In an article published by Healthy Facilities Institute, 3 all-too-common healthy facility scams are debunked. Take a moment to review these common scams below, our visit the original article here. Some of the scams involve misuse of information, bating facility managers into buying products that do not necessarily contribute to a cleaner workplace. Other scams carefully use clever language and marketing to promote products as more effective than they really are (though some benefit is undeniable).
Scam 1: Air Quality
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is a focal point for managers concerned with creating and maintaining a healthy work environment, and rightfully so. Air circulates throughout the facility, reaching every room, corridor, and occupant. We breath air, which means that even slightly polluted air delivers long term daily exposure to the occupants of a building. Reduced asthma rates, healthier respiratory systems, and higher employee morale are just a few of key benefits of improving IAQ.
The air quality scam takes advantage of this trend, positioning specific products as the proverbial silver bullet needed to rid air of dangerous contaminants. On the Healthy Facilities Institute website, staff writer acknowledges that because air is a fluid mass, eliminating singular particles or airborn debris does not necessarily mean it is “clean.” In fact, it may still contain other unwanted elements that are simply not captured by the air purifier or system being marketed.
Scam 2: VOC
VOCs are “volatile organic compounds” and in recent years, the facility safety and management industry has seen a number of air purifiers that claim to rid the air of VOCs exclusively. Or, some purifiers make broad claims of “cleaning air” while also ridding the air of harmful VOCs. This is misleading for the same reason as noted above.
Air circulates as a single mass that contains various elements, including inert gases, VOCs, dust, debris, pollen, and much more. So when a product claims to remove VOCs, it is a broad and sweeping declaration that warrants closer investigation. If you are considering purchasing an air purifier that claims VOC elimination benefits, check to see if it also has a Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) that makes more specific note of how much air is filtered. The CADR rating may even list which pollutants are removed, which is helpful for some businesses, like nail salons and industrial manufacturers, that are searching for a purifier to remove a specific hazardous compound from the air.
Scam 3: Green Cleaning
Green Cleaning scams are nowhere near as prevalent as they once were, thanks largely to the establishment of authorities that review such claims and products. Nevertheless, there is a good deal of misinformation out there regarding what is “green” and eco-friendly.
In general, it’s important to remember that something labeled “Green” does not necessarily mean it’s chemical-free. In some cases, the “Green” label might just mean that the product uses specific chemicals that are less harmful compared to other products in its class.
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