Blueair Globe, January 2014 by Blueair

GLOBE QUARTERLY · JANUARY 2014

There’s more to life than sneezing p. 15

Cleaning up the air at work p. 4

BAD AIR DAYS AROUND THE PLANET

A special report on indoor air pollution, p. 5

CONTENT

I love breathing clean air, at home, work and play

5. 12.

A THREAT TO HUMAN HEALTH

THE KEYS TO SUCCESS IN CHINA

15.

WHEN THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN SNEEZING

Sense. A piece of design genius.

Clearing the air at work

Special report: The air pollution threat posed to human health

Indoor air quality: Time to get real about indoor air pollution

The Year of the Air Purifier: Chinese consumers queue up to buy air cleaners

Best brand for customer service

Keys to success in China: Hard work and respect for others

A survival guide for those travelling with asthma

Catishoo!

In it to win it: Bluewater makes a splash at Aquatech

Win a Blueair poster

Candy Li, Marketing Director at Blueair China: What I think of Blueair

ver since I was a young guy I have loved living just as healthy as I can. I consider myself lucky to have been born in Sweden, a country of forests, lakes and clean air located in the very north of Europe. Travelling across Asia and the USA as a student I quickly found that not everyone was similarly privileged. I discovered many people lived in heavily polluted urban environments with little access to clean air and water. I realized early on that I wanted to run a business that could help improve people’s wellbeing. And so it came to be that I started Blueair some seventeen years ago with the aim of giving people the opportunity to breathe cleaner, healthier air indoors at home and at work. Blueair has come a long way since then. Today we are sold almost all around the world. We help people in Europe, the United States, Japan, China and elsewhere across Asia to breath cleaner, healthier air indoors no matter how polluted the air is outside. However, I remain constantly surprised about the lack of debate about indoor air pollution, despite the fact we spend most of our time indoors at home and work. Indoor air pollution is a bigger killer of people than AIDS and malaria together, causing 3.5 million deaths a year, according to a report published in The Lancet. Yet people remain indifferent to the fact that indoor concentrations of air pollutants are typically many times higher than outdoor concentrations, according to the U.S. Environment Protection Agency. Governments invest millions of dollars all around the world to educate people about healthy eating habits, but ignore the buildup of indoor pollutants resulting from household cleaners, paints, glues, molds, bacteria, smoke and gases. As our buildings are being built ever ‘tighter’ to conserve energy, is it any wonder that pediatric asthma has more than doubled over the past 20 years to rank the leading cause of hospitalizations and school absenteeism in many developed countries? Contaminated indoor air is a very real health and environmental problem, which we at Blueair want to stoke concern about. Not because we are cynical business people striving to sell more products, but because we believe clean air is a basic human right as much as is clean water or food.

Bengt Rittri, Founder & Principal

BLUEAIR GLOBE, JANUARY 2014

SENSE. A PIECE OF DESIGN GENIUS

The Blueair Sense has scooped yet another top design award – the prestigious German Design Award. An international jury fell for the sleekly contemporary air purifier after considering over 1,900 submissions

lueair’s decision to bring indoor air cleaning products into a new era with its startling Sense air purifier is ticking all the boxes of the international design community. The latest accolade comes with the awarding of one of the most prestigious design prizes in the world, the German Design Award 2014. The Sense was one of a total 30 winners selected by an international jury who studied over nineteen hundred other entries. Blueair’s Sense also won a ‘Special Mention’ in the Home Interior Category of the German Design Award 2014 in recognition of its special design quality. The German Design Award goes to products with designs that feature especially successful aspects or solutions – invaluable recognition of the exceptional commitment shown by Blueair and designers involved. “We are thrilled that the Sense is being recognized as a piece of design genius that now only looks great but also delivers users health and wellbeing benefits,” says Peter Marttila, Head of Business Operations at Blueair AB in Stockholm, Sweden. “To have received our fifth major design award in just over a year for the Sense air purifier is a great vote of confidence and recognition that we are “Winning the German Design Award accolade is firm evidence of the success of our pioneering design strategy to bring indoor air cleaners into a new era.” The German Design Award 2014 is the fifth major international design accolade won by Sense since it was launched in late 2012. Other awards include the 2012 Good Design Award from the Chi-

cago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, Japan’s Institute of Design Promotion, Germany’s Red Dot Prize 2013 and Sweden’s ‘Design S’. Blueair Sense was given a blockbusting, cool ‘look’ designed to make indoor air purifiers as natural a part of a modern home as a vacuum cleaner or fridge-freezer. A unique interactive motion-sensitive glass top allows users to change speeds with simple hand swipes above the scratchproof surface. The Sense air purifier employs a second generation HEPASilentPlus™ filtration system that super efficiently removes germs, dust and smoke from indoor air for enhanced health and wellbeing. “Available in six stunning colors, Blueair Sense harnesses radically different design, new technologies and eco-friendly materials to bring consumers the next generation of indoor air purification,” says Blueair design chief Joakim Nygren. “Our passion is to deliver the best performing air purifiers in the world that contribute to people’s health and wellbeing at home or at work, where we spend over 90 percent of our time. Sense not only looks stunning, but also removes practically all indoor air pollution, including dust, germs, chemicals and odors.” Innovated with love in Sweden, Blueair Sense was designed by the globally acclaimed Claesson Koivisto Rune architectural and design agency in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, to deliver an out of the box experience beyond efficiently cleaning allergens, viruses and other airborne pollution indoors. The Sense is currently being sold in all major air purifier markets around the world, including the USA, China, Japan, Indonesia and Europe.

