POLLUTANT
ABSORPTION SYSTEM

Everyone’s familiar with outside air pollution, emitted from car exhausts and factories; but most of us aren’t aware of the harmful pollution inside our homes. Toxins given off from everyday items you wouldn’t expect, like furniture, air fresheners, scented candles and even our four-legged friends.

The Pollutant Absorption System was created to help combat this, by highlighting the air purifying power of common house plants. The free-to-use system identifies which of the 5 key toxins each plant can help remove from the home enabling consumers to make better informed choices when shopping for houseplants.

The Pollutant Absorption System is available to download by all plant retailers, nurseries & horticulturalists so that it can be integrated into labelling, point-of-sale and communications.

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BACKGROUND TO THE SCIENCE

Did you know the air inside the home can be up to 5x more polluted than the air outside, with toxins coming off every day items like paint, cleaning products and scented candles.

The NASA Clean Air Study was a project led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in association with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) in 1989, to research ways to clean the air in for the astronauts living in the International Space Station. They found that in addition to absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen through photosynthesis, certain common indoor plants provide a natural way of removing volatile organic pollutants found in the air.

Working with the lead botanist at Oxford University, Chris Thorogood, we’ve reimagined this data to create something entirely new. Introducing the Pollutant Absorption System - a simple and intuitive design that breaks down all of the complex science into an easy-to-understand key that categorises everyday houseplants in order of their pollution absorbing properties.

In the same way the Energy Rating System ranks the energy efficiency of household appliances, the Pollutant Absorption System ranks the pollution-absorbing efficacy of houseplants. This system is free-to-use and completely open source - simply download the relevant system(s) below.

The toxins

  • Benzene is a ring-shaped molecule that's known to be harmful to health. It's found in petroleum products, and it's used to make lots of everyday materials such as plastics and synthetic fibres. Small amounts of it are found in the smoke and vapour from traditional and e-cigarettes, as well as in the smoke that's given off when you burn candles.

  • Formaldehyde is an excellent preservative, which means it prevents things from rotting. Exposure to too much of it can have negative health effects. It's particularly used to make building materials, especially pressed-wood materials like plywood, and it also turns up in glues, insulation materials, cigarette smoke and some types of hair products.

  • Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a solvent, which means it's used to dissolve other things. Regular exposure over a long period of time has been linked to some serious health conditions. In the home, it's mostly found in glues, varnishes, paint and stain removers, as well as in cigarette smoke.

  • Xylene is chemically similar to benzene, and exposure to too much of it is linked to various health conditions. In the home, it's found in paints and varnishes, and it may also be present in some pesticide products such as flea sprays. It's also found in the smoke and vapour from cigarettes and e-cigarettes.

  • Ammonia is an alkaline chemical that's known to be irritating to your skin and lungs. It's used in cleaning products because it's good at breaking down grease, and because it evaporates quickly, leaving surfaces streak-free. Unfortunately, that also means it ends up in the air. It's also found in some hair dyes and hair straightening mixtures.

How the system works

The Pollutant Absorption System displays the 5 main toxins that are found in the air in our homes - Ammonia (Am), Xylene (Xy), Benzene (Bz), Formaldehyde (Fh) and Trichloroethylene (Tr) - and the everyday items that give them off. If the Hexagon is filled it indicates that the plant has the power to help remove it from the air. The system can be displayed on a simple ‘push in’ tag planted in the soil, stickers applied to the back of pots or alternatively, integrated within existing designs.

meet the plants

ALOE VERA

  • Aloe vera is a succulent plant species of the genus Aloe. An evergreen perennial, it originates from the Arabian Peninsula, but grows wild in tropical, semi-tropical, and arid climates around the world.

  • The Aloe Vera plant can help remove Benzene and Formaldehyde from the air.

ARECA PALM
Dypsis Lutescens

  • Dypsis Lutescens, also known as Golden Cane Palm, Areca Palm, Yellow Palm, Butterfly Palm, or Bamboo Palm, is a species of flowering plant in the family Arecaceae, native to Madagascar.

  • The Areca Palm can help remove Formaldehyde and Xylene from the air.

BAmboo palm
Chamaedorea Seifrizii

  • Chamaedorea seifrizii is a species of palm referred to as bamboo palm, parlor palm, or reed palm. It is a subtropical palm that grows up to 20 feet tall, and is commonly used as a houseplant. The evergreen leaves are pinnately divided, and yellow flowers are borne on a panicle. The fruit are small, round, and black.

  • The Bamboo Palm can help remove Benzene, Formaldehyde, Trichloroethylene and Xylene from the air.

