Why purified air should be a non-negotiable in aged care
Last updated on 26 November 2025
Infection control has never been more critical for Australian aged care providers. With COVID-19 outbreaks persisting and deaths in Australian residential aged care facilities more than doubling in the past two-and-a-half years compared to the peak of the pandemic, the sector faces intense scrutiny.
The Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards (ACQS), place unprecedented accountability on boards and executives for infection prevention, environmental safety and workforce wellbeing. Standard 4 (The Environment) mandates a “clean, safe and comfortable” setting with robust infection control systems, while Standard 2 (The Organisation) demands risk management, quality culture and emergency preparedness.
Yet many facilities rely heavily on surface cleaning and personal protective equipment (PPE) practices that, while essential, leave significant gaps in addressing airborne transmission, the primary driver of outbreaks in shared spaces.
Aripure, distributor of Pyure Dynamic Protection® technology, provides a low-maintenance, energy-efficient option that sanitises air and surfaces in occupied spaces. This supports compliance with Strengthened ACQS Standards 2 and 4. Aripure systems generate hydroxyls and oxidants at safe levels to replicate natural outdoor air purification indoors, reducing air and surface pathogens, mould spores and odours without relying on staff actions and compliance.
Closing the gaps in traditional infection control
Surface cleaning and PPE form the basis of infection prevention and control, though they have limitations against airborne threats. Manual surface cleaning can be inconsistent, with staff sometimes using contaminated cloths or mops that spread pathogens rather than remove them. The chemicals involved may release fumes that affect elderly residents and staff and particularly those with respiratory issues.
PPE relies on proper use for effectiveness. Incorrect mask wearing or inadequate hand hygiene can reduce its benefits, and process fatigue in busy settings often leads to lapses.
Airborne pathogens spread through HVAC systems or room air, settling on surfaces and accelerating outbreaks. HEPA filters capture particles but need air to pass through them, do not kill live pathogens (which stay active in filters), and can overload HVAC systems, making HEPA filters unsuitable for many existing installations. Traditional UV systems deactivate only those pathogens that pass close and slowly enough, neglecting room air, surfaces and HVAC internals where mould grows in moist areas.
Aripure addresses these issues with active technology. It can be installed in ducted HVAC or as portable or wall-mounted units, diffusing hydroxyls to reduce over 99 per cent of airborne SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19 virus) in 20 minutes and reach undetectable levels in 80 minutes, based on independent lab tests. On surfaces, it achieves 99 per cent reduction in one hour and over 99.999 per cent in two hours. As a passive system, Aripure works continuously without staff input, complimenting existing cleaning and PPE measures.
Direct alignment with ACQS compliance
Aripure aligns with key ACQS outcomes, helping CEOs and managers show risk reduction in audits:
- Standard 2: The Organisation
- Outcome 2.4 (Risk management): Strategies to prevent pathogen transmission (2.4.2). Aripure mitigates operational risks like outbreaks, reducing staff absenteeism (2.8.1f) and supporting workforce satisfaction (2.8.2).
- Outcome 2.2 (Quality culture): Prioritises worker health (2.2.2a); addresses legislative risks (2.2.2d).
- Outcome 2.10 (Emergency management): Pre-emptive outbreak control (2.10.2).
- Standard 4: The Environment
- Outcome 4.2 (Infection prevention and control): Implements standard/transmission-based precautions (4.2.1d) and responds to novel viruses (4.2.1g). Aripure has demonstrated efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens such as RSV and Influenza.
- Outcome 4.1b (Safe environment): Ensures routine cleaning/maintenance (4.1.1a) and sanitises equipment surfaces (4.1.3), extending to HVAC internals to prevent mould buildup.
In one 160-bed provider with Aripure in-duct systems, auditors noted the approach during recertification for addressing high-impact risks. Another large provider conducted microbial swabbing before and after installation to measure reductions, creating a compliance matrix for resident and staff outcomes.
Beyond sanitisation: Indoor air quality, mould and odour control
Aripure contributes to broader facility improvements. It supports indoor air quality in line with ASHRAE standards 62.1-2022 and 241-2023 through Aripure’s IAQ Calculator, which uses data on occupancy, airflow and energy costs to optimise ventilation and reduce volatile organic compounds. This can lead to capital and operational savings while maintaining compliance and quantifying returns on investment.
The system also targets mould by destroying air and surface spores, with lab tests showing over 99 per cent reduction in Aspergillus Niger (black mould) within 30 minutes in air and undetectable levels in 90 minutes. This is particularly useful in older buildings where damp HVAC coils can foster growth.
In addition, Aripure neutralises odours by breaking down organic compounds. A 60-bed home saw an immediate drop in facility odours after installing wall mounted units, and an asthmatic staff member reported better air quality. In dementia wards, it reduced persistent resident odours, improving the environment for residents, staff and visitors.
Low-maintenance, energy-efficient and cost-effective
Aged care providers often face budget constraints alongside sustainability goals. Aripure fits into existing HVAC systems without raising power use and sometimes allows for lower-grade filters to cut consumption further. Portable units operate quietly, powered from standard mains outlets.
Maintenance involves few consumables, mainly an annual replacement of the patented UV optic. For ducted installations in a typical 100-bed facility, costs are around $1.50 per resident per day on a budgetary basis. Options range from small-scale Pyure Mini units covering up to 50 square metres to full-facility sensor-controlled systems.
Proven outcomes in aged care
Facilities using Aripure have reported practical benefits. A 160-bed home with in-duct systems limited an influenza outbreak to the initial case and noted less COVID-19 spread. A 60-bed site without ducted HVAC installed wall-mounted Minis and observed odour reductions alongside staff comments about improved air quality with the facility smelling better.
Another multi-site provider tested portable systems over months, using microbiologist-led swabbing to confirm surface bacteria drops, leading to Aripure as their chosen solution. In an 80-bed home, units in resident rooms tackled urine and wound odours effectively, while a 200-bed site’s dementia ward saw ongoing common area improvements over a 12-month trial.
Supporting data from labs includes 99 per cent reduction in 30 minutes to over 99.999 per cent airborne bacteria reduction in 90 minutes and over 99.99 per cent surface reductions for E. coli and Salmonella in three hours.
The future of environmental safety
Environmental safety in aged care is likely to evolve towards greater emphasis on indoor air quality, with infection control as one aspect and general indoor air quality important for our elderly’s and support staff’s wellbeing.
Providers have a responsibility to offer safe settings for vulnerable residents, balancing fresh air provision with cost management. Technologies like Aripure can help achieve better living conditions while aiding in outbreak control and operational efficiency.
As accountability grows, such systems provide a way to meet standards and support long-term resilience in facilities.