Looking for information about EPA RRP Compliance?
If you are researching our dust extractors for use with RRP-related work and need a unit that fully complies with the EPA RRP regulations, please visit the section of our website that addresses these regulations and Festool's complete compliance with EPA RRP regulations.
HEPA Dust Extractors and why you need one.
All of Festool's CT Dust Extractor models, as well as the discontinued CT
22 and 33 models, come standard with a primary filter that is HEPA rated as the
final stage of filtration, with the exception of the CT AutoClean (AC) which is designed specifically for use with the PLANEX Drywall Sander.
In fabrication, dust happens. It's very small, floats everywhere, lands on everything
in sight, and gets inside your tools. Due to its minute size, wood dust particles
can be particularly troublesome to remove from an environment once airborne. The
fine dust that is ejected into the air can make you sneeze, cough, and experience
other allergy-like symptoms. Experts agree that limiting your exposure is the best
protection.
Another great way to minimize the effects of dust created during fabrication is
to use high quality tools that are designed with dust extraction in mind. When working
with a good dust extractor, you will be able to eliminate the majority of the dust
created at the source before it is ever released into your environment. Dust extractors
with HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters, paired in-line or on-board
are the best solution. These filters are capable of capturing 99.997% of all particulates
down to 0.3 microns. Originally developed by the Atomic Energy Commission to remove
radioactive dust from industrial exhaust, HEPA filters have become the preferred
filtration system for most sensitive manufacturing and health care environments.
There is no better filtration on the market today. Now take a deep breath and focus
on what's really important – your results!
Did you know wood dust is a carcinogen?
According to OSHA (the Occupational Health and Safety Administration), exposure
to wood dust has long been associated with a variety of adverse health effects,
including dermatitis, allergic respiratory effects, mucosal and nonallergic respiratory
effects, and cancer.
What is HEPA filtration?
High Efficiency Particulate Air, or HEPA, was first designed to prevent the spread
of radioactive particles via the air in the 1940s during the development of the
first nuclear weapons. HEPA represents very high standards by which air filtration
is measured and the most sophisticated, modern, and high-tech vacuum systems employ
filters based on this standard.
What size particles does HEPA filter?
According to specifications in the United States, a filter must trap at least 99.97%
of all particles that are 0.3 microns or larger in diameter. The filter must always
retain a high level of airflow as not to reduce suction.
So... how big is a micron?
In the simplest terms, microscopic. In technical terms, it's one millionth of a meter.
Here are the sizes of some common objects for comparison.
Red blood cells are 8 microns in size.
The human eye can only see objects larger than 30 microns.
A human hair is about 100 microns.
The eye of a needle is about 1,200 microns.
One thing is certain: regulations on exposure to dust particles will continue to
be more stringent in coming years. Be prepared by choosing a dust extraction system
based on the HEPA standard. Festool's complete family of CT dust extractors offer
HEPA-compliant filters. This filter is standard on all Festool CT Dust Extractor models as
well as the discontinued CT 22 and CT 33, with the exception of the CT AutoClean (AC).