The Canary Report

37 Responses to “Warning: Avoid ozone generating air machines”

1. 

   Ruth
   

   09. Dec, 2008

   This article comes at a perfect time for me, since a friend was considering buying an air filter that would generate this foul stuff! I can send this to him.
   Thanks, susie!!! His apartment is loaded with mold that has permeated all of his
   belongings, and he is wondering what steps to take to clean it all up.
   Any thoughts would be appreciated.

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2. 

   Susie Collins
   

   09. Dec, 2008

   Excellent info on mold assessment and remediation here:

   http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/epi/moldrpt1.shtml

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3. 

   Ruth
   

   09. Dec, 2008

   Thanks so much! I think it is difficult for Jerry to understand what is going on with his apt., and I know all too well, am trying to tell him some things to do and what not to do, etc., but he needs to read an expert’s opinion on this issue. Meanwhile, I am re-evaluating what my involvement can be….I need to avoid riding in his car, I think, since he has mold spores on his clothing….meet him at the restaurant rather than riding there together, etc. Maybe I need to curtail any direct contact with him due to this problem. I hate that it has happened since he is a genuinely nice man, good friend…but I must put my own health ahead of everything right now, I think. I will send him this link….thanks!

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4. 

   linda
   

   09. Dec, 2008

   off topic (kind of) I love the featured video! (the one with the river access sign)

   but on the topic of mold…

   Mould Toxins More Prevalent And Hazardous Than Thought

   http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081209085622.htm

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5. 

   Jeanne
   

   09. Dec, 2008

   Susie,

   Wow!!! Here is my story with these atrocious machines.

   A couple of years ago, my in-laws thoughtfully purchased us a Sharper Image air machine. My daughter has asthma. The outside of the box contained all sort of claims stating or implying this machine to be HELPFUL for asthma patients. Since I have MCS and she has asthma, they got this to try to help us “clean the air” in our house. This was a holiday gift. We opened it and set it right up. Since my daughter is the one with asthma, we set it up in her room. (I yanked it within 24 hours… more details coming up).

   The very first night we did storytime before bed (after setting up the machine in her room), we sat in the rocking chair next to it to read bedtime stories. I immediately smelled an odd odor which I quickly traced to the “air cleaning machine” and turned it off.

   After tucking her into bed, I dove into the packaging material, instructions, etc. I wanted to investigate this machine before hitting the on switch ever again. As we joke in my house, “my nose is never wrong”. After MANY hours on the Internet, I discovered what you are reporting here after combing through site after site.

   One of the first things I did was look the product up on Sharper Image to verify that I was searching for info on the correct machine. From what I recall, the machine was listed at about $500.00!!!!! After that startling discovery, I was on a mission to see what this expensive machine claiming to help patients of various illnesses actually DOES! To make a long story short, what I found was NOT pretty.

   Everything you said in this article is aligned with what I found after researching it on the Internet for many hours a couple of years back. I read through everything from Consumer Reports to reports from government agencies to message boards about the apparent tall tale that the Sharper Image site listed online. As you have beautifully laid out, these machines not only DON’T live up to their claims to “clean” the air but they actually emit HARMFUL ozone!!

   OK. I had read enough. This machine was not going to be used in my home ever again!!

   After presenting my husband with the convincing evidence that this machine didn’t help AND did hurt, he agreed we’d stop using it. What next? Should we tell my in-laws the truth (that they had spent about $500 on a machine that causes HARM despite claims to HELP asthma patients) and risk hurting their feelings rejecting the holiday gift they so generously picked out for us to improve our health? Did we stay quiet about it and just not use it… hoping not to upset them or make a “commotion” about a return or exchange (with them living out of state)? Since it was so very expensive, I thought we really ought to tell them the truth. My husband was afraid we’d hurt their feelings and opted for silence.

   So the machine got tucked away in our basement and there it sits. Before I completely convinced my husband how dangerous the machine is (but once he saw I was NOT going to operate it in our house!), he suggested maybe we could give it away. (He didn’t want to waste it and knew it was expensive). I said, “no way… and make someone else sick”?!

   Then I presented lots more proof this machine was the enemy! Finally, he began to understand that I was not exaggerating when I pulled out a stack of printouts from my Internet research on such machines.

