Mad rush for oxygen tanks, air purifiers in haze-choked Southeast Asia
Toxic haze from wildfires burning in Indonesia has spiked a demand for oxygen tanks and air purifiers across the region, manufacturers say, as they work the clock on equipment providing life-saving clean air. The months-long haze has blanketed parts of Southeast Asia, forcing school closures and fuelling a rise in respiratory complaints. Families are now rushing to buy devices to keep indoor air…
Severe air pollution from Indonesian wildfires has driven up demand for oxygen tanks and air purifiers throughout Southeast Asia, according to manufacturers. The haze has lasted months, causing school closures and increasing respiratory issues. Families are scrambling to purchase devices that can clean indoor air. AA Alive, a medical equipment company near Kuala Lumpur, is operating at full capacity as sales surge.
Sales have risen by 35 percent, according to a sales representative. The company provides both oxygen tanks and concentrators, with tanks lasting roughly three hours and concentrators about 24. An older patient, Md Noor Bin Bujang, required a concentrator just this week, lamenting that without it, he would experience shortness of breath.
A technician at AA Alive says that pollutants in the haze have cut the filter's lifespan in half. The company currently delivers around 40 rental units daily, meeting the heightened demand due to the haze. Experts warn that prolonged exposure to haze pollutants could cause body inflammation and a "multisystem public health threat."
Juliana Jalaludin, an environmental health professor at Universiti Putra Malaysia, worries that repeated haze exposure during childhood could lead to higher respiratory illness burdens in future generations. Air purifier sales have jumped since air quality dipped in August. Courts, a regional electronics retailer, reported a 600 percent increase in air purifier sales between September 28 and October 12 compared to the same period last year.
Customers are increasingly concerned about indoor air quality and are actively seeking solutions to maintain a healthier home environment.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
