Copyright© 3-A Sanitary Standards, Inc.

, McLean, VA 612-00

3-A® Accepted Practice for Plant

Environmental Air Quality,
Number 612-00
Standards Developing Organizations
3-A Sanitary Standards, Inc. (3-A SSI)
In Collaboration With
United States Public Health Service (USPHS)/
United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA)
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG)

Effective: December 30, 2011

Copyright© 3-A Sanitary Standards, Inc., McLean, VA 612-00

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE ................................................................................................................................. i
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................. ii
DISCLAIMERS ............................................................................................................... iv
FOREWORD ................................................................................................................... iv
A SCOPE ................................................................................................................... 1
B NORMATIVE REFERENCES ............................................................................ 1
C DEFINITIONS....................................................................................................... 1
C1 Air Cleanliness Level .................................................................................... 1
C2 Air Contact Surfaces ..................................................................................... 1
C3 Cleaned or Cleanable..................................................................................... 1
C4 Conditioned Air ............................................................................................. 2
C5 Contaminant .................................................................................................. 2
C6 Easily or Readily Accessible ......................................................................... 2
C7 Easily or Readily Removable ........................................................................ 2
C8 Environmental Air ......................................................................................... 2
C9 Equipment ..................................................................................................... 2
C9.1 Air Distribution System .................................................................. 2
C9.2 Direct Contact Liquid Cooler (Evaporative Coolers) ..................... 2
C9.3 Electrostatic Air Cleaners ............................................................... 2
C9.4 Fans/Blowers .................................................................................. 2
C9.5 Filters .............................................................................................. 2
C9.6 Heat Exchange Unit ........................................................................ 2
C9.7 Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) System ......... 2
C9.8 Unitized Heat Exchangers, Unit Heaters, Unit Coolers .................. 2
C10 Humidity Control........................................................................................... 2
C11 Nontoxic Materials ........................................................................................ 2
C12 Simple Hand Tools ........................................................................................ 2
C13 Unitized ......................................................................................................... 2
D MATERIALS ......................................................................................................... 3
D1 Air Contact Surfaces Except Filter Media ................................................... 3
D1.1 Metals .............................................................................................. 3
D1.2 Nonmetals ........................................................................................ 3
D2 Filter Media.................................................................................................. 3
D3 Air Socks ..................................................................................................... 3
E FABRICATION..................................................................................................... 3
E1 Air Supply Machines and Equipment .......................................................... 3
E2 Unit Heaters ................................................................................................. 4
E3 Unit Coolers ................................................................................................. 4
E4 Direct Contact Liquid Cooler (Evaporative Coolers) .................................. 4
F INSTALLATION .................................................................................................. 4
F1 Air Supply .................................................................................................... 4
F2 Ducts and Plenums....................................................................................... 5
F3 Ducts, Support and Access .......................................................................... 5
F4 Fans, Blowers and Motors ........................................................................... 5
G AIR QUALITY ...................................................................................................... 5

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APPENDIX
H SECURITY AND SAFETY MEASURES........................................................... 6
I PLANT AND HVAC AIR QUALITY RECOMMENDATIONS ..................... 6
J FILTER TYPES .................................................................................................... 6

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Disclaimers

3-A Sanitary Standards and 3-A Accepted Practices are developed through the efforts of experts, working on a
volunteer basis, using science-based information and their professional experiences to reach consensus decisions on
the sanitary (hygienic) criteria in these 3-A documents.

3-A SSI, its employees and its volunteer committees/working groups shall not incur any obligation or liability for
damages, including consequential damages, arising from or in connection with the development, use, interpretation,
or reliance upon this 3-A Accepted Practice.

3-A Sanitary Standards and 3-A Accepted Practices do not include provisions for mechanical, electrical, or
personnel safety. Such safety criteria are established by government regulations and other standards development
organizations (SDOs). Other SDO standards may be referenced.

Drawings and illustrations contained herein are examples to assist in understanding the criteria in this 3-A Accepted
Practice. Appendix illustrations are not intended to show all variations of the equipment or system nor are they
exclusive of alternate approved methods. Appendix illustrations are non-normative.

Foreword

This 3-A Accepted Practice establishes minimum sanitary (hygienic) requirements for design, materials,
fabrication, and/or installation of Plant Environmental Air Quality.