CLEARING THE AIR AT WORK Podiatrists are foot doctors who treat and alleviate day-today foot problems, including toenail problems, corns and calluses and dry and cracked heels. Their working environment can quickly become filled with a host of airborne particles. Tom Pra-Lopez reports on a solution.

fter 20 years working as a podiatrist in the United Kingdom, Peter Christer (MChS) was becoming increasingly concerned about the air quality at his practise in Maidenhead, Berkshire. His working environment would fill with particles such as skin and nail dust, as well as disinfectant aerosols, as a result of treating his clients. So, Peter decided to invest in a cost effective filtration unit. He selected the Blueair 270E and saw immediate results. “The unit has improved my working environment clearly, because when you change the filter you can see how much dust has been removed,” he says. The Blueair purifier switched on automatically when a patient came in with unpleasantly odorous feet or smelling strongly of cigarettes.

In fact, Peter was so impressed he began recommending the unit to clients with children suffering from air born allergies such as asthma. But the unit was providing more than just a healthier environment. Peter was also impressed with the machine’s low maintenance and the fact he only needed to change the filter once every 6 months. This busy podiatrist concluded that the automatic, Blueair 270E “has ticked all the right boxes” and was the ideal solution to his poor air quality issue at work. Paul Hogben, Blueair’s UK distributor, said: “Peter’s testimony reinforces that easy to use air purifiers are perfect for cleansing professional practises. Whether it’s a Dr’s waiting room or a Dentist’s surgery, the Blueair range can remove undesirable particles from the air, creating a healthier environment for staff and patients alike.”

Top images: Peter Christer in his practise. Bottom image: A new filter next to a used filter at Peter’s practise.

(Source: http://www.lung.org/about-us/our-impact/top-stories/surviving-the-holidays-guide-for-living-wth-asthma-2013.html)

BLUEAIR GLOBE, JANUARY 2014

Special report:

THE AIR POLLUTION THREAT POSED TO HUMAN HEALTH

China has all the air pollution, so we’re breathing well in Europe and USA, right? Wrong! China’s air pollution may be headline news, but the problem remains serious across the planet. In this special report, we look at the air pollution problem in Europe and the United States and delve into the ramifications for the air we breathe in our homes and workplaces.

EUROPE. The need to go beyond current legislation on limiting airborne particles

round 430,000 people die prematurely every year in Europe due to exposure to tiny airborne particles and ozone, new figures show. And the overall European disease burden amounts to over 7 million years lost due to the likes of ill health and disability sparked by polluted air. According to a new report, 90 percent of city dwellers in the European Union (EU) are exposed to one of the most damaging air pollutants at levels deemed harmful to health by the World Health Organization (WHO). The damming conclusion comes from the latest assessment of air quality in Europe, published by the European Environment Agency (EEA). Hans Bruyninckx, EEA Executive Director, says: “Air pollution is causing damage to human health and ecosystems. Large parts of the population do not live in a healthy environment, according to current standards. To get on to a sustainable path, Europe will have to be ambitious and go beyond current legislation.” Vehicles, industry, agriculture and homes are contributing to air pollution in Europe. Despite falling emission levels and reductions of some air pollutant concentrations in recent decades, the EEA report demonstrates that Europe's air pollution problem is far from solved. Two specific pollutants, particulate matter and ground-level

ozone, continue to be a source of breathing problems, cardiovascular disease and shortened lives. “Air quality is a central concern for many people. Surveys show that a large majority of citizens understand well the impact of air quality on health and are asking public authorities to take action at EU, national and local levels, even in times of austerity and hardship,” says Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik. Between 2009 and 2011, up to 96 % of city dwellers were exposed to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations above WHO guidelines and up to 98 % were exposed to ozone (O3) levels above WHO guidelines. Lower proportions of EU citizens were exposed to levels of these pollutants exceeding the limits or targets set out in EU legislation. These EU limits or targets are in certain cases less strict than WHO guidelines. It isn’t all bad news though and there have been several success stories in cutting European emissions of air pollutants. For example, sulphur dioxide emissions from power plants, industry and transport have been reduced over the last decade, reducing exposure. Phasing out leaded petrol has also reduced concentrations of lead, found to affect neurological development.

