How Green is Your Air Purifier?
We see products advertised as being green. The term “green” is often interchanged with the term sustainable. Whether you call it green or sustainable the core ideas remain the same. These are products that have a positive impact on your life without having a negative impact on future generations. It is important to understand that almost no product can ever be 100% green. There are 6 principles that can be used to determine just how eco-friendly a product is.
GREEN MANUFACTURING PRINCIPLES
- Durability
- Made from recycled materials
- Landfill contributors
- Locally manufactured
- Easily recycled or biodegradable
- Energy efficient
Durability
Durability speaks to the sustainable aspect of a eco-friendly product. Most small appliances and many air purifiers have a life expectancy of 5 to 8 years. LakeAir brand air purifiers have a seven year warranty. Almost all of our products last a minimum of 10 years with many in the 15 to 20 year range. We even have air purifiers that are working perfectly after 30 years of use.
LakeAir Products are designed to be easily repaired. Every part that goes into one of our air purifiers can be replaced, most with little effort. We stock all of the parts that go into each model. We will help you troubleshoot any part and can provide parts to you at a reasonable price.
Just last month, we sold a replacement motor for a Maxum electrostatic air purifier. The customer purchased the unit in 1996. An $80.00 part and 15 minutes of time brought his 23 year old air purifier back to working like new. If this customer had purchased one of the plastic big box store units, he would have gone through three or four of them. This is just one way our products durability qualifies them to be green and sustainable.
Made from recycled materials
An important factor in grading a product on its sustainability takes into account the materials it is made of. LakeAir Products use two key materials in their construction. Those two materials are steel and aluminum. 69% of steel and 67% of aluminum are recycled and reused. LakeAir air purifiers are made of more than 60% recycled materials. The common household air purifier is made from mostly plastic. 15% to 0% of the plastic comes from recycled material. The average air purifier is made up of less than 10% recycled products. Green manufacturing practices use more recyclable materials than disposable
Landfill contributors
Because of their shorter lifespan, most air purifiers wind up in the landfill in less than 10 years. LakeAir Air purifiers are almost 100% recyclable.
Beyond that, the filters used end up in the dump as well. Most media and HEPA type air filters have a life expectancy of less than one year. These filters are made of fiberglass, plastic and other non-recycled material. These filters inevitably occupy a refuse heap for many many years.
There is however another solution. LakeAir offers electrostatic filters. Our green manufacturing principles come to light here. These filters last upwards of 20 years. After they are no longer functioning, 90% of the material of which they are made can be recycled. During the 20 year life span the electrostatic cell can save up to 30,000 cubic inches of landfill space.
Locally manufactured
The vast majority of air purifiers that you find on web sites like amazon.com are manufactured in China or overseas. LakeAir Products have been made in the USA since 1968. Most of our out sourced parts and services are purchased from vendors in the state of Wisconsin. On average, more than 90% of the parts in the LakeAir products qualify as made in the USA.
Easily recycled or biodegradable
Because LakeAir Products are made up of more than 90% recyclable products, our units are very recyclable. Only media filters and a few plastic switches need to be discarded. The frames and bodies of all of our air purifier models are made from steel. Electrostatic cells are made of high grade aluminum. The LAFC electrostatic air purifier weighs 85 pounds. All of its non-recyclable parts weigh 20 ounces. That makes the LAFC 98.6% recyclable.
The LakeAir LAFC air purifier weighs 85 pounds and is 98.6% recyclable.
There are on 20 ounces of non recyclable parts in the LakeAir LAFC Electrostatic air purifier.
Energy efficient (eco-friendly)
Across the board, air purifiers and most small appliances have become more and more energy efficient in recent years. Most air purifiers that proclaim to be from “green manufacturing” cost only pennies a day to use. LakeAir Products are no exception. In most cases the only green aspect of other air purifiers is energy efficiency. Don’t let this one aspect sway you to believe that an air purifier is planet friendly. Be sure to examine all six aspects of green manufacturing before you make your purchase.
Making the right (green) decision
When purchasing an air purifier ask yourself these questions:
Will this product last 10 years or more?
When it breaks down can I repair it or do I have to throw it away?
Was this air purifier made from recycled materials?
Are the filters this unit uses recyclable?
Was this air purifier made by a local manufacturer?
When I have to replace this unit, can I recycle it?
Is this product energy efficient?
If you can answer yes to most of these questions then you have probably found A green manufactured air purifier, and most likely a LakeAir brand Product.