This 3-A Accepted Practice is for use on a voluntary basis by directly and materially affected organizations such as
equipment and machinery fabricators, processors, and regulatory agencies, and by other SDOs to assure that
adequate public health protections exist for the equipment or systems and covered products. 3-A SSI uses these
documents as its source of sanitary criteria for 3-A Symbol authorization.

This 3-A Accepted Practice was developed jointly by 3-A SSI, the United States Public Health Service (USPHS),
United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), the United States Department of Agriculture – Dairy
Programs (USDA), and the European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG).

It is our intent to encourage inventive genius and provide a forum to discuss new developments. Suggestions for
improvement and new technology are welcome at any time for consideration by 3-A SSI. Please forward
comments to: 3-A SSI, 6888 Elm Street, Suite 2D, McLean, VA 22101-3829, USA or by fax: 703-761-6284, or by
e-mail to: 3-ainfo@3-a.org.

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A SCOPE

A1 This 3-A Accepted Practice covers the materials, design, fabrication and installation of equipment used to
produce and handle plant environmental air in processing, packaging, and storage areas.

A2 This 3-A Accepted Practice also provides guidance for the air quality to be maintained in food processing,
packaging, and storage areas. These conditions are considered necessary to minimize contamination of
product, product contact surfaces, and open containers.

A3 This 3-A Accepted Practice applies to HVAC systems installed in new building construction and does not
apply to existing HVAC systems or minor renovation work.

A4 This 3-A Accepted Practice does not apply to warehouse areas, receiving areas, coolers and freezers.

B NORMATIVE REFERENCES

B1 The following listed documents shall be considered as Normative References (their use is mandatory) and
the provisions of the referenced documents shall apply to this Accepted Practice without further reference
in this document, unless necessary to describe special considerations.

B2 References
Ref. No. Title
1. The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 21, Part 175 – Indirect Food Additives: Adhesives
and Components of Coatings. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government
Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402, Phone: (202) 512-1800 or at
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html.
2. The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 21, Part 110.40, Current Good Manufacturing
Practice in Manufacturing, Packaging, or Holding Human Food, Equipment and Utensils. For sale
by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402,
Phone: (202) 512-1800 or at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html.
3. ANSI/ASHRAE 52.2-2007, Method of Testing General Ventilation Air-Cleaning Devices for
Removal Efficiency by Particle Size. Obtainable from American Society of Heating,
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers, USA web site: www.ashrae.org
4. ISO 14644-1: 1999, Cleanrooms and associated controlled environments — Part 1: Classification
of air cleanliness. This document designates standard classes of air particulate cleanliness and
specifies methods for verifying air cleanliness classifications. Obtainable from International
Standards Organization, Switzerland web site: www.iso.ch

C DEFINITIONS

C1 Air Cleanliness Level: An established maximum allowable level(s) of contaminants based on size,
distribution, or quantity at a given volume.

C2 Air Contact Surfaces: Surfaces that come in contact with environmental or conditioned air, including
processing air, and exhaust air.

C3 Cleaned or Cleanable: The suitable materials of construction, design and fabrication required to assure
that the equipment can be freed from soil.

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C4 Conditioned Air: Air that has been altered, (filtered, heated, cooled, or humidity controlled, or a
combination thereof) by the HVAC system and distributed within a structure.

C5 Contaminant: Any foreign material or micro-organisms which are considered detrimental to a particular
food processing, operation or packaging area.

C6 Easily or Readily Accessible: A location which can be safely reached by personnel from a floor, other
permanent work area or stable platform (permanent or moveable).

C7 Easily or Readily Removable: Quickly separated from the equipment, with or without the use of simple
hand tools.

C8 Environmental Air: Air in a food processing, packaging, or storage area and the air supplied to these areas.

C9 Equipment

C9.1 Air Distribution System: Formed, closed cross section array of permanently installed ducts used to move
air to and from the conditioning unit. Where used, air socks are considered to be part of the air distribution
system.

C9.2 Direct Contact Liquid Cooler (Evaporative Coolers): Equipment which cools air by direct contact with an
evaporating medium, usually water.

