Anytime a new industry seems to pop up overnight and grow at a rapid pace, eyebrows should raise. Intentions should be questioned. Safety protocols should be evaluated.
COVID put a magnifying glass on many industries, but none that is quite as misunderstood- or impossible to see- as air purification. While not really a new industry, indoor air quality is still an emerging market with little regulation or broad understanding of the science.
A simple Google search of “air purification business” or “air purification market” will turn up some buying advice and a lot of Top 10 lists (most of which are connected to affiliate links), but no one has paid much attention to this booming industry as a whole.
The global air purification market is expecting a rapid increase over the next 5 years driven by a combination of rising airborne diseases, increased pollution levels in urban areas, and consumers educating themselves and becoming more health conscious and aware of ways to improve their own quality of living.
But with that growth, comes opportunity. And opportunists.
Air purification sales exceeded $1 billion in 2020 (compared to $669 million in 2019) and that number is expected to keep growing as these devices become commonplace in our homes, offices, restaurants, healthcare facilities, schools and other commercial and retail spaces.
The global air purifier market is expected to reach $25.6 billion, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 8.3% by 2030.
Opportunists with little knowledge or understanding of the science and available technologies are looking for ways to get into the space and capitalize on this emerging industry.
Some sellers are making illegal claims about the efficacy of their devices. And with little government oversight, they’re often doing so without getting caught.
Last year one of the leading kitchen appliance companies released a medical grade air purifier. This company has no history in the air purification space yet released a device that claims it’s effective at removing more than 99.9% of SARS-CoV-2 from a laboratory-controlled chamber. This company is not alone in testing in relatively small chambers, but the results give consumers confidence that may not be transferable to real-world environments.
And as more and more manufactures enter this space, it’s time for some authority to provide standardized industry guidelines in order to maintain consumer trust and confidence and most importantly, safety. It’s great that consumers have more options to choose from but be an informed buyer.
Before you purchase an air purifier do your homework on the company, what type of technology they use, how long they’ve been at it, and more importantly why they are in the air purification business.
Brandon Taylor – CEO, Greentech
Following a Nationwide search, Greentech Environmental announced Brandon Taylor as its new CEO. Taylor joined Greentech Environmental in 2019 as CFO/COO. Prior to joining Greentech, Taylor held several management roles in multinational energy organizations. Taylor’s leadership helped make 2020 Greentech Environmental’s most successful year in the company’s history so far.