   So there it sits in our basement… my in-laws’ $500 wasted, down the drain, thrown out the window. I felt guilty about their wasted money but I was determined NOT to allow this machine to ever be used in my house!! So that was that.

   In addition to Internet research, I had called online healthcare professionals. I called the American Lung Association and was connected (for free) to a nurse who had special training in respiratory therapy. She said, “don’t use it”! (This was one of the clinchers when convincing my husband that we were NOT going to use it anymore)!

   So, we had used it for about a day. With all of the holiday commotion, it had not occured to me to sit down and scan the box in-depth for clues of trouble. (Besides that, the box was covered with false claims and misinformation).

   If I had not had a gut feeling that the funny smell emanating from the machine spelled trouble, I might never have launched my Internet quest and phone calls for the real scoop on such machines!

   This article is a great service!! It’s timely (with such items being heavily promoted at holiday time… which is when my in-laws bought us one). Also, it is important for fantastic articles like this to be available so that when confused consumers go on their “information searches” (as I did), they will see ACCURATE info. (I had seen message boards and reviews. All either rated it 5 out of 5 stars or ranked it a 0 or a 1 while going on to rip it apart and tell the truth about its dangers. (So I’m guessing that some of those 5 star reviews were planted by reps of the companies who make obscene profits from these dangerous machines but maybe I’m too cynical).

   All I know is that everyone online seemed to “love it or hate it”.

   THANK YOU for this article!! It is so great to see the FACTS about this getting out to the public. A very timely piece!!

   Jeanne

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6. 

   Susie Collins
   

   09. Dec, 2008

   Ruth, no new guy is worth getting sick over!

   Linda, I need to start posting the Feature Vids on the blog so you guys can comment on them. I always forget

   Jeanne, you are SO lucky that your nose caught the ozone problem. Your daughter is very lucky to have an astute mom like you! Way to go! And I think it’s ok that you made the machine just disappear. No need to offend the in-laws if you can help it, that’s my motto.

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7. 

   Leslie
   

   10. Dec, 2008

   I am going to re-paste & add to my comment from the other post, so people know what a disaster this ozone machine is for people with and without MCS!

   What happens to ozone when it breaks down is a huge problem. Ozone is very unstable and it adheres itself to any other molecule in the air, causing an infinate number of chemical reactions- usually they are not good because ozone is not meant to be put in our home in any quanity.
   When I ozonated my house and had a bad reaction (i would cough, get vertigo, nausia, headaches) we tried eveything to make it better – we opened windows, we slept in a temporary hut we made in the yard for days, then stayed at neighbors houses for weeks. I tried washing my clothes and airing out furniture only to find that the sunlight made my belongings even more volitale , as did the heat in the dryer with my clothes. After 2 months of getting vertigo every time i walked in my house and exhausting options to cleanse the air – we sold the house and left all our belongings behind. This is not the solution anyone wants to hear- and it depends on how bad your reaction… but the problem is the chemicals that are made ’stick’ in fabrics and woods, etc and don’t really air out in any normal time frame. This happened to me 4 years ago – and someone had saved just a few of my photo albums and vinatage dresses for me over the years- and they were recently brought over to my house 2 months ago. They didn’t give me the strong vertigo, but i could STILL smell the chemicals on the garments and albums and it made my chest feel like it was caving in, very difficult to breathe. Everyone who touched the stuff got sick, like they had a “cold” and deep cough – which happened when it was first ozonated too.
   Ozone and the chemicals is creates are ones that tend to make breathing difficult – when it creates nitric oxide it can also inhibit absorption of vitimans such as folic acid, and can deform a growing fetus. I ran the ozonater while I was pregnant and the baby died that week.

   The people who bought my ozonated house tore the house down and built a new one where it had been. The ozone DID NOT kill the mold (as the EPA says it doesn’t, my house too still was full of mold) – and all scientists agree with the fact that no common household ozonater on full blast can kill mold in your house, and it for certainly does not “nuetralize chemicals like paint fumes” as one alternative doctor told me. I called mold specialists who said to me that ozone machines were once thought of as the miracle machine, but then they realized it was “deadly” to humans and wasn’t doing anything for mold.
   The Harvard Chemist i spoke to said that ozone machines were setting up a scenerio for “any chemical reaction possible” and that it was really infinate what could go wrong when the ozone molecule broke down. Even if the machine’s advertising falsely claims to have a “higher” molecule in number (like ozone 9 instead of 3) – he said they all break down to the basic number again anyway.

