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Study reveals indoor plants don’t purify air in homes

A myth we almost wish was never busted. - by Laura Barry
  • 18 Nov 2019

Indoor plants have long been heralded for their ability to make a space look more appealing, purify the air and improve our wellbeing, however a new study appears to have identified that belief as a myth, and busted it.

WATCH: 5 indoor plants that thrive on neglect 

Many of us believe in the health and wellbeing benefits of surrounding ourselves with indoor plants. In fact, there’s even an entire science behind determining how many plants you need per room to maximise those benefits. However, it appears that while plants may have some ability to purify air, they cannot do it as effectively as we have been led to believe.

Why do we think that plants can purify air?

Indoor plants are believed to have air-purifying abilities due to the findings of a 1989 NASA study, which placed plants into chambers that were two feet wide by two feet long, and filled the chamber with various gases. The study found that plants could reduce the amount of Volatile Organic Compounds (a type of air pollution) in the chambers, which then lead to the belief that houseplants can purify air.

Indoor plants in white pot
Getty

Can plants actually purify the air in our homes?

In a recent study published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, researchers Michael Waring, an environmental engineer and indoor air quality expert at Drexel University, and study co-author Bryan Cummings reviewed 12 previously published studies about air-purifying plants, then completed their own tests comparing the air-purifying abilities of plants to mechanical air purifiers or opening a window.

While those studies suggest plants can, in fact, remove some toxins in the air, they do so at such a low rate that you would need 10 plants per square foot to achieve the same success of a mechanical air-purifier or airing out a room with open windows and doors.

indoor plants on table
Getty

What does this mean?

The NASA study, and the many studies that have come after it, prove that plants have the ability to purify air. Unfortunately, many of these tests were completed in lab-controlled environments – which are in no way similar to the modern residential home or apartment.

What the most recent study by Cummings and Waring proves is that mechanical air-purifiers, increased ventilation and other methods of increasing air flow are more effective methods of purifying the air in your home than indoor plants.

Indoor plant
Unsplash

Are indoor plants worth the money?

Yes! In fact, NASA now has plants growing on board the International Space Station for fresh food, and for their ability to improve the mental state of people.  

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Laura Barry
Laura Barry
Laura Barry is a writer, bookworm and interior design enthusiast with a love for reporting on all things homes, travel and lifestyle. When not tapping away at her keyboard, Laura can be found making endless cups of tea or perusing the shelves of Sydney’s many bookstores.

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