C9.3 Electrostatic Air Cleaners: Particulate abating devices which uses electrical energy to attract airborne
particulates or a balanced shower of ions to precipitate airborne particles.

C9.4 Fans/Blowers: Equipment used for moving air.

C9.5 Filters: Porous material(s) used to remove contaminants or odors from the air.

C9.6 Heat Exchange Unit: Equipment used to heat or cool air.

C9.7 Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) System: Machinery and equipment used to control one
or more of the following or any combination thereof: air temperature, humidity, motion, pressure, and
distribution to prevent the entry of contaminants.

C9.8 Unitized Heat Exchangers, Unit Heaters, and Unit Coolers: Self-contained units used to move and heat or
cool air.

C10 Humidity Control: Devices, environment conditions, or both, which maintain air moisture content at a
required or desired level as measured by relative humidity monitoring.

C11 Nontoxic Materials: Those substances which under the conditions of their use are in compliance with
applicable requirements of the Food and Drug Administration.

C12 Simple Hand Tools: A screwdriver, wrench, mallet, or readily available dedicated tool(s) normally used by
operating and cleaning personnel.

C13 Unitized: The connection, assembly, or attachment of functional subunits, in a permanent manner (e.g.,
welding or with fasteners) or nonpermanent manner (e.g., clamps, crimp joints, duct tape), to form a
complete assembly.

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D MATERIALAS

D1 Air Contact Surfaces, Except Filter Media and Air Socks

D1.1 Metals

D1.1.1 All air contact surfaces, except filter media and air socks, shall be constructed of materials that are
nontoxic, mechanically stable, inert, relatively nonporous, and resistant to corrosion when exposed to
humid environments and relevant cleaning agents.

D1.1.2 Acceptable metallic materials include stainless steel, galvanized steel, and cold galvanizing repair material,
aluminum or any other metal which does not shed particulates. Material choice depends on the service.

D1.2 Nonmetals

D1.2.1 Acceptable nonmetallic materials include nontoxic plastics, rubber, and rubber-like materials.

D1.2.2 Rubber and rubber-like materials or plastic materials may be used for gaskets, seals, O-rings, flexible
connectors, fans, ductwork, and caulking.

D1.3 Air contact surfaces and associated machinery or equipment shall be manufactured from materials that do
not change surface conformation in the area of intended use or impart any contaminants to the air flow.

D2 Filter Media

D2.1 All final filters shall consist of materials which, under the conditions of intended use, are nontoxic, non-
media releasing, and do not release toxic volatiles or other contaminants, including those which may impart
any flavor or odor to the product or to the air contacting the product.

D2.1.1 Loose-woven materials (e.g., fiberglass, cloth, etc.) may be used for pre-filters. Pre-filters shall be
nontoxic and shall not release toxic volatiles and shall be followed by a final filter(s) specified in D2.1.

D2.1.2 Bonding materials (see B1, Ref. No. 1) in the media, if used, shall be nontoxic, nonvolatile and insoluble
under conditions of use.

D3 Air Socks

D3.1 Air socks shall be composed of nontoxic, non-shedding materials.

E FABRICATION

E1 Air Supply Machines and Equipment

E1.1 Air contact surfaces shall be relatively free of open seams and cracks. Air contact surfaces shall not be
painted.

E1.2 The machinery and equipment shall be constructed so that air contact surfaces and associated machinery
and equipment are accessible for cleaning and inspection or replacement. This includes heat exchange
units, fans and filters.

E1.3 A sufficient number of access ports, removable duct sections, or both, shall be placed in the air contact
surfaces to allow for adequate cleaning and inspection of equipment.

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E1.4 Heat exchange units shall have a maximum of twelve (12) fins per linear inch on heat transfer coils.

E1.5 Condensate collection pan(s) for heat exchange units for cooling shall be self-draining or drainable.
Condensate shall be directed to a suitable protected drain point. A floor drain is not acceptable. The
condensate pan and piping shall be capable of being flushed and sanitized, except that:

E1.5.1 Roof top units may drain to the roof.

E1.6 HVAC units shall be provided with access doors of suitable size and shape to allow personnel access for
cleaning and maintenance.

E2 Unit Heaters

E2.1 Unit heaters shall be constructed so they are cleanable.

