Canadian Wildfires Trigger Air Quality Crisis, Skyrocketing Demand for Air Purifiers

Quincy Jon, Tech Times 08 June 2023, 02:06 pm

East Coast air pollution is changing consumer buying habits and increasing air purifier sales. People are rushing to Amazon to purchase air filters, humidifiers, and premium masks as Canadian wildfires engulf large sections of the United States in dangerous smoke, marked by an orange sky and a burned smell.

The northeastern US is blanketed in a dystopian cloud of toxic air and a yellowish-gray sky from fierce Canadian wildfires. Vulnerable populations are advised to stay inside.

The impacts of these blazes, which are expanding from the western provinces to Quebec, have reached New York City and New England, obscuring skylines and creating respiratory distress, Boston.com reported.

The smoke's longevity over the US is unpredictable because of prevailing winds. Thus, US authorities have issued air quality advisories, and foggy conditions with smoke have been observed throughout the Great Lakes area from Cleveland to Buffalo.

Canadian wildfire smoke darkened the skies of New York City and sent the air quality index soaring past 400 on Wednesday, well into the “hazardous” range and the worst since the EPA began recording air-quality measurements in 1999. https://t.co/kXhZndwYPH pic.twitter.com/Va9svFQgUp
— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 8, 2023

Demand For Air Purifiers, Masks Surge

Air purifiers have become in demand because wildfire smoke's small particles enter indoor spaces. The best-selling goods on Amazon in the tools and home improvement category during the last 24 hours have been air filters, according to a CNN report.

Notably, sales of Leviot humidifiers have significantly increased, moving them up to third place among industries that have seen the highest gains. The sales rankings for N95 and KN95 masks have also improved on Amazon.

Google searches for air purifiers have grown sixteenfold since Monday, demonstrating their rising popularity.

Whirlpool, a multinational home products producer, had its stock value rise 13.2% in the last five days, including 6.4% on Wednesday. The company's HEPA air purifiers, which can remove up to 99.97% of dangerous airborne particles, have contributed to this increase.

Over the same five days, Carrier Global, which makes air purifiers and HVAC devices for homes and businesses, had its shares jump about 11%. Another air filter manufacturer, Johnson Controls, saw its stock price rise 8.5% in five days.

The air pollution brought on by climate change and the deteriorating respiratory diseases it causes is expected to generate significant expansion in the air purifier industry.

A Market Insights analysis projects that the sector will see development at a compound annual growth rate of 10.8%, reaching $2.9 billion in 2025 and $4.8 billion in 2030.

Air Purifier Sales To Grow as Air Pollution Worsens

The effects of outdoor air pollution could impact the world and go well beyond health issues. By 2060, outdoor air pollution may cause 6 to 9 million premature deaths and cost $2.6 trillion in sick days, medical bills, and lost productivity, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The market for home air purifiers was valued at $4.1 billion in 2022 and is anticipated to grow to $7.2 billion by 2032. The market is inclined to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.9% between 2023 and 2032, per Enterprise Apps Today.

Residential air purifier demand is rising for several reasons, such as increased respiratory illness awareness, growing urbanization and industrialization, and rising disposable incomes. Additionally, technological improvements have produced more effective and efficient machines, with features like Wi-Fi connections, smart sensors, and HEPA filters.

The increased understanding of household air purifier advantages is projected to push demand upward in the future, despite manufacturers' price issues.