DESSO®, the Dutch carpet manufacturer, is introducing a
new type of carpet for the consumer market specially designed to
improve the air quality inside homes. Indoor air quality is often
far from ideal, largely due to airborne dust particles or
particulate matter. After reviewing scientific evidence, the World
Health Organization (WHO) concluded that, in particular, high
concentrations of airborne particulate matter can contribute to
health-related problems*.
The new type of carpet, called AirMaster, is up to eight
times more effective in trapping particulate matter than hard
floors and up to four times more effective than a standard carpet.
This was the conclusion of a study conducted by the independent
German testing institute GUI**. AirMaster® therefore creates a
significant improvement of the indoor climate and reduces the risk
of health-related problems.
Particulate matter: a major problem for indoor
climates
Since people spend a large part of their day indoors, good
air quality in homes and other buildings is essential. On average,
we spend more than 90% of our time indoors. 'DESSO
AirMaster®significantly reduces the amount of dust and
particulate matter that floats around indoors. The World Health
Organization* has warned that it is particularly hazardous to
inhale particulate matter,' according to Desso Chief Commercial
Officer, Alexander Collot d'Escury. 'Miniscule dust particles end
up in the lungs, the smallest particles even in the bloodstream,
and this could have serious consequences for human health.'
Scientific research also shows that particulate matter can cause
asthma in children***.
An active policy to fight poor air quality
DAAB, the German Allergy and Asthma Association, has been
pointing out for some time that the harmful effects of particulates
indoors will be substantially reduced when carpet is used as a
floor covering instead of hard floors. Research conducted in 100
homes also showed that an average airborne particulate
concentration in rooms with hard floors was 60 micrograms/m³
(µg/m³) as opposed to only 30 µg/m³ for carpet. This means that in
rooms with hard floors, the average particulate concentration is
even higher than the legally permitted limit outdoors (50
µg/m³)*.
Independently tested
AirMaster® was developed over the past year and
has undergone extensive testing by the independent German testing
institute GUI**. This study showed that AirMaster's patented
technology is up to eight times more effective in trapping
particulate matter than hard floors and four times more effective
than a standard carpet. Tests conducted by Philips Floor Care and
BOND Textile Research indicated that particulates become detached
much more easily from this new product during vacuuming than from a
standard carpet. From this, we can conclude that the filtering
effect of DESSO AirMaster® is guaranteed to remain at an optimum
level ****.
DESSO AirMaster® becomes available in June
AirMaster® will become available in June from more than
800 affiliated Desso dealers in the Netherlands and Belgium. It
will then be introduced in other Western European countries during
the remainder of the year. AirMaster® was developed by
Desso in the Netherlands and is fully patented.
* Air quality guidelines - global update 2005, World Health
Organization.
** GUI is an independent German testing institute specialised in
analysing air quality in indoor and outdoor climate,s and conducts
research for such organisations as the German Allergy and Asthma
Association (DAAB). GUI conducted testing that compared AirMaster,
a standard PVC hard floor and a standard structured loop pile
carpet. Measurements of particulate concentration were conducted on
particulates having an aerodynamic diameter of 10μm (PM10 and
smaller)
*** Research into the quality of the indoor environment in primary
schools, Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the
Environment; Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science;
Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs, Public Health and the
Environment; Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water
Management (2007).
**** The use of a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA filter is
recommended.
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