Can HEPA or S-Class Filtered Household
Vacuums Safely Retain Anthrax?
As discussed in our article on Filtration
Efficiency - HEPA, ULPA, etc., today's household vacuum cleaners can
be very efficient at retaining a variety of allergens and extremely fine
dust. High filtration efficiencies are very important to all of us,
especially those who suffer from dust related sensitivities. Improving the
quality of the air we breathe can be important to our general health but
can we trust the HEPA or
S-Class filtered household vacuum
cleaners to safely retain anthrax, a powerful biological hazard?
Ristenbatt Vacuum Cleaner Service, Inc. joins some household vacuum
cleaner manufacturers in stating that HEPA or S-Class filtration systems
in household vacuum cleaners are designed and constructed with the goal of
efficient allergen and fine dust retention, not the goal of safely
arresting, retaining and/or containing biological or chemical
contaminants. Therefore, neither we nor anyone else can guarantee that
HEPA or S-Class filtered household or similar commercial vacuum cleaners
will safely protect you from anthrax.
By definition, a HEPA or S-Class filter must be capable of capturing
99.97% of all particles as small as 0.3µm
(micrometers - formerly
microns) in size from the air which flows
through it. The typical anthrax spore is about 0.8µm to 5.0µm in
size. The actual (net) filtration efficiency of a vacuum cleaner can vary
significantly depending on how well the complete system is sealed and
where the filter is positioned in the system. Your health is much too
important to take even the smallest risks involved in hazardous substance
cleanup.
To learn more about anthrax, see the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention websites for their
Special Anthrax Information Source and
Public Health Emergency Preparedness & Response pages and the Official
Department of Defense website for their
Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program.
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