PM 2.5 <2.5 MICRONS PM 10 <10 MICRONS TPM (TOTAL PARTICULATE MATTER) DIAMETER: <100 MICRONS

BLUEAIR GLOBE, JANUARY 2014

THE FIVE MOST POLLUTED U.S. CITIES ARE ALL FOUND IN CALIFORNIA

THE PROBLEM HAS BECOME WORSE IN 14 OF THE 25 CITIES WITH THE WORST PARTICLE POLLUTION

USA. Progress underway, but unhealthy levels of ozone and particle pollution abound across the nation

orty percent of the population of the USA, or 131 million people, live in areas that suffer unhealthy levels of either ozone or particle pollution, facing significant health risks such as lung and heart diseases as a result. Nearly 24.8 million Americans (8 percent) live in counties that have unhealthy levels of ozone, short-term and year-round particle pollution. The five most polluted U.S. cities in terms of year-round particle exposure are all found in California: Bakersfield-Delano, and Merced, (tied for first), Fresno-Madera, (third), Hanford-Corcoran, and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, (tied for fourth). The above figures come from the American Lung Association, a 100 year old organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. Every year, the American Lung Association releases its ‘State of the Air’ report looking at which parts of the U.S. has the cleanest air quality and where there is a major need to step up efforts to reduce pollution.

In its latest ‘State of the Air 2013’ report, the ALA noted that while nationwide the U.S. continues its long-term trend towards cleaner air quality, many cities that ranked among the most polluted had more unhealthy days of smog and short-term particle pollution than a year earlier. “The Environmental Protection Agency must continue the work necessary to achieve the promise of the Clean Air Act; healthy air that is safe for all to breathe,” says Harold Wimmer, National President and CEO of the American Lung Association. This year’s ALA report reveals that many places made strong progress, particularly in lower year-round levels of particle pollution, compared to last year’s report. Lower particle pollution levels are a direct result of emissions reductions from the transition to cleaner diesel fuels and engines and coalfired power plants, especially in the eastern United States.

Although year-round average levels for particles are steadily dropping, the reverse is true for shortterm spikes in days with high particle counts. “State of the Air 2013” found that six cities had their worst year ever for short-term pollution spikes since the data started to be collected. Periods of unhealthy particle levels often occur in the winter, as has recently been the case in Fairbanks, Alaska, and Salt Lake City. In some cities, the particle pollution spikes come from increased burning of wood and other fuels for heat, often from highly polluting indoor wood stoves or outdoor wood boilers. “Air pollution remains a pervasive public health threat in the United States”, the researchers wrote. They called for some critically important actions to “protect the health of nearly 132 million people living in counties with dangerous levels of either ozone or particle pollution that can cause wheezing and coughing, asthma attacks, heart attacks, and premature death”.

Indoor air quality:

TIME TO GET REAL ABOUT INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

ir pollution, both indoors and outdoors, is a major health hazard that affects everyone around the world, in both developing and developed countries. Regardless of where we live, people’s wellbeing and health depends very much on the quality of air inside the homes, offices, schools, day care centers, health care facilities and public buildings where we spend a large part of our life. Yet many people are oblivious to the fact that hazardous substances emitted from building materials, furnishings, indoor electrical equipment, household cleaning and polishing fluids, air freshener sprays and heating and cooking fuels help create a pollution cocktail that can lead to a broad range of health problems. A risk to over half of the world’s population WHO says even relatively low concentrations of pollution have been related to a range of adverse health effects. And it has flagged that poor indoor air quality may pose a risk to the health of over half of the world’s population. WHO notes that in homes where biomass fuels and coal are used for cooking and heating, with PM levels may be 10 – 50 times higher than the guideline values. The scope of the indoor air quality problem was highlighted in a report from the European Commission, entitled ‘Risk As-

sessment In Relation to Indoor Air Quality’. It starkly noted that people spend usually well over 90 percent of their time in indoor spaces, where a number of hazards may generate risks to their health and reduce quality of life. “Major sources of contaminants are the occupants themselves (e.g. bio effluents), building materials and furnishings (e.g. VOCs, formaldehyde), the processes that occur within buildings (e.g. smoking, photocopying) and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) components,” said the researchers. They added: “Outdoor contaminants are added to this endogenous pollution through the ventilation system or by infiltration.” Unhealthier than outdoor air With the air pollutants coming from a variety of inside and outside sources, the only logical conclusion for many laymen is that indoor air can be much more unhealthy than outdoors. The U.S. EPA (Environmental protection Agency) says indoor air may be 2-5 times more polluted than the air outside —and up to 100 times more in the worst cases. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission goes one step further. It has produced a book for health professionals called ‘Indoor Air Pollution: Introduction for Health Professionals designed to help them

meet the ‘many challenges’ indoor health professional can meet. The book states: “…multiple pollutants may be involved. The challenge is further compounded by the similar manifestations of many of the pollutants and by the similarity of those effects, in turn, to those that may be associated with allergies, influenza, and the common cold. Many effects may also be associated, independently or in combination with, stress, work pressures, and seasonal discomforts’. Ignoring the problem Indoor air pollution appears unique. Despite it being a health and environmental problem, most people do not appear willing or threatened enough to confront the issue. In the developed world, it does appear to matter to many that the number of pediatric asthma cases has rocketed in the past 20 year to become the leading cause of hospitalizations and school absenteeism. “The smog over Beijing, Los Angeles or Delhi make a very visual statement about outdoor air pollution, but because indoor air pollution is invisible – and individual – too many of us seem to ignore the cocktail of household cleaners, paints, glues, molds, bacteria, smoke and gases that contaminate the air we breathe in homes,” says Blueair Head of Business Operations Peter Marttila.