E2.2 Steam condensate shall be piped to a return system or a suitable protected drain point other than a floor
drain.

E2.3 Direct-fired unit heaters shall use only natural gas or propane fuel.

E3 Unit Coolers

E3.1 Unit coolers, including the condensate contact and drain contact surfaces, shall be constructed so they are
cleanable and capable of being sanitized.

E3.1.1 Unit coolers shall be equipped with self-draining condensate collection pans with a drain connection. The
condensate shall be piped to a suitable protected drain. A hub drain is acceptable. The condensate pan and
piping shall be capable of being flushed and sanitized.

E4 Direct Contact Liquid Cooler (Evaporative Coolers)

E4.1 Direct contact liquid coolers of the direct aerosol type are allowed.

E4.2 Direct contact liquid coolers utilizing recirculating water or a media to promote evaporation shall not be
used.

F INSTALLATION

F1 Air Supply

F1.1 Air supply shall be taken from a clean space or from relatively clean and properly protected outer air and
shall pass through a filter upstream from the equipment. This filter shall be protected from weather,
drainage, water, product spillage, and physical damage.

F1.2 Filters shall be installed so all the air must pass through it.

F1.3 Filters shall be installed so that they are easily accessible for inspection and the filter media are easily
removable for cleaning, maintenance, and replacement.

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F2 Ducts and Plenums

F2.1 Whenever possible, supply ducts and plenums shall be located in non-processing room areas with only air
outlets exposed to the processing environment.

F2.1.1 If the ducts and plenums are located in the attic, false ceiling, or false wall area, access shall be provided to
allow for entry to the attic, false ceiling or false wall area for inspection, cleaning, and maintenance.

F2.1.2 Ducts or plenums for environmental air in a processing area shall be installed and maintained as to facilitate
the cleaning of the equipment and all adjacent spaces. (See Clause B1, Ref. No. 2)

F2.1.3 Ducts shall be minimized. The use of a single supply duct and return grills with little or no ductwork shall
be applied when practical. The use of a single supply duct shall not be impeded by supports.

F3 Ducts, Support and Access

F3.1 Accessibility and inspection shall not be impeded by supports.

F3.2 Access ports shall be provided to allow easy access to the ductwork interior for inspection. They shall be
constructed in a manner that will prevent air entrance when closed. The use of sanitary hinges and easy
opening devices are recommended.

F3.3 Ducts and plenums shall be sufficiently supported to prevent sagging or buckling and shall have sufficient
support points to maintain the integrity of the duct joints and to minimize movement. Whenever possible,
rectangular ducts shall be sealed to the ceiling and wall. When a duct is supported from the ceiling,
sufficient space shall be allowed to clean the exterior top and sides of the duct. This criteria is not intended
to disallow the use of wire reinforced, flexible, ducts commonly used in air handling systems.

F3.4 Duct support materials shall be chosen to prevent galvanic action.

F4 Fans, Blowers and Motors

F4.1 Fans, motors, belt drives, and bearings shall be located before the last filter.

G AIR QUALITY

G1 Machinery and equipment used to supply environmental air to a food processing, packaging, or storage area
should meet the recommendations in Appendix I. If Appendix I does not list an area, apply the values for a
similar area.

G2 In order for a environmental air system to properly function, the facility must be constructed and sealed to
minimize the entry of unfiltered air.

G2.1 Fans, grilles, and louvers shall be constructed to prevent the passage of unwanted material and vermin.

G3 Common areas with multiple process functions shall use the standards for the process requiring the most
stringent air quality.

Note: Appendix J provides recommendations for the filter types to be used in HVAC systems.

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APPENDIX

H SECURITY AND SAFETY MEASURES

H1 Outside air inlets and return air should be safeguarded against tampering by one or more of the following:
alarms to detect mist, aerosol, and dust ingress and unauthorized opening or intrusion. Automatic shutdown
should occur if tampering occurs.

H2 With regards to general safety, all OSHA regulations (29 CFR 1900-2499) should be followed.

I PLANT HVAC AIR QUALITY RECOMMENDATIONS

I1 Air outlets should not be positioned directly above or under open processing and storage equipment or
machinery, fillers, unwrapped product, and open containers.

