APES 2013-2014INDOOR AIR

POLLUTION NOTES

INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

• The quality of indoor air can be two to five times (and even up to 100 times) more polluted than the worst outside air.

• Common symptoms of exposure to indoor air pollutants include headaches, tiredness, dizziness, nausea, itchy nose, and scratchy throat.

• More serious effects are asthma and other breathing disorders and cancer.

SOURCES OF INDOOR AIR

POLLUTANTS

COMBUSTION SOURCES: GAS, OIL, KEROSENE AND WOOD STOVES OR

FIREPLACES, TOBACCO SMOKE

BUILDING MATERIALS: INSULATION, CARPET, CABINETRY, PRESSED WOOD

PRODUCTS

CHEMICAL PRODUCTS: CLEANING PRODUCTS, PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS,

GLUES, PASTES

OUTDOOR SOURCES: RADON, PESTICIDES, POLLEN, OUTDOOR AIR

POLLUTION

OTHER: PET DANDER, DUST MITES, MOLD, VIRUS

RADON GAS

Can seep into buildings from the soil

Naturally-occurring radioactive gas that is a product of the radioactive decay chain from uranium to stable lead.

A variety of methods have been employed to keep the hot or cool air from escaping from our homes installing storm windows and insulationapplying caulk and weather-stripping to seal cracks and other openings

heating our homes with kerosene, wood, coal, and natural gas.

Unfortunately, when we trap in hot or cool air, we also trap in pollutants and sometimes generate more.

OVER THE YEARS, BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN MADE MORE AIRTIGHT TO

CONSERVE ENERGY.

Testing indoor air is not practical or affordable unless a specific pollutant (ex. radon) is suspected.

It is much more efficient to examine the home and review activities, furnishings, conditions, and recent changes to develop a list of likely pollutants.

IMPROVING INDOOR AIR QUALITY

The three most important methods of improving indoor air quality are

source removal (cleaning floor, using a dehumidifier, cutting down on synthetic fragrances, having hard floors instead of carpet, no candles/fireplaces)

air cleaning (keeping indoor plants—ex. Devil’s Ivy and Peace Lily, using an air purifier, checking and replacing air filters)

increased ventilation (opening windows).

EXPOSURE FACTS

Around 3 billion people cook and heat their homes using open fires and leaky stoves burning biomass (wood, animal dung and crop waste) and coal.

Nearly 2 million people die prematurely from illness attributable to indoor air pollution from household solid fuel use.

More than 1 million people a year die from chronic obstructive respiratory disease (COPD) that develops due to exposure to indoor air pollution.

Both women and men exposed to heavy indoor smoke are 2-3 times more likely to develop COPD.