BLUEAIR GLOBE, JANUARY 2014

Link identified between air pollution and low birth weight A pan-European study has concluded that a substantial proportion of the cases of low birthweight (less than 2.5kg at 37 weeks of gestation) "could be prevented in Europe if urban air pollution was reduced". The findings of a team of European researchers who carried out what they described as one of the largest studies of its kind were published in October 2013 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine Journal. The team collated data from more than 74,000 births between 1994 and 2011 across 12 European nations, which showed that babies with low birth-weights were at greater risk of mortality and health problems than infants with higher birth-weights. The report’s lead author, Dr Marie Pedersen from the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology in Barcelona, Spain, was quoted by the BBC as saying: "The widespread exposure of pregnant women worldwide to urban ambient air pollution at similar or even higher concentrations than those assessed in our study provides a clear message to policymakers to improve the quality of the air we all share." The EU sets the annual mean limit on fine particulate matter at 20 micrograms per cubic meter for particles measuring 2.5 microns (PM2.5) or less, which is twice the concentration outlined in World Health Organization

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS LINKED TO HEART DEFECTS Children’s congenital heart defects may be due to their mothers being exposed to specific mixtures of environmental toxins during pregnancy, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2013. Reporting on the research, an article in Science Daily Magazine said congenital heart defects occur when the heart or blood vessels near the heart don’t develop normally before birth. Defects may be caused by chromosomal abnormalities, but the cause is unknown in most cases. According to the magazine, researchers examined patterns of congenital heart defects incidence and presence of environmental toxicants in Alberta, Canada. The ongoing research seeks to determine if pregnant women’s proximity to organic compounds and metals emitted in the air impacts the risk of heart defects in their children. “Although still in the early stage, this research suggests some chemical emissions -- particularly, industrial air emissions -- may be linked to heart abnormalities that develop while the heart is forming in the womb,” said lead researcher Deliwe P. Ngwezi, M.D., a Ph.D., student and research fellow in pediatric cardiology at the University of Alberta in Canada. Researchers looked at three chemical categories, but only one group showed a strong correlation with rates of congenital heart defects. According to Ngwezi, the group of chemicals consists of a mixture of organic compounds and metals namely: benzene, butadiene, carbon disulphide, chloroform, ethylene oxide, hexachlorobenzene, tetrachloroethane, methanol, sulphur dioxide, toluene, lead, mercury and cadmium. “For now, consumers and healthcare providers should be educated about the potential toll of pollutants on the developing heart,” Ms. Ngwezi said. “As we have observed in the preliminary results, when the emissions decrease, the rates of congenital heart defects also decrease.”

(WHO) guidelines.

(Source: American Heart Association. "Environmental toxins linked to heart defects." ScienceDaily, 17 Nov. 2013. Web. 10 Dec. 2013.)

The Year of the Air Purifier

CHINESE CONSUMERS QUEUE UP TO BUY AIR CLEANERS

270E

Smog weary Chinese hungry for a breath of fresh air are flocking in droves into retail stores across China to buy air purifiers like never before. At one stage in December 2013 sales rocketed skywards leaving left stores shelves empty of air purifiers.

s China battles its serious air pollution problems consumers are taking matters into their own hands by relying on indoor air purifiers in their homes and offices. “We have seen demand for Blueair’s premium air purifiers in China soaring at a frenzied pace as awareness has grown among Chinese consumers about the dangers of PM2.5 pollution,” says Jonas Holst, Blueair’s head of international sales. Sitting in Blueair’s offices in the center of Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, Jonas explains air purifiers today rank one of China’s most ‘in demand’ products. And he says that Chinese consumers are increasingly making the choice for a quality product that delivers what they are paying for. “In 2013, the Chinese government took action to create a national quality standard to tackle concerns about quality.” he said. “We supported the decision to clean up the market for air purifiers because at Blueair we have always provided detailed information about our products and what they deliver so that consumers know exactly what they are getting.” A broadcast by Chinese television station CNTV said: "With the new standards I will be able to see detailed information about what I’m buying and can get exactly what I need." Proof of Blueair’s quality claims to deliver cleaner, healthier air came in mid-2013 when an official consumer agency in Shanghai presented the results of a study of 22 different air purifiers that saw Blueair’s units emerge the top performer across all categories. The Shanghai Consumer Rights Protection Commission reported that its tests showed the unit tested, a Blueair 503, was unmatched in removing both PM2.5 particles and formaldehyde from the air. The government agency noted a number of the air cleaner units from other European, American, Japanese and Chinese manufacturers tested had performed poorly, failing to deliver their specific clean air delivery rate and emitting disturbingly high noise levels.

sense 10

Blueair units displayed in a Chinese store.