I2 HVAC air quality is dependent on many factors. This appendix contains the minimum filter efficiency
requirements to obtain the desired material removal. Plants should adapt these to their individual
requirements. (See Clause G1).

I3 Another source for information is the Dairy Practice Council (DPC) 13, Guidelines for Environmental Air
Quality Control for Dairy Food Plants.

I4 Room filtration efficiencies recommendations

1. Milk and milk product processing area,  25% at 3.0 m (MERV8)
2. Silo tank area,  25% at 3.0 m (MERV8)
3. Non-aseptic liquid,  90% at 1.0 m (MERV14)
4. ESL, aseptic,  99.97% at 0.3 m, laminar flow (MERV18)
5. Cheese processing,  90% at 1.0 m (MERV14)
6. Cheese wrapping,  90% at 1.0 m (MERV14)
7. Dry milk products,  90% at 1.0 m (MERV14)
8. Culture room, 99.97% at 0.3 m (MERV18)
9. Frozen dessert freezing,  90% at 1.0 m (MERV14)
10. Frozen dessert packaging,  90% at 1.0 m (MERV14)
11. Egg processing,  90% at 1.0 m (MERV14)
12. Product contact packaging storage,  25% at 3.0 m (MERV8)

J FILTER TYPES

J1 Super Interception (Ultra-High Efficiency) – 99.97 to 99.99% @ 0.3 Micron (MERV 18): These filters are
usually composed of fine compressed glass fibers, composite beds of glass wool, or cellulose and fiber
paper, as the filtering media is folded back and forth over corrugated spacers. When tested on the
Dioctylphthalate (DOP) test with a 0.3 micron particle size, these filters have an efficiency of 99.97% to
99.99%. The filter media is carefully sealed into a wood or particle board, or metal frame, which in turn is
sealed into the duct system or to other cells in the filter bank. These filters should be used where bacteria,
mold and yeast contamination is to be controlled. For those cases where even the smallest organisms must
be removed, these super interception filters are the ones to use.

These high efficiency particle attenuation (HEPA) or “absolute” filters have a higher resistance to air flow
than the lesser efficiency filters and, therefore, must be discarded when they become loaded. Although
they are excellent for removing all particles down to a least 1 micron or less, it is certainly uneconomical to

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use them alone to remove large quantities of dust and other particles larger than 5 to 10 microns in
diameter. The use of roughing filters, such as single use or cleanables, ahead of these filters places the bulk
of the loading on the less expensive filters, thereby extending the life of these ultra-high efficiency filters
and reducing total operating costs.

J2 Interception (High Efficiency) – 90 to 95% @ 1.0 Micron (MERV14): These filters are composed of glass
fibers or a good grade of paper fibers. The fibers are larger and less compacted than in the super
interception filters and therefore, carry a lighter loading. High air flow capacity is achieved by pleating or
by the formation of deep pockets. These high efficiency filters, available in various depths and sizes, have
an efficiency range of 90% to 95% on the ASHRAE test (see B1, Ref. No. 3) and are also used where
bacteria, mold and yeast contamination is a problem. The use of roughing filters as pre-filters to these high
efficiency filters is also highly recommended.

J3 Electrostatic (High Efficiency) – 85 to 90% @ 1.0 Micron (MERV 13): These filters are made up of two
sections: first is the ionizing section where the particles are charged positive and, second is the plate
section which is charged negative and upon which the charged particles are collected. These filters have an
efficiency range of 85 to 90% on the ASHRAE test (see B1, Ref. No. 3) and may be used where mold and
yeast contamination are likely to create a problem. These filters are most always combined with a roll-type
roughing filter located directly behind the electrostatic sections. As the charged particles build up on the
collector plates, they are swept off by the air stream and carried onto the automatically operated fiberglass
roll.

J4 Interception (High Efficiency) – 80 to 85% @ 1.0 to 3.0 Micron (MERV 13): These filters are similar to
those described under Paragraph J2 above, but are constructed with fibers that are not as compact and
consequently, have a lower efficiency of 80-85%. Capacity is achieved by pleating or the formation of deep
pockets. These filters have an efficiency range to 80 to 85% on the ASHRAE test (see B1, Ref. No. 3) and
may be used where mold and yeast contamination are likely to create a problem. The use of roughing
filters as pre-filters to these high efficiency filters is also highly recommended.