   Don’t anyone buy into the bullshit marketing hype on these machines, it was never meant for home use….. it was for fire restortation and is not meant to be sold for recreation and IS NOT GOOD for any human, animals or plants health. tt

   PS- Jeanne, my parents bought me one of those sharper image ones too, and since they gave one to my sister and had one for themselves i told everyone what happens when you use it – because they could damage their lungs permanently with their use of it.
   Sharper image knew it was bad and still sold it anyway, instead of recalling the machines they made another gadget to go on top of the machine that would filter the ozone it produced…. now if that isnt the stupid-est crap I ever heard. And even worse, if you bought an non ozone air purifier from them they gave you a free car ionizer for your car that plugged into the lighter and filled it up your car with ozone.

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8. 

   Ruth
   

   10. Dec, 2008

   Thanks, Susie….I have taken some steps to remedy my situation with Jerry…trying to do it in the most tactful way I can.
   Glad to read Jeanne’s comments on the ozone machine! Life is just one long learning curve!!!

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9. 

   CatherineWO
   

   10. Dec, 2008

   I can’t tell you how many times well-meaning friends have suggested I buy one of these machines or referred a salesperson to me to try to sell me one. About ten years ago, before I really knew anything about them, I agreed to try one in our home for a week. I had the same experience that Jeanne had. Within minutes I could smell it, so I turned it off and called the salesperson to come pick it up. Thank goodness we hadn’t actully purchased it.

   Thank you, Susie, for the factual information. I will stash this away for the next time someone approaches me about these things.

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10. 

    Leslie
    

    10. Dec, 2008

    http://oko-organic-clothing.blogspot.com/2008/12/ozone-air-purifiers-are-evil.html

    this post inspired me to write a post too….. alot of what is here, but I added some research about how they UV/ozonate bottled water.

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11. 

    Jeanne
    

    10. Dec, 2008

    Susie,

    I decided to take an excerpt of my comment here for today’s blog post on my blog.

    THANK YOU for all of the great info!!!!!!!
    

    Jeanne

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12. 

    Jeanne
    

    10. Dec, 2008

    CatherineWO,
    Just read your comment above. It took about 60 seconds for me to trace that awful smell to the ozone machine. I’ll never forget that smell. Wasn’t it terrible??
    Jeanne

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13. 

    Nadine
    

    16. Feb, 2009

    Hello,
    I appreciate reading your information on using an ozone machine. I have been searching online, trying to find a way to clean up my house after using a high powered ozone machine.
    It’s a long story, but in December my basement and a couple window wells were sprayed by skunks. I had always used an ozone machine to get smells out of things, in the past. But, my machine was not super powerful. I bought a more powerful unit, as it was decided that it was needed to neutralize the horrible skunk odor. (I have environmental allergies, and I have gotten many smells out of things in the past, but never anything as bad as SKUNK.) I ran the machine while no one or pets were in the house. I would then air the area for the same amount of hours, by opening the windows and airing things.
    But, I started to notice a left over smell that wouldn’t leave after I aired things. I was told that was probably still the skunk smell, so that I should use the ozone machine more. I was thankfully staying elsewhere during all of this, but did spend many hours in my house trying to clean things up (not while running the ozone machine). My health was suffering as a result of it though.

    Finally I realized that the ozone was causing the smell to stay, but didn’t know why. Talked to the ozone manufacturer and they thought it could possibly be nitric oxide that was produced by the machine.
    I feel foolish that I did not find this information out beforehand. I guess I was used to using ozone, and maybe had never had a problem before, since my older unit was weaker.

    Almost all cloth things have been removed from my house and are hanging in a shed, that gets fresh air. My clothes, bedding, & towels, all smell so strong of a chemical smell. Seems like washing only makes it worse, plus it makes the person who washes it sick. Some things have hung outside for a month already, and I can still smell the odor in the clothes.