BLUEAIR GLOBE, JANUARY 2014

45 503 3

Best brand for customer service

elivering customer service that exceeds the expectations of consumers buying your products is the lifeblood of any service. Good customer service is all about bringing customers back and making sure they pass on positive feedback about your business to others, who may then become customers in turn. Successful companies know there is one true secret to good customer service, and that is knowing: ‘You will be judged by what you do, not what you say.” Blueair in China has invested in the commercial branding of a fleet of branded service cars so as to visibly demonstrate the

quality and reliability of the service it provides. Altogether seventeen pristine white SUV vehicles have been badged with the Blueair logo and are being used in Beijing and Shanghai to provide customers a great experience. “The drivers are all service technicians who are on call to personally deliver purchased units or to service the units of existing customers” Lei Jia, Blueair Marketing Manager in Shanghai. “The drivers deliver an excellent service in a very professional way by both unpacking the units and then explaining to a customer how to use them.”

VACUUMING MAY ENDANGER YOUR HEALTH The aerosolized dust created by vacuums contain bacteria and mold that “could lead to adverse effects in allergic people, infants, and people with compromised immunity,” according to researchers at the University of Queensland and Laval University. Their findings were published ahead of print in Applied and Environmental Microbiology. The study found resistance genes for five common antibiotics in the sampled bacteria along with the Clostridium botulinum

‘ YOU WILL BE JUDGED BY WHAT YOU DO, NOT WHAT YOU SAY

toxin gene. According to Science Daily magazine this is of particular concern as, “the dust found indoors could act as a vehicle for infant botulism infection that can have severe consequences,” including sudden infant death syndrome, according to previous studies. “Even though no quantitative data are available for antibiotic resistance gene emission while vacuuming, the observed emission rates for bacteria might suggest that the genetic content of those bacterial

cells, including antibiotic resistance genes, may contribute to indoor bioaerosol exposure,” explain the researchers. The investigators conclude their report, saying that vacuum cleaners are “underrepresented in indoor aerosol and bioaerosol assess-ment and should be considered, especially when assessing cases of allergy, asthma, or infectious diseases without known environmental reservoirs for the pathogenic or causative microbe.”

(Source: American Society for Microbiology. "Vacuum dust: A previously unknown disease vector." ScienceDaily, 30 Sep. 2013. Web. 10 Dec. 2013)

‘ WE TREAT ALL OUR CUSTOMERS, REGARDLESS OF SIZE, EQUALLY

Sam Li, Blueair’s General Manager in China, today heads a fast growing business that actually does improve people’s lives.

Keys to success in China:

HARD WORK AND RESPECT FOR OTHERS Business success depends on many critical areas you must nurture. For some it can feel like a juggling act. We spoke to Sam Li, Blueair’s General Manager in China, about what drives him as a successful entrepreneur.

was born in a village of Sichuan (southwest China) in 1972, where I finished my basic education including elementary school and secondary school till 1992. I went to north China to study at college and finally graduated in 1999 with mechanics master degree. When I left university, it was a challenging period in the early days. I really wanted to get a job in the city so I could provide my family better life condition. I was lucky that I got my first job as a mechanics engineer in a state owned company in Shenzhen, where I worked for 1.5 years. My second job as a technical support engineer was very short and lasted just six months. This experience caused me to reflect deeply about whether I could ever be a good technical person even though I had studied very hard for seven years at university. I thought deep and hard about what I should do with my career and life.

‘

BLUEAIR GLOBE, JANUARY 2014

A big wake up call My third job starting in 2001 was as a sales representative for a Chinese home appliance manufacturer. It was quite tough and we were not treated very well. But, for the first time, I got to work with overseas customers, which was a big wake up call. Some of the customers were large, like Tatung, Miele and Electrolux. Their way of working was refreshing. I found it refreshing I could talk openly and on equal terms with their high ranking managers. One of the companies I approached was Blueair. I met Bengt Rittri, the founder, when he came to visit our company. To begin with I was quite nervous, but he had a way of smiling that calmed me down. An effect he still has on me, 12 years after we first met.

Blueair growing in China What’s so special about Blueair in China is that we treat all our customers, regardless of size, equally. We strive to make all our relationships harmonious.

