NMCL’s most recent laboratory testing indicates that the Berkey Earth® Filtration Elements will initially reduce Fluoride up to 99.9%. Typically, filtration elements that reduce Fluoride begin to lose that ability rather quickly. This is the same case with Berkey Earth® Filtration Elements, as their efficiency at reducing Fluoride plays out long before the 3 year/3,000-gallon life of the element.
There are a number of filters on the market that utilize carbonized bone char (a media that NMCL purposely chooses not to utilize), and that make claims for Fluoride reduction. One major problem with such elements is that it takes a very large amount of media to reduce small amounts of Fluoride. Therefore, there is not enough media in such filters to reduce Fluoride effectively over the long term. For example, we have testing for a competitor’s 3-filter system that utilizes bone char for their Fluoride reduction claims and, as one would expect, those elements become quickly exhausted. Testing shows that their efficiency declines from 100% reduction to 81.4% reduction after filtering a mere 45 gallons. This is equivalent to only 15 gallons per element required to experience this dramatic decline in efficiency.
This same effect occurs with Berkey Earth® Filtration Elements after a few hundred gallons. For that reason NMCL developed a more durable and longer lasting solution for Fluoride reduction by creating the replaceable Berkey PF-4™ Fluoride reduction elements. The media in a set of four Berkey PF-4™ elements can reliably reduce Fluoride contaminants for up to 1,000 gallons, or six (6) months, whichever occurs first. This is less than the 3 years/3,000 gallon life of the Berkey Earth® Filtration Elements but again, that is why they were designed to be replaceable. This enables users to reliably reduce Fluoride contaminants from their water while taking full advantage of the 3 year/3,000 gallon life of their Berkey Earth® elements.
A set of four Berkey PF-4™ elements will reduce Fluoride for a total of 1,000 gallons or 6 months, before replacement is recommended. For those who are using only two Berkey Earth® Filtration Elements in their Berkey® system, a set of four Berkey PF-4™ elements will effectively remove Fluoride for one year. Two Berkey PF-4™ elements should be utilized for six months, and then should be replaced with the remaining two Berkey PF-4™ elements in the set.
Berkey Earth® Filtration Elements reduce a wide variety of potentially harmful contaminants, while the Berkey PF-4™ Post Filters reduce Fluoride and other contaminants such as arsenic and MTBE, some of which the Berkey Earth® Filtration Elements begin to miss after extended use.