The
Straight Scoop on Ozone Generators:
Some manufacturers and sellers of
ozone generators make unsubstantiated claims
that ozone will render almost every chemical
contaminant harmless. This is misleading. In
fact, available scientific evidence shows that
ozone, when used at concentrations that are safe
for human exposure, has little potential to
remove indoor air contaminants. Several federal
agencies have established health standards or
recommendations to limit human exposure to
ozone. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) has established an ozone level of .05 ppm
(parts per million) as the maximum level
allowable in an enclosed space intended to be
occupied by people for extended periods of time.
Ask your ozone generator sales representative if
the device they sell comes with manufacturer
recommendations for use and what the ozone ppm
will be under those directions.
What They Don't
Tell You About Ozone Generators:
Manufacturers and vendors of ozone
devices often use misleading terms to describe
ozone. Terms such as "energized oxygen" or "pure
air" suggest that ozone is a healthy kind of
oxygen. The truth is; Ozone is a toxic gas with
vastly different chemical and toxicological
properties from oxygen. The same chemical
properties that allow high concentrations of
ozone to react with organic material outside the
body give it the ability to react with similar
organic material that makes up the body, and
potentially cause harmful health consequences.
When inhaled, ozone can damage the lungs (see -
"Ozone and Your Health" -
www.epa.gov/airnow/brochure.html).
Relatively low amounts of ozone can cause
chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath, and,
throat irritation. Ozone may also worsen chronic
respiratory diseases such as asthma and
compromise the ability of the body to fight
respiratory infections. People vary widely in
their susceptibility to ozone. Healthy people,
as well as those with respiratory difficulty,
can experience breathing problems when exposed
to ozone. Exercise during exposure to ozone
causes a greater amount of ozone to be inhaled,
and increases the risk of harmful respiratory
effects. Recovery from the harmful effects can
occur following short-term exposure to low
levels of ozone, but health effects may become
more damaging and recovery less certain at
higher levels or from longer exposures (US EPA,
1996a, 1996b).
Frequently Ask Questions About Ozone:
What is ozone?
What are the possible health effects of
breathing ozone?
Are there other possible negative effects of
ozone?
What are possible sources of ozone in my home,
school or workplace?
What factors contribute to the amount of ozone I
inhale?
Can I test my home, school or workplace for
ozone?
Are
there standards for ozone?
What can I do to reduce the risk of exposure to
ozone in my home, school or workplace?
What is ozone?
Ozone is a colorless gas with a
noticeable odor. When inhaled, it can damage the
lungs and irritate the throat. Although ozone is
found and is naturally produced in the
atmosphere, it is also a main part of air
pollution called smog. In the upper layer of the
sky, ozone is helpful in protecting us from some
of the effects of the sun. However, when it
exists in the lower layer, close to the earth
(outdoors and in our homes), it can be harmful
if we inhale it.
The use of some equipment, such as certain
types of "air cleaning" devices, can cause
increased levels of ozone in homes or work
settings.
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What are the possible health effects of
breathing ozone?
Inhaling fairly low amounts of ozone
can result in signs and symptoms such as
coughing, congestion, wheezing, shortness of
breath, and chest pain in otherwise healthy
people. People with already existing asthma,
bronchitis, heart disease, and emphysema may
find their conditions worsen while inhaling
ozone. Breathing ozone may also increase the
risk of getting certain lung diseases. People
can recover from short-term exposure to low
levels of ozone. However, breathing high levels
of ozone or breathing low levels of ozone over a
long period of time may have more damaging and
longer-lasting effects.
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Are there other possible negative effects of
ozone?
Although some manufacturers of air
cleaning equipment have claimed that ozone
generators can decrease volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) in the air, research has shown
that such devices may, in fact, increase some
types of VOCS.
If an air cleaning device produces ozone at a
level that is effective in killing molds and
viruses, then it is also at a level that can be
harmful to human beings and pets.
(For information on VOCs, see this Google link)
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What are possible sources of ozone in my home,
school or workplace?
Ozone can be released into the air
from some office equipment such as laser
printers and copiers, from some types of "air
cleaners" such as some electric or ion
generators, and from certain industrial
processes such as ozone treatment of bottled
water.
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What factors contribute to the amount of ozone I
inhale?
If ozone is present in a home, school
or workplace, there are several factors that may
affect the amount of ozone that a person
inhales:
- the amount and type of ventilation in
the building; a tightly insulated building
may allow ozone to build up to harmful
levels
- whether the ozone-producing equipment is
properly installed, maintained, vented and
operated
- the amount of ozone that is produced
- a person's current health status and
health history
- the activity level of the person exposed
(exercising or deep, rapid breathing may
increase the amount of ozone inhaled)
- the length of time for which the person
is exposed
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Can I test my home, school or workplace for
ozone?
Unless you have a likely source for
ozone in the indoor setting, AND unless you have
some possible signs and symptoms of ozone
exposure, testing the indoor air for ozone is
not likely to be helpful, informative, or
needed. Rather than focusing your attention and
finances on testing the air, try to improve air
quality by using other fairly low cost options.
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Are
there standards for ozone?
There are national standards relating
to the amount of ozone that certain types of
equipment or devices may produce and there are
standards for workplace exposure. In addition,
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has
established an ozone level of .05 ppm (parts per
million) as the maximum level allowable in an
enclosed space intended to be occupied by people
for extended periods of time. This includes
homes, apartments and offices. The standards for
industrial settings are different and are set
and enforced by other agencies such as the
California Occupational Safety and Health
Administration and the American Conference of
Governmental Industrial Hygienists.
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What can I do to reduce the risk of being
exposed to ozone in my home, school or
workplace? There are several steps you can take
to reduce or eliminate risks from ozone.
- Consider alternatives to equipment and
devices that produce ozone. Such items exist
on the market. For example, HEPA (High
Efficiency Particulate Air) vacuums and
certain air cleaners do not produce ozone.
- Increase ventilation. In some cases,
this can be done by opening the windows and
doors to provide fresh air from the outside.
- Install exhaust fans for certain types
of office equipment (copiers, etc.) that can
produce ozone. Do not place such equipment
in small closed settings like closets or
supply rooms.
- Properly maintain and service office and
industrial type equipment and air handling
systems.
- Use cleaning products and building
materials that do not contain elevated
amounts of VOCs, and that are less likely to
harbor bacteria, viruses, and mold.
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The amount of ozone it takes to kill mold will kill you too!
