As reported by CCTV News, consumer associations in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei regions conducted an inspection on 50 portable formaldehyde detectors available on e-commerce platforms. These detectors, priced between 29 yuan and 3400 yuan, all fell short when it came to accurately measuring formaldehyde concentrations. Despite their claims of having a minimal error margin of just 0.0001 and the ability to measure TVOC, PM2.5, and other parameters, these products performed poorly. In simulated environments with elevated formaldehyde levels, the readings from these detectors varied significantly, with the maximum deviation reaching 237.7% and the maximum repeatability error at 109.5%. Moreover, these detectors were highly susceptible to temperature and humidity fluctuations, rendering their readings unreliable for making informed judgments.

Furthermore, some formaldehyde removal devices employed ozone to eliminate formaldehyde. However, the concentration of ozone emitted by these devices exceeded the standard levels by more than 90 times, posing a potential risk of respiratory diseases and other health hazards.

The consumer associations highlighted the lack of standardized regulations in the formaldehyde detector industry, with corporate standards varying widely. Out of the 50 samples inspected, 18 failed to specify the standards they adhered to, while 32 followed their own corporate standards, indicating a tendency towards exaggerated claims.