Dyson Begs Feds: Fix Air Cleaner Room Size Tests Now!
Published Date: 4/30/2025
Proposed Rule
Summary
Dyson asked the Department of Energy to change how air cleaners’ room size and energy use are tested and shown to customers. Right now, DOE isn’t making any changes but wants to hear what people think before deciding. If you have ideas or info, you can share them by May 30, 2025, so this could affect air cleaner makers and buyers soon.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 1 mixed.
Rule forces room-size claims using 1.55× smoke CADR
Federal rules (10 CFR 429.68(a)(4)) require manufacturers to represent an air cleaner's effective room size by calculating the product of 1.55 and the product's smoke CADR. This requirement was implemented in DOE's air cleaners test procedure final rule published March 6, 2023 (effective December 31, 2023).
Energy (IEF) must be measured by appendix FF test
Federal regulations (10 CFR 430.23(hh)(4)) require conventional room air cleaners' annual energy consumption and integrated energy factor (IEF) to be measured using section 7 of appendix FF to 10 CFR part 430, subpart B. DOE incorporated that test procedure in its March 6, 2023 final rule (effective December 31, 2023).
FTC proposed using DOE rule on EnergyGuide labels
The Federal Trade Commission proposed on February 2, 2024 (89 FR 7566) to add room-size coverage claims to required EnergyGuide labels and to require those numbers be calculated using the DOE/Room Size Coverage methodology. The petition warns that FTC adoption could magnify harms, and could impose administrative and economic burdens on manufacturers.
DOE keeps rules in force; invites comments by May 30, 2025
DOE is not revoking or staying enforcement of the cited test-procedure and representation provisions raised in Dyson's petition at this time. DOE is requesting public comments and information on whether it should grant Dyson's petition; written comments will be accepted on or before May 30, 2025 (docket EERE-2024-BT-TP-0011).
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Key Dates
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