BAnana
Musa Acuminata

  • Musa Acuminata is a species of banana native to Southern Asia, its range comprising the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Many of the modern edible dessert bananas are from this species, although some are hybrids with Musa balbisiana.

  • The Banana Plant It can help remove Formaldehyde from the air.

Barberton daisy
Gerbera Jamesonii

  • Gerbera Jamesonii is a species of flowering plant in the genus Gerbera belonging to the basal Mutisieae tribe within the large Asteraceae family. It is indigenous to South Eastern Africa and commonly known as the Barberton daisy, the Transvaal daisy, and as Barbertonse madeliefie or Rooigousblom in Afrikaans.

  • The Barberton Daisy It can help remove Benzene, Formaldehyde and Trichloroethylene from the air.

boston fern
Nephrolepis Exaltata

  • Nephrolepis Exaltata, known as the sword fern or Boston fern, is a species of fern in the family Lomariopsidaceae. It is native to the Americas. This evergreen plant can reach as high as 40–90 centimetres, and in extreme cases up to 1.5 metres.

  • The Boston Fern It can help remove Formaldehyde and Xylene from the air.

Chinese evergreen
Aglaonema Modestum

  • Aglaonema is a genus of flowering plants in the arum family, Araceae. They are native to tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and New Guinea. They are known commonly as Chinese evergreens.

  • The Chinese Evergreen can help remove Benzene and Formaldehyde from the air.

Cornstalk draceania
Dracaena Fragrans

  • Dracaena fragrans, is a flowering plant species that is native throughout tropical Africa, from Sudan south to Mozambique, west to Côte d'Ivoire and southwest to Angola, growing in upland regions at 600–2,250 m altitude. It is also known as striped dracaena, compact dracaena, and corn plant.

  • The Cornstalk Draceania can help remove Benzene, Formaldehyde, Trichloroethylene and Xylene from the air.

croton plants
Codiaeum Variegatum

  • Croton is an extensive flowering plant genus in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. The plants of this genus were described and introduced to Europeans by Georg Eberhard Rumphius. The common names for this genus are rushfoil and croton, but the latter also refers to Codiaeum variegatum.

  • The Croton Plant can help remove Benzene and Trichloroethylene from the air.

dendrobium orchids
Dendrobium spp.

  • Dendrobium is a genus of mostly epiphytic and lithophytic orchids in the family Orchidaceae. It is a very large genus, containing more than 1,800 species that are found in diverse habitats throughout much of south, east and southeast Asia, including China, Japan, India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, New Guinea, Vietnam and many of the islands of the Pacific.

  • Orchids can help remove Formaldehyde and Xylene from the air.

devil’s ivy/pothos plants
Epipremnum Aureum

  • The plant has a number of common names including golden pothos, Ceylon creeper, hunter's robe, ivy arum, house plant, money plant, silver vine, Solomon Islands ivy, marble queen, and taro vine. It is also called devil's vine or devil's ivy because it is almost impossible to kill and it stays green even when kept in the dark.

  • Pothos plants can help remove Benzene, Formaldehyde, Trichloroethylene and Xylene from the air.

dumb canes
Dieffenbachia spp.

  • Dieffenbachia, commonly known as dumb cane or leopard lily, is a genus of tropical flowering plants in the family Araceae. It is native to the New World Tropics from Mexico and the West Indies south to Argentina.

  • Dumb Canes can help remove Formaldehyde and Xylene from the air.

dwarf date palm
Phoenix Roebelenii

  • Phoenix roebelenii, with common names of dwarf date palm, pygmy date palm, miniature date palm or robellini palm, is a species of date palm native to southeastern Asia, from southwestern China, northern Laos and northern Vietnam.

  • The Dwarf Date Palm can help remove Formaldehyde and Xylene from the air.

elephant ear Philodendron
Philodendron Domesticum

  • Philodendron domesticum, also called the spadeleaf philodendron, the elephant ear philodendron, or burgundy philodendron, is a plant in the genus Philodendron. Its arrow-shaped glossy leaves grow to be 22 inches long and 9 inches wide when mature.

  • Elephant Ear’s can help remove Formaldehyde from the air.

ENglish ivy
Hedera Helix

  • Hedera helix, the common ivy, English ivy, European ivy, or just ivy, is a species of flowering plant of the ivy genus in the family Araliaceae, native to most of Europe and western Asia.

  • English Ivy can help remove Benzene, Formaldehyde, Trichloroethylene and Xylene from the air.

ferns & lycophides
Pteridophyte

  • Ferns and Lycophytes are two groups of vascular plants without wood, seeds or flowers. They are both ancient groups of plants that reproduce with spores.

