“Until now, we had no idea just how much indoor air quality could affect our health,” says an expert
French companies are looking for a breath of fresh air: the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated awareness of the risks associated with indoor air pollution in the workplace, a concern that was previously overlooked. “The pandemic has brought this awareness of the invisible to the forefront,” says Thierry Ricci. “Until now, we had no idea how much indoor air quality could impact our health,” adds the founder of NatéoSanté, a manufacturer of air purifiers established in 2009.
“Among our member companies, we’ve been seeing a lot of issues related to workplace air quality” since 2020, confirms Jean-Mickaël Dupuy, an occupational risk prevention specialist at SEST (Business Services for Occupational Health). COVID-19 has served as a catalyst for an issue that has, in fact, been well-documented for a long time. Since 2001, France has had an Observatory for Indoor Air Quality, and since 2004, ANSES has been developing “indoor air quality guideline values” (VGAI).
Limits not to be exceeded
About fifteen VGAIs—air concentration thresholds that must not be exceeded—have thus been established for substances as diverse as ammonia, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Over the past decade, the High Council for Public Health has also issued several “guideline values” for a range of indoor air pollutants. But these measures are “incomplete,” notes Alban Gomet, CEO of Condair France, the French subsidiary of a Swiss group specializing in hygrometry and air humidity management.
“In practical terms, when the government says we should measure [pollutant concentration levels, Ed.], it’s just saying it would be a good idea,” without any binding requirement, he adds. French companies have, in fact, taken a later interest in workplace air quality than their Nordic counterparts. “In Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands, we see that people are much more at the center of companies’ concerns, and as a result, they place much greater emphasis on indoor air quality,” says Alban Gomet.
Asthma, respiratory allergies…
Globally, “the leading markets are the United States and China,” adds Boris Bravard, a sales engineer at Antibactéries, a manufacturer of air purifiers. But in France, “a massive catch-up” is underway in this area, says Thierry Ricci. The stakes are commensurate with the health consequences caused by poor indoor air quality. Asthma, respiratory allergies, irritation of the nose and respiratory tract: the list of conditions listed on the Ministry of Health’s website is sobering. Certain substances may even have a carcinogenic effect.
“Before founding NatéoSanté, I suffered from asthma and fairly severe allergies, and I had to take medication every day,” says Thierry Ricci. By his own admission, these symptoms have virtually disappeared since he started using air purifiers. While coronaviruses are just one source of air pollution among many others, COVID-19 has made these products popular with the general public. “We were seeing growth before COVID-19, but to be honest, it was slow despite the effort we put in,” admits Thierry Ricci.
Not "willing to pay for air" in France
“Since March 2020, there’s no need to explain anymore. Today, the term ‘air purifier’ is a common noun,” he points out. As a selling point, manufacturers highlight the elimination of more than 99% of coronaviruses in the air. “But in France today, we’re not quite ready to pay for air yet,” Boris Bravard cautions. Occupational health services also note that when companies contact them about workplace health, it’s often to inquire about the actual effectiveness of these devices.
"Air purifiers 'can reduce the concentration of viruses that may be present in the air,'" the National Institute for Research and Safety acknowledged in November 2020. “However, they cannot under any circumstances replace the supply of outdoor air required by the Labor Code (…) and should therefore only be used as a supplement to ventilation systems,” warned the INRS.