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<p>The installation of electrostatic precipitators is not something the department
has previously delivered or advised to schools. Any information on their use would
only be held by the settings themselves</p><p>In winter 2021, the department provided
over 8,000 High Efficiency Particular Air (HEPA) air cleaning devices to state-funded
education settings that identified poorly ventilated teaching spaces. In November
2022, we re-opened the scheme for eligible settings with identified poor ventilation
to receive department-funded HEPA devices.</p><p>During the COVID-pandemic, the department
worked closely with Scientific Emergency Group for Emergencies, Environmental Modelling
Group (SAGE – EMG), who published a paper on 4 November 2020 titled, ‘Potential application
of Air Cleaning devices and personal decontamination to manage transmission of COVID-19’.
This is available in the attached document.</p><p>This paper concluded that devices
based on other technologies (ionisers, plasma, chemical oxidation, photocatalytic
oxidation and electrostatic precipitation) have a limited evidence base that demonstrates
effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 and/or may generate undesirable secondary chemical
products that could lead to health effects such as respiratory or skin irritation.
The paper also mentions that electrostatic precipitation has high energy requirements.
Therefore, the department issued HEPA air cleaning devices to schools that identified
poorly ventilated teaching spaces.</p>
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