Will air purifiers soon become a necessity rather than a luxury? If Delhi is taken as the microcosm of the shape of cities to come, then homes, offices and enclosed spaces with devices that filter the dangerous PM 2.5 particulate matter from the air could well become a norm. According to a survey by TechSci Research, a Noida-based consultancy, the air purifier industry which was worth $46.45 million in 2016 is projected to grow at 33 per cent during 2017-22 to touch $270.72 million.

There are currently 10 major players in the air purifier market. In addition to them an entire industry has sprung up in the last two years offering a range of anti-pollution products. These include nostril filters, face masks, activated charcoal bags that supposedly cleanse indoor air, a device that emits radio waves scattering PM 2.5 particles and oxygen optimisers that recharges the air in homes. All these new businesses see an opportunity in bad air because there is nothing to suggest that pollution levels will be brought down in cities like the Delhi NCR (the worst hit).

The emerging pattern of a vital resource like air being rendered hazardous reminds one of water degradation over the decades. Ask any old timer and he/she will tell you how in the 1970s municipal water was regarded as reliable and potable. So much so that eateries often proudly declared that they only served “tap water”. But soon this changed with publicly distributed water becoming increasingly polluted and infected. This is where the water purifier industry stepped in and spread it tentacles nationwide.

In Delhi many feel that the air purifier could well be the next water filter and pollution masks the next packaged water. At the end of the day, when bad air means good business it certainly is not a healthy sign. It is time we offer more than lip service to fighting pollution.

The writer is an Editorial Consultant

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