Dyson launches new air purifier that destroys formaldehyde

Dyson has announced one of its most popular products has an new feature that can “destroy” a harmful item found in homes we can’t even see.

Formaldehyde is banished by the new Dyson air purifier. Picture: Supplied

Not that long ago, many of us wouldn’t have given a second thought to the quality of the air around us.

But following the 2020 Australian bushfire crisis that saw our skies turning an ominous smoky red and the coronavirus pandemic – we’ve never been more aware about what we’re breathing in.

Because of this, British tech-giant Dyson have turned its attention to improving one of its most popular products – the air purifier.

Launching in Australia in May, the new Formaldehyde range features a sealed HEPA 13 standard filtration system that can remove 99.95 per cent of particles as small as 0.1 microns (that’s pretty darn tiny and invisible to the naked eye).

But it’s the purifier’s formaldehyde sensing technology that sets the product above others on the market, destroying a toxin found in most homes that can cause asthma-like respiratory problems and skin irritation such as dermatitis and itching.

This is great news for our lungs but bad for our wallets as one social media user pointed out – we’re all undoubtedly going to want one.

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Dyson launches new air purifier range that destroys formaldehyde. Picture: Supplied

“The off-gassing tendency of formaldehyde means that it can go undetected in a home for years,” Alex Knox, vice president of environmental care at Dyson, said.

“Dyson has engineered a machine that provides accurate and successful sensing, capture and destruction of the pollutant.

“Our solid-state sensor doesn’t dry out over time, lasting the lifetime of the machine.”

Knox added the product’s release comes after “raised global awareness about the air that we breathe and Dyson’s commitment to providing cleaner air through innovation and technology”.

There will be two new purifiers in the Formaldehyde range that expand on Dyson’s previous air purifier models, the Hot+Cool which will retail for $999 and the HEPA Cool coming in at $799 – both $100 more than the earlier versions.

Engineers have also worked to reduce the sound output of the purifiers, reducing noise by 20 per cent, and its filter – which still captures ultrafine dust and allergens as well as other potentially harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – has been made more slimline to reduce plastic waste. You can read the full specs here.

WHAT IS FORMALDEHYDE?

Formaldehyde is a colourless gas pollutant which is released by man-made items like furniture, paint, varnishes and household cleaning products, as well as by natural sources such as bushfires.

It is also commonly used as a preservative in beauty products as well as many household cleaning items.

Formaldehyde exposure at low levels commonly found in homes can also cause “itchy, sore or burning sensations,” according to the South Australian health department.

High level exposure can have “major toxic effects”, causing “coughing, wheezing, chest pains and bronchitis”.

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