    We have done everything needed to get rid of the skunk odor, but now it’s the after ozone smell that seems to be in everything. I have opened windows in my house for the last 2 months, even with our cold weather. Recently I have tried closing things up at night running the heat on high and then airing during the day. All of the furnace ducts have been cleaned, basement floor and walls scrubbed with the skunk cleaning solution, of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and unscented soap (which has no odor).

    DOES ANYONE HAVE SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO RID THE HOUSE OF THE NITRIC OXIDE ODOR (or whatever it is that the ozone machine left in my house)??? I have never had something like this, that I can’t remove. It’s like a chemical residue has been left on everything in my house. If airing and cleaning won’t remove it, I don’t know what else to do.

    I have read that people have had to leave their homes, just like Leslie on this site (how HORRIBLE). I pray that I can still find a way to remove the odor from my home. If anyone has any suggestions that will help with the chemical odor, please let me know. (FYI, the house was built in the 1960′s, has no carpet, no new construction,and has been maintained like a safe house, for someone with extreme environmental allergies.)
    Thanks in advance,
    Nadine

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14. 

    Leslie
    

    17. Feb, 2009

    Hey Nadine!

    I totally understand what you are going through. The ozone itself breaks down and turns into tons of diffrent chemicals, the nitric oxide is just the one that is most common and prominent. According to the experts I spoke with it is near impossible to clean up. You would have to test for which chems it created in your house (whic could be infinite), then find other chems to put in your house to nuetralize it. I don’t think anyone has come up with a sure fire way to clean up something that hasnt had enough testing in the first place, or enough understanding about what it creates. I had to leave my house after a few months, and I know the ozone stayed in my belongings and house for long after – my neighbors tore the house down and built a new one after buying the property from me.
    Maybe you could try contacting the EPA and see if they have any usggestions, since they have done some research about it.
    I think what is most important is knowing if it is effecting your health, or do you just not like the smell? Is it causing you symptoms?
    Another important note is, I too had ozonated in small amounts prior to the blast i gave my house later on – what happens, in my opinion, is there is a breaking point where the chemical build up has gotten higher and higher from all the previous times of doing smaller blasts of ozone. The chemicals adhere to clothing, wood, fabrics, furniture, etc and don’t seem to come out- even the sun made mine more volitale instead of better. It could be your belongings and house hit the tip over anfd had the same chemical overlaod as mine did – regardless of the machine model/make /year. All of them put out an ozone that has to berak down back into it’s original form – and that is why it’s such a huge, dangerous problem.
    I hope that it works out for you and that you are not getting sick from it!!!!
    You are not alone in discovering the crappy way, how bad ozonaters are.

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15. 

    Nadine
    

    17. Feb, 2009

    Hi,
    Leslie, THANK YOU for your response. I appreciate it!

    I can smell the odor on almost everything in my house. Cloth items were the worse, so that is why I took all of it out of the house, to air in a shed. Plus, I was so tired (and sick) of smelling those things, that they had to go somewhere else away from me. Yes, the smell bothers my health. Has made my chemical sensitives and pain level worse, along with other symptoms. I’m thankful that I listened to my body’s warning signs and haven’t spent more time in there then I have had to.

    I hear what you are saying about the different level of ozone in the weaker or stronger ozone machines. But, I do wonder if the manufactures of the stronger units have really looked into the hazards. This stronger unit left such a different odor then my older unit ever did. Either way, I realize now that it is not good.

    Most people don’t think the odor is very strong in my house, but can smell it more when the house is closed up and the temp is warm enough to be in there. My body knows that it’s not good, so I guess I should continue to go with that for now. I don’t think it would be good for anyone to spend long periods of time in there, even if they could just mask the odor with another fragrance.

    We continue to try to do a forced out-gas, by running the heat on high at night and leaving the windows open during the day, with fans blowing, etc…hoping that it may help, as I have no other options at this point. Goodness, for all of the things I have had to learn the hard way so far, this one tops them all.
    Thanks again for your comment, and if anyone else has any suggestions, I would appreciate hearing about it.
    Nadine

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16. 