  • Ferns & Lycophides can help remove Formaldehyde from the air.

fiddle-leaf fig
Ficus Lyrata

  • Ficus lyrata, commonly known as the fiddle-leaf fig, is a species of flowering plant in the mulberry and fig family Moraceae. It is native to western Africa, from Cameroon west to Sierra Leone, where it grows in lowland tropical rainforest. It can grow up to 12–15 m tall.

  • The Fiddle-leaf Fig can help remove Benzene, Formaldehyde and Ammonia from the air.

flamingo lily
Anthurium Andraeanum

  • Anthurium, also known as the flamingo flower, flamingo lily, boy flower, oilcloth flower or laceleaf, is an exotic-looking indoor plant with a red flower, and large, glossy leaves. Its name is derived from two Greek words, anthos (flower) and oura (tail), hence another of its common names, tail flower.

  • The Flamingo Lily can help remove Formaldehyde, Xylene and Ammonia from the air.

florists CHRYSANTHEMUM
Chrysanthemum Morifolium

  • Florist Chrysanthemum has big, beautiful flowers crowning a mass of dark-green foliage. This is a member of the Asteraceae family, along with daisies, sunflowers and marigolds.

    Chrysanthemum gets its name from the Greek words chryos, meaning gold, and anthemom, meaning flower. These "golden flowers" are now available in shades of pink, purple, red, burgundy, white, and yes -- golden yellow.

  • Chrysanthemum’s can help remove Benzene, Formaldehyde, Trichloroethylene and Xylene from the air.

Heartleaf Philodendron
Philodendron Cordatum

  • This Philodendron is native to the West Indies and the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. Unlike the other trailing philodendron species, this one has a different growing habit. It grows compact and upright, producing generous sizes of leaves that everyone can enjoy. It looks a lot better when potted.

  • Heartleaf Philodendron’s can help remove Formaldehyde from the air.

imperial green
Philodendron erubescens

  • Philodendron erubescens, the blushing philodendron or red-leaf philodendron, is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae, native to Colombia. It is a robust evergreen climber growing to 3–6 m, with red stems and heart-shaped leaves up to 40 cm in length.

  • The Imperial Green can help remove Benzeme and Formaldehyde from the air.

janet craig
Dracaena Fragrans

  • Dracaena fragrans, is a flowering plant species that is native throughout tropical Africa, from Sudan south to Mozambique, west to Côte d'Ivoire and southwest to Angola, growing in upland regions at 600–2,250 m altitude. It is also known as striped dracaena, compact dracaena, and corn plant.

  • The Janet Craig can help remove Benzene, Formaldehyde, Trichloroethylene and Xylene from the air.

kentia palm
Howea Forsteriana

  • Howea forsteriana, the Kentia palm, thatch palm or palm court palm, is a species of flowering plant in the palm family, Arecaceae, endemic to Lord Howe Island in Australia. It is also widely grown on Norfolk Island. It is a relatively slow-growing palm, eventually growing up to 10 m tall by 6 m wide.

  • The Kentia Palm can help remove Formaldehyde and Ammonia from the air.

kimberly queen fern
Nephrolepis Obliterata

  • The Kimberley Queen fern, or Nephrolepis Obliterata, is a lush evergreen plant characterised by its large, gracefully arching, sword-shaped fronds. These ferns can be successfully grown outdoors in warm regions, as container plants that are overwintered indoors or as completely indoor houseplants. The Kimberley queen fern is an indigenous Australian species.

  • The Kimberley Queen Fern can help remove Xylene and Formaldehyde from the air.

king of hearts
Homalomena Wallisii

  • Adelonema wallisii is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae native to Venezuela, Colombia, and Panama. It reaches about 6" in height but with a much wider spread

  • The King of Hearts can help remove Xylene and Formaldehyde from the air.

lady paLm
Rhapis Excelsa

  • Rhapis excelsa, also known as broadleaf lady palm or bamboo palm, is a species of fan palm in the genus Rhapis, probably native to southern China and Taiwan. It is not known in the wild; all known plants come from cultivated groups in China.

  • The Lady Palm can help remove all 5 toxins found in the home.

money tree
Pachira Aquatica

  • Pachira aquatica is a tropical wetland tree in the mallow family Malvaceae, native to Central and South America where it grows in swamps.

  • The Money Tree can help remove Benzene and Formaldehyde from the air.

moth orchid
Phalaenopsis spp.

  • Phalaenopsis, or moth orchids, are the most popular indoor orchids, with exotic, long-lasting flowers. They are easy to look after and grow well in centrally heated rooms.

  • Moth Orchids can help remove Xylene and Formaldehyde from the air.

parlour palm
Chamaedorea Elegans

  • Chamaedorea elegans, the neanthe bella palm or parlour palm, is a species of small palm tree native to the rainforests in Southern Mexico and Guatemala. The parlor palm is one of the most extensively sold houseplant palms in the world.

