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California Air Resources Board
No-Go on Ozone
As if to further California’s case, research published just days after CARB’s decision demonstrated further cause for concern over ozone exposure. According to a study performed by scientists at Duke University Medical Center, high levels of ozone can lead to serious immunodeficiency.Published in the Oct.1 “Journal of Immunology,” the study used mice to demonstrate the effects of ozone on lung tissues. The mice were exposed to ozone levels unhealthy to humans, then to aerosolized, active E. coil bacteria.The gas damaged and inflamed the mice’s lungs, allowing the bacteria to successfully invade and destroyed vital immune – systems cells, allowing the bacteria to spread. Additionally, ozone-exposed mice were found to have lower levels of immune – system cells in their blood.
Pulmonologist John Hollingsworth, the study’s lead author, told CBS News, ”Small amounts of inhaled foreign material can be relatively harmless, since they stimulate an appropriate innate immune response that protects the lungs. But in greater concentrations, it appears that ozone causes the immune cells, and possibly making the lung more susceptible to subsequent invaders such as bacteria.”
As pointed out by Kathleen Sullivan of the American Lung Association, “The people that are most prone to buy air cleaners are those who already suffer from damaged lungs.”
Ozone: Also Damages Immune Systems As if to further California’s case, research published just days after CARB’s decision demonstrated further cause for concern over ozone exposure. According to a study performed by scientists at Duke University Medical Center, high levels of ozone can lead to serious immunodeficiency.
Published in the Oct.1 “Journal of Immunology,” the study used mice to demonstrate the effects of ozone on lung tissues. The mice were exposed to ozone levels unhealthy to humans, then to aerosolized, active E. coil bacteria.The gas damaged and inflamed the mice’s lungs, allowing the bacteria to successfully invade and destroyed vital immune – systems cells, allowing the bacteria to spread. Additionally, ozone-exposed mice were found to have lower levels of immune – system cells in their blood.
Pulmonologist John Hollingsworth, the study’s lead author, told CBS News, ”Small amounts of inhaled foreign material can be relatively harmless, since they stimulate an appropriate innate immune response that protects the lungs. But in greater concentrations, it appears that ozone causes the immune cells, and possibly making the lung more susceptible to subsequent invaders such as bacteria.”As pointed out by Kathleen Sullivan of the American Lung Association, “The people that are most prone to buy air cleaners are those who already suffer from damaged lungs.”
Sharper Image Takes Losses
Although a number of companies have been in the air purifier market for years, Sharper Image and its trademark Ionic Breeze purifier have been firmly at the industry's front. But in the wake of a class-action lawsuit and CARB's decision,the company faces hard times as unfriendly legal news and financial volatility call into question Sharper Image's reputation and viability. Prior information about the inefficacy and potential health hazards of the Ionic Breeze led to a class-action lawsuit, originally filed
May 6, 2005 by Manuel Figueroa and Dixie M. Garner on behalf of the products many purchasers. Earlier this year, Sharper Image agreed to settle the case by discounting its products and offering $19 million worth of merchandise credit to the roughly 3.2 million consumers who purchased an Ionic Breeze purifier since May 6, 1999, as reported by MSNBC. The company also agreed to pay plaintiffs lawyer fees and “tone down” its advertising claims about the Ionic Breeze.
But after hearing on the settlement, the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, Miami Division rejected it, as explained in its denial, due to inequitable terms of recovery for plaintiffs and the likelihood of greater gains to be made by plaintiffs should the suit go before a jury. The Court also cited amicus briefs filed on behalf of plaintiffs by attorneys general of 35 states and the district of Columbia.
The Company had already lost a suit against Consumers Union in 2004, in which it alleged negative reviews of the Ionic Breeze Quadra amounted to “negligent product disparagement,” according to The Recorder In Consumer Reports, Consumers Union first claimed poor air cleaning, then claimed ozone emission at potentially harmful levels (see IE Connections, May 2005).Perhaps even worse for Sharper Image is its current financial outlook. Influenced by sliding sales of the Ionic Breeze due to the negative reviews, the company reported its first loss in 2005, then saw sales fall an additional 21 percent in the 2006 fiscal year, costing founder Richard Thalheimer his position as chief executive.
When the company reported its sales for September down 39 percent from last year 22 percent for the period with store sales down 21 percent, the market reacted with a familiar trend – closing down 11.73 percent on Oct,11.Nonetheless, as Sharper Image told Fox 6 in San Diego, non of its units currently being sold nationwide are affected by CARB's regulation because they already meet the new standards.
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