    Susie Collins
    

    17. Feb, 2009

    Thanks, Leslie, for your input on this!

    Aloha Nadine, sorry for the delay in response, I took a break for the 3-day weekend.

    I’m sorry to hear about your troubles with ozone. We’ve had this discussion on The Canary Report a couple of times– did you see this post: http://www.thecanaryreport.org/2008/11/15/help-how-can-i-get-ozone-out-of-my-house/

    Leslie’s suggestion to contact EPA is a good one, here’s their web page on ozone http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ozonegen.html

    The American Lung Association might be another source of info for you, here’s the link to their page on Air Quality http://www.lungusa.org/site/c.dvLUK9O0E/b.39289/k.330F/Residential_Air_Cleaning_Devices.htm , and here’s their contact info page http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=23670

    I wish you the best of luck. Keep us posted, okay?

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17. 

    linda
    

    17. Feb, 2009

    The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has ozone information too.

    http://www.arb.ca.gov/html/fslist.htm

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18. 

    Nadine
    

    18. Feb, 2009

    Hello,
    Thank you all very much for the sites and messages. I appreciate it!

    It’s amazing though that I still can’t find anything on how to clean up the left over mess from using ozone. There is much to read on the harmful effects of it, but still haven’t found anything more on how to get rid of it.

    Thanks again,
    Nadine

    Reply to this comment
19. 

    Irene
    

    18. Feb, 2009

    nadine,some times we can not fix it, nor can any one else, with life i have come to learn .

    IF YOU CAN’T CHANGE THE PLACE AROUND YOU CHANGE THE PLACE AROUND YOU ! be well
    IRENE BC.

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20. 

    Nadine
    

    18. Feb, 2009

    Hello again,
    I also found this site helpful:
    http://www.inspect-ny.com/sickhouse/gashaz.htm#03

    Under Ozone Gas it explains:
    “when ozone is present in most enclosed spaces its concentration declines quite rapidly with time. Of course, if ozone is being generated more rapidly than it is destroyed by reaction, its concentration can build up. This is the main reason why devices that produce relatively large amounts of ozone are safe only in relatively large enclosures and why the ozone generation rate should be reduced in small enclosures.”

    I think this explains to me why I noticed so much more trouble with the higher powered ozone machine. Seems like common sense really, but basically when I was using the older ozone machine at lower levels, the concentration declined faster, but when I used the higher power model, the concentration of ozone built up.

    It doesn’t matter for me now, but I guess when I told the manufacturer that I could still smell ozone, that I was possibly right….that the ozone had built up in the smaller areas. Yes, ozone should dissipate, but I think they don’t know enough about it to be sure (along with all of the other reactions it causes with other materials). They should NOT be selling the higher powered models without warning people (and yes, really shouldn’t be selling any size really.)

    Thanks for listening,
    Nadine

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21. 

    Susie Collins
    

    18. Feb, 2009

    Nadine, I’m not an expert on this, but from what I’ve read, yes, ozone is bad to breathe in and of itself, BUT, it seems that the ozone literally changes already existing chemicals in your home (like are found in carpet, draperies, clothing, bedding, papers) into whole new by-products, and those by-products have not been studied for health effects. So it’s not the ozone that you need to get rid of (it’s already dissipated), it’s the new by products caused by the ozone. And, as this is the second time this problem has come up on The Canary Report, no one seems to know how to get rid of the new by-products because they literally stick or bind to everything. I know this does not help you solve your problem, but I’m just cutting to the chase: what I hear people saying is that sometimes it is simply not possible to remove the new by-products.

    I hope you can reach someone at the EPA or American Lung Association to get a definitive answer from an expert. Please keep us posted. We all wish you the best of luck with this problem.

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22. 

    Mike
    

    15. Mar, 2009

    Leslie, greatly appreciate your post – I unsuspectingly allowed my landlord to use an ozone machine in my apartment to rid the place of lingering paint fumes after I moved in. After allowing the apartment to air out for over 7 days after the machine was used (all windows open, fans blowing) it is now worse than before. Unbelievable how much bullshit is on the web about how effective these things are. I have MCS and the stench left over from the ozone machine aggravates my symptoms like nothing before. Moreover, I’m now on the 3rd wash cycle with the clothes I removed from the apartment after the ozone machine was used, and the smell (which gives me a throbbing headache, dizziness, etc…) is still in the clothes! I’m slowly beginning to accept that I may have to throw everything out including a queen size bed and ditch the apartment. Anyone reading this should GET THE MESSAGE – DO NOT use ozone machines for any purpose, they should be banned.

