The cost of clean air: a price analysis of air filtration technology

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the costs of 52 air purifiers during severe pollution in California, comparing their expenses to healthcare costs and demographic factors to assess the economic impact of clean air solutions.

Contribution

It provides a detailed cost analysis of air filtration technologies in real-world settings, linking expenses to health and demographic data.

Findings

Air purifier costs vary significantly across models and regions.

The cost of air purification can be justified by reductions in healthcare expenses.

Economic benefits of clean air depend on pollution levels and population health.

Abstract

Air pollution is a pernicious but increasingly rampant health problem in human populations across the globe. Varying duration of exposure to airborne pollutants can result in a plethora of health conditions, ranging from short-term bronchitis to prolonged cardiovascular diseases and lung cancers. Under chronic exposure to pollution, medical treatment for pollutant-caused health conditions can be quite costly. The most immediate and effective way to combat the health detriments of pollution is air purifiers, which take in ambient air and filter out the harmful pollutants before releasing it back into the surroundings. Filters are highly effective at decreasing air pollution, and by association, hospitalizations from exposure. An analysis of 52 common air purifiers was undertaken to compare acquisition and maintenance costs during severe air pollution levels across four counties in California. This approach enables the "cost" of clean air to be put into perspective i.e., the price compared to the cost of healthcare and other expenses, population age, and pre-existing conditions.