  • Parlour Palms can help remove all 5 of the key toxins found in the home.

peace lily
Spathiphyllum 'Mauna Loa'

  • Spathiphyllum is a genus of about 47 species of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to tropical regions of the Americas and southeastern Asia. Certain species of Spathiphyllum are commonly known as spath or peace lilies.

  • The Peace Lily can help remove all 5 of the key toxins found in the home.

prayer plant
Maranta leuconeur

  • Maranta leuconeura, also known as prayer plant, is a species of flowering plant in the family Marantaceae, native to the Brazilian tropical forests. It is a variable, rhizomatous perennial, growing to 30 cm tall and broad, with crowded clumps of evergreen, strikingly-marked oval leaves, each up to 12 cm long.

  • The Prayer Plant can help remove Benzene and Trichloroethylene from the air.

red-edged dracaena
Dracaena Marginata

  • Dracaena marginata, or the dragon tree, is a house plant that has elegant long, thin leaves with red edges. The lower leaves gradually fall away to reveal a thin trunk. The dragon tree looks good on its own and is also useful for providing height among a group of houseplants.

  • The Red-edged Dracaena can help remove Benzene, Formaldehyde, Trichloroethylene and Xylene from the air.

rubber plant
Ficus Elastica

  • Ficus elastica, the rubber fig, rubber bush, rubber tree, rubber plant, or Indian rubber bush, Indian rubber tree, is a species of flowering plant in the family Moraceae, native to eastern parts of South and Southeast Asia. It has become naturalized in Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and the US state of Florida.

  • Rubber Plants can help remove Formaldehyde from the air.

Selloum Philodendron Philodendron Bipinnatifidum

  • Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum is a plant in the genus Thaumatophyllum, in the family Araceae. Previously it was classified in the genus Philodendron within subgenus Meconostigma. The commonly used names Philodendron bipinnatifidum and Philodendron selloanum are synonyms.

  • Selloum Philodendron’s can help remove Formaldehyde from the air.

spider plant
Chlorophytum Comosum

  • Chlorophytum comosum, usually called spider plant or common spider plant due to its spider-like look, also known as spider ivy, ribbon plant, and hen and chickens is a species of evergreen perennial flowering plant of the family Asparagaceae

  • The Spider Plant can help remove Xylene and Formaldehyde from the air.

variated snake plant
Sansevieria Trifasciata 'Laurentii'

  • Dracaena trifasciata is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to tropical West Africa from Nigeria east to the Congo. It is most commonly known as the snake plant, Saint George's sword, mother-in-law's tongue, and viper's bowstring hemp, among other names.

  • The Snake Plant can help remove Benzene, Formaldehyde, Trichloroethylene and Xylene from the air.

warnecki
Dracaena Deremensis 'Warneckei'

  • Dracaena deremensis warneckei is a fabulous, easy care, statement plant with it's lance shaped leaves of white lines and shades of green. Ideal for offices with fluorescent lighting.

  • The Warnecki can help remove Benzene, Formaldehyde, Trichloroethylene and Xylene from the air.

weeping fig
Ficus Benjamina

  • Ficus benjamina, commonly known as weeping fig, benjamin fig or ficus tree, and often sold in stores as just ficus, is a species of flowering plant in the family Moraceae, native to Asia and Australia. It is the official tree of Bangkok.

  • The Weeping Fig can help remove Xylene and Formaldehyde from the air.

widow’s thrill
Kalanchoe

  • Kalanchoe KAL-ən-KOH-ee, also written Kalanchöe or Kalanchoë, is a genus of about 125 species of tropical, succulent plants in the stonecrop family Crassulaceae, mainly native to Madagascar and tropical Africa.

  • Widow’s Thrill can help remove Formaldehyde and Xylene from the air.

xanadu, Cut-leaf Philodendron
Philodendron Winterbourn

  • 'Winterbourn' is a hybrid philodendron selection that features a dark red spathe and a dense, compact, spreading to mounding habit. This cultivar was grown from seed collected from a specimen of Philodendron bipinnatifidum, but its exact parentage is not known. Mature plants can reach up to 4' tall with a 5' spread.

  • The Xandu plant can help remove Benzene and Formaldehyde from the air.

zanzibar gem
Zamioculcas zamiifolia

  • Zamioculcas is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae, containing the single species Zamioculcas zamiifolia. It is a tropical perennial plant, native to eastern Africa, from southern Kenya to northeastern South Africa.

  • The Zanzibar Gem can help remove Benzene & Formaldehyde from the air.