J5 Interception (Medium Efficiency) 60 to 65% @ 1.0 to 3.0 Micron (MERV 11): These filters are similar to
those described in J2 and J4 above, but again, because of the less compactness of the filter media, these
filters have a lower efficiency and a lower pressure drop. These filters have an efficiency range of 60 to
65% based on the ASHRAE test (see B1, Ref. No. 3) and are known as medium efficiency filters. Since
their physical shapes and sizes are usually identical to those in J2 and J4 above, they may be readily
interchanged with each other and the efficiency of the system increased or decreased, as desired. Roughing
type pre-filters are generally omitted for these filters.

J6 Interception (Low to Medium Efficiency) 25 to 35% @ 3.0 to 10 Micron (MERV 8): These filters
generally consists of glass fibers or a good grade of paper fiber. Sometimes a double layer of fire resistant
modified acrylic fiber or pleated paper is used in conjunction with replaceable cartridges. These filters
have and efficiency range of 25 to 35% on the ASHRAE test (see B1, Ref. No. 3) and are generally used
where freedom from rather large particles is desired and relatively clean air is required without a large
reduction in air flow. At times they are also used as pre-filters on high efficiency filters.

J7 Impingement (Low Efficiency) 8 to 12% @ 3.0 to 10 Micron (MERV 6): These filters, known as
“roughing” type filters, are the viscous-coated or cleanable type composed of woven metal screens or
loosely packed fibers of glass, wool or synthetics. These screens and fibers are frequently coated with
adhesive, usually an oil, which aids in retaining trapped particles. In most instances, they are constructed
for indefinite use and can be cleaned and re-oiled when they become loaded. These filters have and
efficiency range of 8 to 12% on the ASHRAE test (see B1, Ref. No. 3) and they are used mainly as pre-
filters before the higher efficiency type filters, and/or where the bulk of large airborne particles in the air
are to be removed.

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J8 Impingement (Low Efficiency) 8 to 12% @ 3.0 to 10 Micron (MERV 5): These filters, known as
“roughing” type filters, are similar to those described under Type J7 above, except they are the dry or
“throw-away” type filter. They are composed of fiberglass, paper, cotton batting, etc., and usually come in
throw-away type frames or in rolls suitable for automatic feeding. These filters have and efficiency range
of 8 to 12% on the ASHRAE test (see B1, Ref. No. 3) and since they cannot be re-cleaned, must be
discarded when they become loaded. The throw-away type frames and rolls have been used as pre-filters
for the higher efficiency type filters and/or where the bulk of large airborne particles are to be removed. In
addition, the throw-away type rolls have been used as final filters in combination with electrostatic filters.

J9 Filter Efficiency

J9.1 Filter efficiency requirements are based on the size of the target microorganisms to be prevented from
entering the area designated in Appendix I. Percent efficiency is the percent of particles at the specific
micron size which will be retained on the filter. The following criteria should be used to determine
appropriate filter types per product type and production area:

J9.1.1 To minimize extraneous material, debris and dust, a final filter with an efficiency of at least 25% at 3 to 10
micron will be utilized (MERV 8).

J9.1.2 To minimize yeasts, the following final filter efficiency should be utilized: 60 – 65% at 1 micron, which is
equivalent to 86% at 2 microns, which is equivalent to 95% at 3 microns (MERV 11).

J9.1.3 To eliminate yeasts (size 3 – 15 microns), the following final filter efficiency should be utilized: 80 – 85%
at 1 micron, which is equivalent to 96% at 2 microns, which is equivalent to 99% at 3 microns (MERV13).

J9.1.4 To eliminate molds (size 2 – 20 microns) and yeasts (size 3 – 15 microns), the following final filter
efficiency should be utilized: 90 – 95% at 1 micron, which is equivalent to 99% at 2 microns, which is
equivalent to 99.5% at 3 microns (MERV14).

J9.1.5 To eliminate bacteria (size 0.3 – 0.9 microns), molds (size 2 - 20 microns) and yeasts (size 3 – 15 microns),
a final filter with an efficiency of 99.97 to 99.99% at 0.3 microns (absolute, HEPA filter, MERV 18) should
be utilized.