Scrubber Plus is really improving peoples lives.. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/ventilation.html#refphf, Vaniman Manufacturing Co. 25799 Jefferson Ave Murrieta, CA 92562 Phone: (760) 723-1498, Vaniman Manufacturing Co. Its claims that the products dont add harmful byproducts is wrong because they emit acetone, ethanol, and other toxic chemicals, he says. ActivePure makes the device Shumaker got into trouble for selling. The New York State Education Department is not recommending that schools buy air purifiers it describes as ion generators or corona discharge technology.. Alpine is a related company to EcoQuest International, according to the FTC. They include one California superintendent who cited the lawsuit and switched off that districts more than 400 GPS devices. P.O. AtmosAir spokesperson Sarah Berman said the device studied in 2013 is discontinued and all current products have no affiliation to it. I dont have a clue..

Shumaker told KHN he was just a salesperson and the devices were being shipped straight from the manufacturer.

When exposed to ultraviolet light, these metals mix with the surrounding air and humidity to produce charged clusters of hydrogen and oxygen such as hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyls, and superoxide ions, which are antimicrobial agents also found in nature.

That has left a handful of states to take the most decisive action on the industry. One of the last high-profile actions the FTC took against an air purifier company was in 1997, when the Justice Department filed an action on its behalf against Alpine Industries, which made ozone-generating air purifiers. The lawsuit claims that the defendants misrepresentations and false statements were woven into an extensive and long-term advertising campaign accelerating during the COVID-19 pandemic., People are being victimized by these companies for profit, said Mickey Mills, a Houston attorney for the plaintiff. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). A recent class action lawsuit filed against a North Carolina-based manufacturer has shined a spotlight on bipolar ionization as a solution for indoor air quality during the COVID-19 pandemic. Exposure to ozone irritates and inflames the lining of the respiratory system. There is scientific evidence that ozone concentrations below the health standards are not effective in removing many odor-causing chemicals. And it all started with the agencys need for keeping plants fresh in space. The roughly 5,500-student district bought GPS units for every school HVAC system, Triplett said in a March school board meeting in which he noted the technology arguably is much better than any filter. By May, he said in the memo the district had become aware of the lawsuit alleging the misrepresentation of the devices and would continue to monitor the situation.

The pesticide control association wrote in a 2019 public comment to the EPA of its concern about the growing use in health care facilities of non-government evaluated pesticide devices that make unsubstantiated human health claimswith no scientific data being submitted to EPA to prove their effectiveness.. As a result, a line of air purification systems utilizing the technology is now on the market that not only keeps food fresh in warehouses and markets but also helps decontaminate the air (Spinoff 2002, 2009). On Super Bowl Sunday, shes hanging out at her daughters for four hours and says, Hey whats going on? he says. Boeing found minimal or no reduction on surfaces in four other pathogens it tested with GPS ionizers for an hour in a Huntsville, Alabama, lab. Shumaker then told an undercover agent on the phone on April 24, 2020, that the air purifier kills the Coronavirus Virus on the spot, according to a criminal complaint. She also said in an email that tests by third-party labs found that our bipolar ionization products do not contribute to unacceptable levels of volatile organic compounds, which are potentially harmful substances. Unlike the situation in air, ozone can be used successfully to purify water in some applications. Rather than cleaning passing air, the companys family of air purification products does something unique: it takes the circulated air generated by a buildings heating and cooling ventilation (HVAC) system and produces molecules that disseminate into the environment, killing pathogens in the air and on surfaces. a list of potentially hazardous ozone generators sold as "air purifiers", using exhaust fans near pollutant sources (e.g. Consumer versions of the system for thealso followed (Spinoff 2013). The study also demonstrated similar effectiveness in neutralizing black mold and other potentially dangerous pathogens.

AAPCOs Jones said changes to federal oversight are needed to better deal with the flood of devices. FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. In comparison, ionizing and dry hydrogen peroxide air purifiers have a less-documented track record in air cleaning, the CDC says. Manufacturers sometimes inappropriately refer to ozone as activated oxygen, super oxygenated or energized oxygen, which implies that ozone is a healthy kind of oxygen. Not only are ozone generators ineffective at cleaning indoor air, but inhaling ozone poses serious health risks for humans and animals. In one instance, Global Plasma Solutions used a chamber the size of a shoebox to support its claim that its Products could kill COVID-19 for a home or school, he said. In one story, a woman was so allergic to cats that she wasnt able to stay at her daughters house for longer than 30 minutes at a time.

NASA is to thank for laying the foundation for a breakthrough product in indoor air quality, Lozano says. Over 300 manufacturers have submitted test results and obtained CARB certification of their air cleaning devices as required under our regulation. So it was just like setting money on fire, he said. Our advice remains: focus on HEPA filtration. The unfortunate answer is that misleading advertising by manufacturers is very effective, and no government agency has the authority to fully regulate these devices. Aerospace giant Boeing tested two kinds of ionization technologies like those widely adopted in schools hoping to combat Covid-19 to determine how well each killed germs on surfaces and decided that neither was effective enough to install on its commercial planes.

The Boeing study cites a GPS white paper that says its device killed 99.68 percent of E. coli bacteria in one test in 15 minutes. Boeing noted in its conclusion that air ionization has not shown significant disinfection effectiveness.. The case is Garner v. Glob.

The companys products named in the lawsuit utilized a particular kind of technology called bipolar ionization. Urso said in a statement that his companys devices do have establishment numbers, and that he supports the ruling against Shumaker. The CDC recommends considering in-room portable HEPA filter air purifiers in conjunction with continued mask use (for now) and indoor/outdoor exchange and increased filtration in ventilation systems. There are many experimental studies on animals, including dogs, cats, hamsters and guinea pigs, that show respiratory effects from exposure to ozone.