Okay, when we started growing Blueair in China, it was not easy, but it was not that difficult either, to be honest. From the beginning we wanted to build on understanding and respect. We all worked so hard to win the trust and respect of our customers and suppliers alike. I never doubted we would succeed. I knew that all we needed to do was to keep on doing the right thing and working hard at it. We had huge luck in having a super salesman, David Li, from the very start. He devoted himself to ceaselessly criss-crossing China by train, carrying a Blueair unit with him to demonstrate. To save money, he slept on the train at night and met the customers by day. I live a very simple private life. And at work like having high-capacity people around me who can make things happen.

Believe in the values I do not believe foreign companies entering the Chinese market need to do more than

what Blueair has done, and that is believe in the values of fair trade, equality and trust that continuously help us to seize opportunities. I think our growth has been helped because Blueair is a Swedish company. Sweden is well respected by Chinese people due to its technology, design and social welfare system that lets people develop.

Finding a balance My advice to any youngster going into business today is to work hard and be considerate about others. When I stop working at around 11PM every evening, my mindset is all about finding a balance. That’s not always possible because an overseas client can ring up at two in the morning with an important question. It’s my job to help relax them by spending a few minutes work on solving whatever is a problem for them.

Always happy to promote Blueair’s air purifiers, Sam is a frequent speaker at conferences and trade shows.

I DO NOT BELIEVE FOREIGN COMPANIES ENTERING THE CHINESE MARKET NEED TO DO MORE THAN WHAT BLUEAIR HAS DONE

A SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR THOSE TRAVELLING WITH ASTHMA

Request a Smoke-Free Environment Choose a hotel that is completely smoke-free. Cigarette and cigar smoke can travel through the heating and cooling systems into your room. If a smoke-free hotel is not available, stay in a non-smoking room on a non-smoking floor. If you are staying with family or friends, ask to stay with those who don’t smoke. If residents do smoke, ask them to smoke outside.

BYOB - Bring Your Own Bedding

Watch Out for Chlorine

Reduce Exposure to Pets

If you use a special pillowcase or mattress covers to reduce dust mite exposure consider bringing them with you. Hypoallergenic “sleep sacks” are designed to use when staying in hotels to protect you from allergens, and can be purchased at stores that sell bedding.

Swimming is great exercise, but chlorine and other chemicals found in indoor and outdoor pools can trigger asthma. Before jumping in the deep end make sure the pool area is well ventilated and doesn’t have a strong chlorine or chemical odor.

If pet dander is a trigger, ask for a hotel room that has not housed pets. If those hosting you have pets, ask that the pet stay out of the room you are staying in to reduce your exposure. Wash your hands after touching the pet to remove any dander.

Reduce Allergens

Staying Warm

Go Fragrance Free

Some hotels now offer rooms that minimize allergens. They may be furnished with hardwood floors instead of carpet, have shades instead of fabric drapes, and use hypoallergenic linens.

Gathering around the fireplace or warming your home with wood-burning stoves are part of the season, but their smoke can trigger an asthma episode. Kerosene and gas space heaters can also worsen asthma symptoms.

If strong odors trigger your asthma, ask for a hotel room without scented soaps, lotions or cleaning products. If you are a houseguest, ask your host not to burn candles or incense, or use air fresheners.

Around 250 million people worldwide suffer from asthma, a chronic disease characterized by recurrent attacks of breathlessness and wheezing. Asthma is also the most chronic disease among children, according to WHO, which says the disease is often under-diagnosed and under-treated. Dubbed the ‘silent tsusami’, asthma is on the rise everywhere affecting roughly five people in every 100. Asthma attacks can be triggered by many

things, including cold air, vigorous exercise and stress. So while Christmas and the New Year many be a time for celebration, for those with asthma the winter months can be a long period of discomfort sparked by the chilly weather. For asthma travellers, travelling on holiday or business can be a trial. We have reprinted some very useful advice above from the American Lung Association about how asthma suffers can avoid triggers when choosing a place to stay.

Coping with asthma

(Source: http://www.lung.org/about-us/our-impact/top-stories/surviving-the-holidays-guide-for-living-wth-asthma-2013.html)

BLUEAIR GLOBE, JANUARY 2014

CATISHOO! WHEN THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN SNEEZING Research shows that around ten percent of the population experience pet related allergies. And contact with cat skin flakes or dander can provoke cold or flu like symptoms. Jonathan Gluskin in New York looks at some of the problems caused by kitty.

n late November, I was at a party in which the host of the event owns a cat. As the night went on, my allergies kept getting worse and worse, and I became increasingly uncomfortable. One of the other guests sensed my displeasure as I rubbed my eyes and itched my nose and said, “See, this is why they need an air purifier here.” I responded jokingly, “About six of them.” But pet allergies, as most who suffer from them will concur, are no joking matter.

