Although Spartan Environmental Technologies does not sell ozone generators for residential use, we are occasionally contact by individuals interested in buying ozone generators for odor control in the home. We were prompted to discuss this subject again by a recent new release from a market research firm publishing a study on air fresheners. The study was primarily about consumer products such as sented candles and such, but they briefly touched on the topic of indoor air pollution control using ozone generators.
The EPA position on ozone generators is that to actualy remove odors, the concentration of ozone in the home would have to exceed safe levels. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA) has established the safe levels for long term exposure to ozone in teh air to less than o.1 part per million or 100 parts per billion. The EPA found that some home ozone generators far exceeded this limit, putting the people in the home at risk.
Ozone can cause lung problems. It is a main component of “smog” and is controlled as an air pollutant. Some consumers, not aware of the dangers, have exposed themselves to dangerous levels of ozone.
Since most consumers can not measure ozone in their home, they should not use ozone generators to remove odors. Professional contractors are available that can employ ozone generators to clean the air in a home, but after the home owners have left the house. Then after insuring the ozone levels are safe informing the home owner that it is safe to return. Some of these systems have automatic ozone destruct systems that remove the ozone after it is generated to eliminate the ozone after it has done its job. These systems should only be used by trained professionals.