A national inspection by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) found that almost 25 percent of the air purifiers available in Chinese markets do not comply with the standard quality.
The random inspection covered 61 batches of air purifiers manufactured by 56 companies, accounting to almost 20 percent of the air purifier manufacturers in China.
Fifteen (15) out of these 61 batches, or 24.6 percent, were considered substandard due to the presence of methanol and failure to conform with the noise standard.
Aside from purifier's toxic emission and noise level, other performance indexes for air purifiers include particle purification efficiency, formaldehyde purification efficiency and clean air delivery rate.
According to Zhang Wenbing, director of the AQSIQ Product Quality Supervision Division, this was the first time the administration conducted a national quality inspection of air purifiers.
Although 25 percent are seen to be substandard, there is still a higher 75 percent of good quality air purifiers of which consumers can choose from. The result of the inspection can be a basis for consumers when buying air purifiers.
There is a demand for air purifiers in China due to the persisting problem of air pollution. A business report said that 3.52 million air purifiers were sold in China in 2015, the revenue from which indicated a 10 percent increase compared to the sales in 2014.
An AQSIQ public survey showed that air purifier is included in the list of products that Chinese consumers want to be inspected and supervised by the administration. Also in the list are toys, mobile phones, computers, school supplies, automotive brake linings, car tires, baby carriages, and paper and plastic packaging for food. These will be included in the 2017 national quality inspection by AQSIQ.
AQSIQ of the People's Republic of China is a ministerial administrative organ directly under the State Council of the People's Republic of China in charge of national quality, metrology, entry-exit commodity inspection, entry-exit health quarantine, entry-exit animal and plant quarantine, import-export food safety, certification and accreditation, standardization, as well as administrative law-enforcement.