According to netdoctor.co.uk, the proteins ‘from the body oils, saliva or urine of household pets cause an allergic reaction that attacks the eyes and the airways and can result in asthmatic symptoms and rhinitis (hay fever). It may also cause atopic dermatitis (eczema) or a nettle rash.’ The website says is often difficult to avoid the allergens that can come from other people’s pets or be transported by people who have been in contact with animals. Most often the allergies are to cats or dogs, but rats, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters, pet birds, horses, cows or poultry can be involved. Pet allergens are proteins, which when in contact with the skin or breathed in, cause an allergic reaction that provokes the body into producing histamine. The histamine produces swelling and irritation of the upper airways and causes typical hay fever and asthmatic or skin symptoms. People who have had asthmatic bronchiolitis as children in a household with pets, especially a cat, are at a high risk of developing allergies towards cats as they get older.

In America, the air we breathe is not as clean as we imagine by any stretch of the imagination. “Americans want to live healthier lifestyles, even indoors at home or work,” said Robert McDonald, National Accounts Sales Manager at the Chicago-based U.S. offices of Blueair Inc, a subsidiary of air purifier company Blueair. “They’re starting to understand that air purifiers are one of the easiest ways to help achieve this. Consumers are starting to recognize it’s wrong to have the mindset that there’s no reason to fret about both indoor and outdoor air pollution. Just like they’re increasingly joining gyms or trying out new diets, they’re also buying air purifiers to improve their overall quality of life.” There’s been an increase in news coverage around air pollution – it’s become harder to ignore like we did in the past. Those that are taking note now realize that cleaner air makes for an overall healthier person. You don’t even have to run on a treadmill for an hour to accomplish this. Nor visit a friend with a cat or other hairy pet.

Left: Bengt Rittri, founder of Blueair and Bluewater, and Niclas Wullt, managing director of Bluewater, pose with a neat Bluewater ‘Spirit’ water purifier. Right: Niclas Wullt at the Aquatech Trade Show.

In it to win it:

BLUEWATER MAKES A SPLASH AT AQUATECH The world-wide market for clean drinking water is huge. In 2011, sales of bottled water alone worldwide was worth a whopping US$50 billion. It is a market that newly-formed Blueblue AB, a sister company to Blueair, is addressing with its premium water purification brand, Bluewater™.

verybody who is anybody in the global water purification business attended the industry leading AquaTech Trade Show in Amsterdam in early November. And a sizeable number took the time to visit the eye-catching booth of the new kid on the block, the Bluewater™ brand from Sweden. “The response has been fantastic. Aquatech was the place to be and I and my colleagues were absolutely overwhelmed by the interest shown in us,” says Niclas Wullt, managing director of Blueblue AB. The company is owned by Bengt Rittri, founder of Blueair, and was formed to innovate, design, make, market and sell premium water purifiers. Bluewater’s SuperiorOsmosis™ addresses consumer fears about the quality of their tap water by efficiently cleaning it of toxins, chlorine, germs, salt, toxic metals, nitrates and fluoride, hard water, arsenic, and poor taste and smell. “Bluewater’s innovative and exciting technology allows consumers and commercial kitchens to meet their demands for on-demand clean, uncontaminated water direct from their taps,” says Niclas. “Our SuperiorOsmosis™ water purification technology has been designed to gen-

erate clean water 24 hours a day as and when required, using little energy and reducing the water wastage commonly associated with traditional reverse osmosis systems. The advanced Bluewater technology delivers an unmatched clean water delivery rate, an overall performance measurement taking into account capacity, water efficiency and filtration efficiency.” The rocketing sales of bottled water around the planet underline the level of consumer fear about the quality of their tap water, despite the best efforts of public water treatment facilities. Bluewater says it has the technology to remove practically all known contaminants from tap water and reduce the damaging effects pollutants may have on human health and wellbeing. Bluewater holds 12 patents that make its products much better in terms of filtration, capacity and efficiency. The three current products are the domestic Cleone model, based on standard reverse osmosis, and two high-capacity professional models for both home and business use, the Sprit and Pro. Bluewater’s water purifiers are designed and manufactured in Sweden and available in major worldwide markets.

’ GENERATE CLEAN WATER 24 HOURS A DAY

For more information: www.bluewater.se

BLUEAIR GLOBE, JANUARY 2014

Survey reveals fears of householders around the world about the quality of their tap water The results of a study made in Europe, Asia and the USA by Bluewater have revealed that almost fifty-five percent (54.7%) of householders are concerned about the quality of their tap drinking water.

some 84 percent of respondents were being left clueless about their household water.” The study showed that 43 percent of all respondents felt obliged to boil or filter their water before drinking it. Even in wealthy countries such as Japan (40%), USA (40%), UK (31%) and Germany (29%), householders said concerns about tap water led householders to drink bottled water or boil, filter or distill tap water. Wullt said the survey clearly indicated that informing householders about the safety and the purity of their drinking water should be a national priority of countries globally, in both the developed and developing worlds. Altogether, 66 percent of those questioned said they were deeply worried to learn that the world health organization has warned only about one-third of the world’s potential fresh water can be used for human needs ‘due to increased pollution from municipal and industrial waste and the leeching of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture’.