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23. 

    Nadine
    

    17. Jun, 2009

    Hi everyone,
    I was wondering if anyone else has experienced problems with their teeth as a result of Ozone exposures? I recently saw my dentist and now I have many cavities. I went from having only 1 over the last years, to having, well, I quit counting when they reached 15. I have read that ozone can constrict blood vessels, so I am wondering if that is what got my teeth….the ozone caused dry mouth and membranes. I noticed horrible cracks by the sides of my mouth, etc…Mostly all within the last 6 months, and my use of ozone started last December. Seems to all make sense to me, but can’t find much info on how Ozone can cause teeth problems. Just wondering if anyone else had a similar problem. Pretty bad if the ozone not only ruined my house, but my teeth too. BAD when I am allergic to most anesthetics. Extremely painful to go through dental work without it.

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24. 

    linda
    

    17. Jun, 2009

    All I know is that people with MCS do tend to have more problems with our teeth than other people. These are compounded because of a lack of access to safe dental facilities and procedures.

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25. 

    Susie Collins
    

    17. Jun, 2009

    Nadine, it’s great to hear from you again but I am so sorry to hear that your troubles continue. I do not have answer for you about ozone’s affect on teeth. But you are not going to believe this: People are actually using ozone to combat periodontal disease! GAACK!

    http://tinyurl.com/nwhukg

    If I find any info about ozone and teeth, I’ll post for you right away.

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26. 

    Nadine
    

    17. Jun, 2009

    Hello,
    Thanks for the comments. Yes, I have read that they are using Ozone for dental work. Hard to find anywhere that posts the side effects of that either. I know I had an over exposure and it’s more of a overall affect on my system. I have had problems with TMJ, etc…many dental issues as a result of MCS.. but, not much dental work really because of cavities. I find it too much of a coincidence that I got so many cavities all at once, at the same time as dealing with the ozone. I guess I wanted to post this to see if anyone else had the same problem and hadn’t even been able to put it with the ozone use. Fortunately I do have a helpful dentist who is willing to use things that are safe for me. Just haven’t been able to find a anesthesia yet that I don’t react to. Right now suspecting it’s the sulfates, which are used as a preservative, as I have major problems with them. In the process of doing more research on that also….
    Still not back in my house. People that enter tell me they can’t smell anything (yet when I ask them if they would be willing to stay in my house for a month and see if they are made sick by it….they look shocked and don’t say anything more about “not smelling anything”.) I still notice the odor…and when I work in my house for very long, my nasal passages and mouth gets extremely dry again (which makes me think right away, that it’s the ozone residue or whatever that has affected my teeth). Most of my belongs hang in my shed which has fresh air, and they still have the odor. It’s been over 6 months and it hasn’t lessened much, even some with over 6 washings. Everyone I talk to just can’t figure out what the ozone has done to the material to almost change it somehow, yet it appears the same, if that makes sense. Everything is an experiment at this point, but have to do it in small steps, as to not cause even more problems with my health.
    I have had people suggest that we strip the house down to the bare studs and put in new (safe)wall board, trim, etc…but, then there’s the issue that there is no guarantee the ozone did not penetrate the studs, wood flooring, etc…a lot to think about and I am AMAZED that with all of the research and people I have talked to, that not more is known about it.
    Nadine

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27. 

    Susie Collins
    

    18. Jun, 2009

    Aloha Nadine, my heart breaks for you. Yes, that is exactly what people are saying, that the ozone changes the chemistry of fabrics. It may be impossible to ever change back to normal. I’ll keep my ear to the ground about ozone and teeth problems. You are in my thoughts. Aloha, Susie

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28. 

    SYLVESTER BAILEY
    

    25. Aug, 2009

    Actually the reason why i am here is after reading about these machine how they damage musical equipment in studio over time as a musician and producer
    i did a search and i end up here and now i realize from your finding that it also endanger humans health too so i think these things must be modified
    because if it can damage the rubbers on our equipment in the studio so bad just imagen what it can do to us.

