In 2003 the United States government was due to destroy part of its stockpile of chemical weapons. The Chemical Weapons Destruction Facility in Anniston Alabama was selected as the disposal site. In the event of any hazardous materials being released into the environment, local residents were instructed to follow a ‘Shelter in Place’ program. This involves taking refuge in a small interior room with few or no windows.

In order to reduce the risk further, the US government decided to issue all residents close to the destruction site with an air cleaner. Battelle Laboratories were assigned the task of deciding which air cleaner to use.

Battelle is the world’s largest, independent research and development organization. It is regularly used to assist the government in finding safe and effective methods of chemical weapons disposal. It was here at the Battelle Laboratories, that stringent tests were carried out to determine which air cleaner would give the best protection in the event of an emergency.

In tests using over 100 different models of air cleaners, the Austin Air cleaner was rated highest. The tests concluded that our units provided the most effective air cleaning solution.

As a result, Austin Air cleaners were placed in over 20,000 homes in the Anniston area to protect residents in the event of a chemical disaster.