Worsening pollution fuels air purifier mkt

Amid the deteriorating air quality in Bangladesh, especially in the capital, businesses are identifying a growing opportunity in the sale of air purifiers.
Consumer adoption of this appliance is currently at a nascent stage, but it is likely to accelerate as public health awareness rises, say businesses.
An air purifier is an electrical device that resembles room heaters or air conditioners and is designed to clean and improve indoor air quality by removing airborne pollutants and contaminants from rooms.
The equipment is mostly used by research laboratories while its residential use is gradually increasing in the capital, says Abdus Sobhan, a salesperson of an electronics outlet at the Stadium Market.
"Air purifiers are still new products as they are less familiar compared to room heaters or air coolers," he says.
Consumers mostly purchase this following physicians' advice on different respiratory diseases like asthma, he also says.
Once people learn more about these devices and their benefits, they will buy more, he adds.
The equipment is imported, says Sobhan, adding that the government has lowered the import duty considering its importance for public health.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) in January this year reduced the import duty, along with offering exemptions from regulatory duty and advance tax, resulting in a price reduction of Tk 1,500-7,000 for each device, depending on the quality.
As a whole, the tax burden on air purifier imports fell from 58.60 per cent to 31.50 per cent.
According to sources, with advanced multi-layer filter systems, air purifiers remove PM2.5 (particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres), allergens, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and various odours from the air, keeping the house clean and comfortable.
Currently, different categories of air purifiers are available in local outlets as well as online platforms.
Air purifiers for home use are sold between Tk 15,000 and Tk 1,00,000. Brands include Gree, Sharp, Panasonic, Xiaomi, and Hitachi.
According to the Air Quality Index (AQI), Dhaka's air was classified as unhealthy on Friday noon, with a score of 184 on a scale between 0 and 300+.
The higher the score, the worse the air quality is.
In addition to providing daily real-time updates, the AQI also publishes annual rankings.
The global platform ranked Dhaka as the 13th most air-polluted city in 2024.
Dhaka's monthly average score on the index was 140, while January and February were the worst with scores of 244 and 221, respectively.
Breathing the air in Dhaka city was as harmful as smoking 3.2 cigarettes a day, said the platform.
Deputy Managing Director of Electro Mart Limited Nurul Afser says compared to the monetary value, air purifiers offer huge health benefits.
"Technology-based solutions like air purifiers can be used as an effective and safe solution to indoor pollution," he tells The Financial Express, adding that they help control and examine air quality.

saif.febd@gmail.com