In Germany, many classrooms are equipped with air purifiers. France lags behind when it comes to air quality in schools.
For years, Thierry Ricci felt a bit alone. When he created his first air purifier in his garage in Sainte-Pazanne in 2009, this man plagued by allergies couldn’t find many people interested in air quality. A few years and a pandemic later, this concern is on everyone’s mind. Natéosanté, Thierry Ricci’s company, is swamped with orders. After years of exporting his machines to Asia, the market has abruptly shifted back to Europe, thanks to Covid-19.
99.6% of coronaviruses eliminated
During the first wave, in the spring of 2020, the company equipped numerous clinics and hospitals. Today, more and more businesses and local governments are showing interest in its Made in France devices, which, according to an independent laboratory, eliminate 99.6% of coronaviruses present in the air. “We have more than 300 schools equipped with our air purification solutions in France,” says Thierry Ricci.
Laurent Wauquiez, president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, is in contact with this company as part of a €10 million plan to equip all schools in his region. Last week, Thierry Ricci was in Paris to meet with officials from the 9th arrondissement. “Things are really starting to pick up in the schools,” says the business leader. “Elected officials are realizing that we need to do things right for the children. After that, it’s the same as always: there are the leaders, the pioneers, and then there are the followers, who will wait for a law to dictate how they should act.”
€20,000 for schoolchildren in Les Moutiers
In the small town of Les Moutiers-en-Retz, Mayor Pascale Briand wasted no time in equipping the five classrooms of the public school last November. This researcher—a former leader of the cancer initiative spearheaded by Jacques Chirac, successor to Martin Hirsch as head of the French Food Safety Agency, and later director of the National Research Agency—did not hesitate to request a budget of €20,000 from her elected officials. “And we’re considering equipping other rooms in the town, particularly those used by community organizations,” she adds.
Red smiley: We're open!
However, with a starting price of €2,000 per air purifier, the cost can quickly deter local governments. As a result, many city halls have opted to take control of air quality in schools by focusing on another factor: the level of carbon dioxide in the classroom. This has nothing to do with air purification; rather, it’s about alerting teachers to the need to open windows. “We’ve been offering this product for many years,” continues Thierry Ricci. “Clearly, in recent weeks, there’s been a sharp rise in demand. We’ve sold over 200 units in the last four weeks. “Our sensors are educational, featuring a smiley-face system. With a significantly lower purchase cost, many local governments are turning to them.” Especially since the Ministry of Health has just recommended their use in school cafeterias.