ne thousand people in ten countries from Sweden in northernmost Europe to Russia, the United States, China, Indonesia and Japan took part in the study, with 37 percent revealing they avoid drinking water directly from the tap. Some 45 percent of those questioned said their water was contaminated, tasted or smelt bad or appeared clouded with particles. Nine percent of Swedes, 10 percent of Russians, 13 percent of Indonesians and 16 percent of Chinese actually described their tap water as being frequently undrinkable. Managing director Niclas Wullt noted many householders said they were in the dark about the quality of the water they were drinking from their taps. “Some 62 percent overall said they had never received any information about the quality of their tap water, although 80 percent relied on municipal water supplies,” Wullt said. “We were particularly surprised to discover that even in highly developed Sweden,

43%

45%

FEEL OBLIGED TO BOIL OR FILTER THE WATER BEFORE DRINKING IT

HAVE WATER THAT IS CONTAMINATED, TASTES OR SMELLS BAD OR APPEARED CLOUDED WITH PARTICLES

62%

37%

HAVE NEVER RECEIVED INFORMATION ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THEIR WATER

AVOID DRINKING WATER DIRECTLY FROM THE TAP

WIN A BLUEAIR POSTER Enter the free Blueair quiz competition to where the first three people to send us correct answers to all three questions below will win the special Blueair Manifesto Poster, exclusevely signed by our founder Bengt Rittri. Just send your answers to globe@blueair.se. The first three with all answers correct will be sent their copy of the signed poster.

QUESTION 1: What is the original hometown of Blueair?

QUESTION 2: What is the name of Blueair’s new award winning air purifier?

QUESTION 3: What is the name of Blueair’s founder?

Here’s a clue:

You can find all the answers in this issue of the Blueair Globe! The competition ends in January 22, 2014

An altogether different indoor air experience.

For more information, visit our website www.blueair.com

BLUEAIR GLOBE, JANUARY 2014

Candy Li Favorite music: Relaxing and melodious, such as Lisa Ono. Nora Jones is quite good. Favorite artist: Qi Baishi, the traditional Chinese painting painter.

WHAT I THINK OF BLUEAIR

Recommended book: Attachment Parenting Encyclopedia (Dr. Sears, the baby book)

What did you do prior to joining Blueair?

premium products, something pure and peaceful, yet professional and delivering high performance.

After leaving the university, my first job was working for a stateowned advertising company. A year later, I came to Shanghai and worked for a German company named Bertelsmann for almost three years on marketing. The last six years, I have been working for a huge pharmaceutical company on their marketing and brand communication.

What is so great about the job you are doing today? As you know, business is booming here in China. We try to tell the consumers what an air purifier is, how to understand their needs and find the right product. Many consumers appreciate us for our honesty in delivering the correct information and selling a premium product. We see ever more positive feedbacks from our consumers and dealers that they are happy and satisfied with our product with the benefits delivered.

What does your job with Blueair China involve? I am Marketing Director and responsible for the marketing and communication in China for Blueair. The most important task of our team is to maintain our brand image and positioning.

Finally, what is your favorite color of Sense - and why?

What is your impression of Blueair as a company?

To be frank with you, I like all the colors of Sense. Perhaps the white could be my favorite as it looks pure and decent.

Almost four years ago, I bought a Blueair 503 and loved it very much. In my opinion, Blueair epitomizes a Nordic company with

AIR POLLUTION IS A CARCINOGEN The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) —an agency within the influential World Health Organization—has officially designated air pollution a cancer-causing substance. IARC cited data showing that nearly a quarter of a million lung cancer deaths in 2010 could be attributed to air pollution. It also noted that there was convincing evidence that pollution increases the risk of bladder cancer.

INDIA’S AIR POLLUTION WOES Recent news reports out of India indicate that one in three Indians live in critically-polluted areas that have noxious levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and lung-clogging particulate matter larger than 10 micron (PM10) in size. The Hindustani Times writes that of the 180 cities monitored by India’s Central Pollution Control Board in 2012, only two — Malapuram and Pathanamthitta in Kerala — meet the criteria of low air pollution (50% below the standard). According to the newspaper, one death takes place every hour in Delhi due to air pollution. Anumita Roychowdhury, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) told the Hindustani Times that vehicles are the biggest outdoor air polluters. She also noted that indoor air pollution can be five to six times higher than the daily permissible rate of 100 microgram per cubic metre (µg/m³) for PM10 and 60 µg/m³ for PM2.5 in many rural homes due to toxic byproducts resulting from using wood and kerosene to cook with.

Blueair Globe

is published by Blueair AB, Sweden, Editor under Swedish Law Jonas Holst, Layout and illustrations by Matilda Hübinette, Produced and written by David Noble, Copyright Blueair AB, Stockholm, Sweden Photo Credits: ©iStock.com/steinphoto (p.5), ©iStock.com/Flory (p.7), ©iStock.com/Imgorthand (p.8), ©iStock.com/cdweathley (p.9), ©iStock.com/ronen (p.15)