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29. 

    Susie Collins
    

    27. Aug, 2009

    Aloha Sylvester, thanks for stopping by. Your comment reminds me of story I posted earlier about a $3 air freshener in a car that accidentally tipped over and melted the dashboard. Imagine what these toxic products to do our skin, lungs, brains and nervous systems.

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30. 

    Hank
    

    30. Dec, 2009

    I see this is an old thread, but it’s still an active topic needing attention. I’ll share a few thoughts and observations with the hope that what sounds like a bit of hysteria has died out.

    First off, diving into trying out something new, in the way of equipment and/or procedure before reading the assodciated literature is just plain not smart…

    A saving grace is that you figgered out what you should have known before you switched the thing on- that it can be a very powerful tool and can do both harm and good. Do your homework before you plug it in! Go for the good and know how to stay away from the harn.

    An important point in the discussion needs emphasis- The ozone does just what you wanted it to do. It destroys hydrocarbon materials. When you go thru the house swatting flies do you follow up with the vacuum cleaner, or just leave the carcasses where they fall? Part of the downside is that people don’t think about cleaning up the mess after ozone destroys lots of not visible stuff. This downside gets even more down when you realize that, as a post mentions, the break down products are often much more toxic than the original irritant.

    It’s pretty simple, you gotta air the damn place out, with fresh outside air! Your outside air is horrible? Sounds like it’s time to move to cleaner surroundings. At least compromise by runing the furnace fan, or setting up box fans, to keep all the air in the house moving and stirred up. Letting ozone become concentrated is part of a recipe for disaster, as some have found out.

    Using ozone is a bit like having the tiger by the tail. Once you start a clean up process you’ll likely regret not going all the way with it. When you start and then stop, you’ve just swapped irritants for toxics! Another analogy is burning a pile of leaves. If you don’t keep the pile stirred up and let the fire die down, you end up fouling the air in the entire neighborhood.

    Lastly, I’m disappointed with the remarks about outlawing ozone, etc. Keep in mind that it’s God’s invention and way of cleaning up the atmosphere. Also, the notion that something should be outlawed because a few people are not capable of using it properly and preventing it to others that can and will is just plain wrong. When ozone machines are outlawed only outlaws will have ozone machines. Stated another way, a .45 in the hand beats 6 cops on the phone. Think it thru, Hank

    Reply to this comment
31. 

    Susie Collins
    

    30. Dec, 2009

    Hank, Thank you for your comment. I disagree with your assessment. Independent studies show that ozone machines do not actually clean the air and in fact may leave behind altered chemicals that have not been tested for safety. Airing out the house does not necessarily get rid of those altered chemicals, which have bonded to materials within the home. Unfortunately, the literature that comes with ozone machines– both regular air machines and the overnight treatment usually done by professionals– never points out this risk, and very few consumers take the time to research the EPA or other independent consumer protection assessments.

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32. 

    not-al-bundy
    

    14. Apr, 2010

    Are you people all sure that you know differencies with ionizers and ozonizers?

    There is good air cleaners with work using multiple ways, and ionizing is one way -and it produces small amounts of ozone as side effect.
    That is totally different thing compared to those full blown poison factories that also exists.
    There is certain machines which are solely done to produce maximum amount of ozone and they also claim how their machines are true air purifiers and how their are better than ionizers.. gimme a break!

    Like truth is totally back ways.

    Of course air cleaner is better if it would not produce even that small amount of ozone but if there are others who create 100 billoin times more and on purpose, there is a difference.

    I have couple salt lamps as ionizers and they should be at least safe if not else.. . .

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    • 

      Susie Collins
      

      14. Apr, 2010

      Even small amounts of ozone is no good, especially for people who are sensitive to trace levels of toxics.

      Reply to this comment
33. 

    OhZone
    

    14. Aug, 2010

    It appears that many of you are grossly misinformed.
    You seem to not understand what Ozone is.
    Ozone=O3=3 molecules of Oxygen. Nothing else!

