In their zeal to ban cigarettes in public, including from bars and gaming establishments, anti-smoking advocates have refused to consider the obvious--that modern technology is available to clear the air in hospitality establishments.
Several companies are marketing air cleaning equipment that they say will help owners of bars and casinos accommodate both their smoking and non-smoking customers.
Despite the inflexible position taken by anti-smoking groups, public opinion surveys that use scientific methods have consistently shown that the public supports the notion that both smokers and non-smokers can be accommodated in hospitality establishments. They also believe that most smoking issues can be resolved when business owners install good ventilation systems.
Do they work?
Mike Cetraro, who with his family is engaged in several hospitality enterprises in Montana, said he has installed state-of-the-art air cleaning systems in all his establishments. And even though smoking has been prohibited in bars and casinos in Helena, he says the air is no cleaner than it was before the ban because of the equipment.
Moreover, some municipalities in Montana, such as Missoula, grandfathered for a time new hospitality businesses from their smoking restrictions as long as they install separated ventilation areas.
According to Dennis Barringer, chief executive officer of Clean Air Systems Inc. which markets a product manufactured by Honeywell, the systems that work are easy to install and are relatively inexpensive.
"A sixth grader could install one," he said, pointing out that most of the units are self contained.
Cost of the equipment would depend on the square footage of the business. But, Barringer, whose company has installed clean air systems in casinos as large as 100,000 square feet, estimated a range of from $1,500 to $20,000.
"You can't smell the smoke; you can't see the smoke, and it's not in your clothes," he said.
Aside from the claims of anti-smoking advocates, he said cleaner air may even draw more non-smokers into bars and casinos.
Air quality consultants advise that any indoor air quality equipment follow three principles:
--Supply outdoor air to reduce the concentration of particles and odors generated indoors. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers recommends the minimum amount of outdoor air in certain spaces and should be consulted.
Outdoor air plays an important role in reducing the amount of smoke particles in a space by providing fresh air to dilute particles and odors to help maintain a comfortable environment.
--Control air movement by supplying air over non-smoking areas and removing air over smoking areas. Keeping the air moving from the non-smoking areas to the smoking areas minimizes the drift of smoke into non-smoking sections.
According to United Air Specialists of Cincinnati, Ohio, the costs of implementing directional air flow usually are minimal because all that is required is the rearrangement of seating and redesignating of smoking and non-smoking areas. The company said the installation may also involve the relocation of exhaust and supply vents.
To achieve high quality filtration, a minimum efficiency rating of 65 percent is reguired. However, filters rated above 95 percent can offer an economic payback by, in addition to improving the quality of indoor air, reducing housekeeping and maintenance costs.
Owners of businesses who are contemplating installing equipment should contact an air cleaning professional to answer questions about which equipment to select, what type of unit best suits the establishment's needs, how many units should be installed and how to maintain the system.
The types of equipment designed to help accommodate both smokers and non-smokers include energy recovery ventilators and air cleaning systems.
Energy recovery ventilators extract the energy value from the air before it is exhausted and use that energy to precondition outdoor air before it enters the building. A variety of air cleaning system technologies are available including electrostatic precipitator units, media units and filters.
Experts from United Air Specialists recommend that you evaluate how well a particular technology removes the airborne particles found in a specific venue and how effective it is in removing odors.
Energy usage, filter replacement, maintenance costs and any health-related dangers of a specific method also should be evaluated.
According to Courtney Dodson of Burson-Marsteller, an air cleaning consulting firm in Chicago, ventilation systems will, not only help you accommodate all your guests, but will result in reduced housekeeping and maintenance costs and energy savings.
"We believe that the decision about accommodating non-smokers and smokers should be left up to the business owner--not the government," said Dodson, who spoke at the Montana Tavern Association Convention in 1999--the year the first smoking restrictions in Montana went into effect.
"Bars and taverns provide a unique social setting. Bans are not a realistic solution."
Source: Extra,
a special supplement to The Montana Tavern Times,
Dec., 2002, published monthly by Continental Communications, 125 W. Granite St., Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.