A clean room is a defined area in which the concentration of airborne particles is controlled.
These spaces are constructed to minimise the introduction, production and retention of polluting particles within them.
Contamination of products by dust, mould and airborne particles reduces their quality and shelf life.

Protecting products from contamination by harmful airborne parts means avoiding contact with the air itself.
This is not possible at all stages of production and at the same time is extremely difficult.
However, the concept of protection can be interpreted in a different way: not to isolate the product from the environment, but instead to place it in a high quality environment with controlled hygiene conditions and particularly clean air to promote product protection.

The following are the main causes of air pollution:

1. Humans are the main vector of infection.
   With a small movement they can release several million particles of various sizes.
2. Products, especially when packaged or when left in an environment with dust, etc.
3. Production machinery and fluids (equipment with open drains, lubricating oils, condensation drops, drains without traps, etc.);
4. Poor production, cleaning and disinfection procedures;
5. Biological contamination through mould and bacteria present in the air.

A key feature of clean rooms is that they are often enclosed in areas of limited size that are optimised for production requirements.
Air distribution within a clean room can be implemented in different ways and this, together with the different degrees of filtration, determines the level of protection from product contamination.

The most important environmental parameters are those that must be kept under control for product quality, packaging and material waste, energy consumption, machine functionality and, finally, worker comfort.
These parameters are:

1. Temperature and humidity
2. Differential pressures
3. Lighting
4. Noise and vibration