    Those newscasts that refer to smog as ozone are erroneous in their designation. Yes there is ozone in that chemical “soup”, but that is not what makes it toxic. It is all the other suff – sorry to say – that is produced from human actifity.

    Ozone can be formed by the interaction of Sunlight and water. That is the Clean Fresh smell of your clothes when they have been line dried on a sunny day.
    That is the Clean Fresh smell of the Air after a Thunder Storm.
    And yes, it does revert to O2=plain oxygen.

    I have air cleaners that do produce some Ozone.
    I have had them for 20 years.
    They produce the ozone by a small electric charge that fuzes the oxygen in the air to 3 instead of 2 molecules of oxygen.
    They do clean the air of ordinary household odors.
    I have Never had occasion for it to produce anything “evil” smelling. It is Always a Fresh smell.
    Apparently I don’t have a lot of chemicals in my home for it to attach to.

    Ozone is a Powerful Oxidizer.
    A strong concentration will eat (oxidize) the paint off your walls and furniture. That’s what Oxygen does even without the extra molecule. Think Rust. (Iron Oxide) With the extra moleucle it can do it faster.

    Ozone is also highly effective at killing bacteria and viruses.
    Ozonated water won’t have harmful pathogens in it, altho I suspect it would pick up the chemicals in the plastic bolttles and all of it might be locked up in the BPH or whatever. Any ozone left in it might oxidize your innards.
    Use H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) instead.

    Reply to this comment
    • 

      Susie Collins
      

      14. Aug, 2010

      I can’t tell whether or not this is spam, but you have a bunch of facts mixed up. In some of your statements, you are confusing ozone with negative ions– negative ions are what’s created during a rain or thunderstorm. Most ionization machines also create a small amount of ozone and so are also not recommended along with the ozone machines.

      There are a lot of studies showing that ozone from ozone machines is not healthy to breathe– it’s a solid body of scientific literature to which the EPA has responded and issued its warnings as well (please see the links in the post). As the EPA points out, of equal concern are the new chemical byproducts left behind after the ozone treatments, especially from those overnight treatments done by professional companies. You might like to take a look at the post I just did about the woman who developed MCS after a professional ozone treatment was done to her home: http://www.thecanaryreport.org/2010/08/13/justice/

      Those of us with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity are not interested in eliminating odors per se– Multiple Chemical Sensitivity has nothing to do with odor or our sense of smell. We are interested in eliminating toxic chemicals from our environment, and given the scientific literature, the law suits, and the anecdotal evidence from our own members here at The Canary Report (which you can see a sampling of in the above comments), I stand by my recommendation not to use ozone air machines.

      Reply to this comment
34. 

    Hank Calonkey
    

    15. Aug, 2010

    A short answer reply here is probably to go back to my 30 DEC 09 post, read it, ponder it, then make it work for you in your situation.

    A newer reply is that OhZone tells it like it is on 14 AUG 10. The information presented is easy to read and understand. What seems missing are minds that are open to alternative ideas and able, or willing, to process the information into actions appropriate for individual problems and situations.

    I’m seeing as that likely still missing are people that will do their homework before they attempt to use an ozone machine. Remember, last time around we had near 100% admit not reading directions first and the discussion indicating little comprehension of the technical issues involved. Needed is a big dose of scholarly activity.

    Sadly, I now have to agree with Susie Collins’ recommendation to not use ozone machines, but with a qualifier– Do your intellectual homework.

    Bring yourself up to where you are able to genuinely comprehend what the hell you are doing ! ! ! Beyond that, I urge all to lay off the moronic approach of outlawing things you don’t like or believe. If it’s not “right” for you, then simply leave it alone and don’t be making things more difficult for others.

    Good luck and live as clean as possible, Hank

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    • 

      Susie Collins
      

      16. Aug, 2010

      Hank, I’m sorry that you think outlawing products that are harmful to health and the environment is a “moronic approach.” Not everyone has the information needed to make wise consumer choices and I believe it is government’s duty and responsibility to regulate consumer goods to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the public. The marketplace has shown over and over again that it is incapable of self-regulation when it comes to protecting consumers from harmful chemicals.

      Info about the Precautionary Principle here http://www.sehn.org/ppfaqs.html

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