Indoor Air Pollution Is It A Serious Health Threat?
By Chris Charles
Most of us realize car exhaust and even more potent industrial wastes, being recognized risk to health, are consistently measured and documented. But a recent study by Johns Hopkins` Bloomberg School of Public Health found that in many cases, the level of indoor pollution was 2X that of outdoor (other studies have claimed as much as 5 times higher) and that the presence of these elevated levels of pollutants significantly increased asthma symptoms in the children being studied. These findings are even more surprising when coupled with the fact that no regulations currently exist for indoor air quality, not even in schools or day care facilities!
Tufts University lecturer, Dr. Rebecca Altman, published another study in December of 2008 pointing out several of the most troubling aspects of this health threat. First, most people remain oblivious to this lurking problem. And second, reducing people?s exposure is notoriously difficult because one major source usually can?t be isolated. Indoor air pollution can come from hundreds and even thousands of sources that have become so ingrained in our everyday lives; we no longer question them. They can include:
* Household cleaning products,
* Cosmetics,
* Chemical pesticides,
* Chlorine from ordinary tap water (chloramines and Trihalomethanes (THMs) are formed when chlorine combines with organic substances like skin, hair, or bacteria (etc.) during swimming or showering),
* Synthetic fragrances (contain phthalates),
* Dry cleaned clothes (dry cleaning uses perchloroethylene which is carcinogenic),
* Secondhand smoke (contains 200 known poisons and 43 carcinogens),
* Biological Pollutants (including mold, bacteria, viruses, pollen, dust mites and animal dander),
* Carpets and upholstery (bonding agents containing formaldehyde),
* Building and remodeling materials (including paint, lacquer, glue, particle board and plywood),
* Office machines and materials (including copiers, printers (ink), correction fluid, graphics and craft materials and photographic solutions),
* Radon gas (a carcinogen responsible for more than 20,000 deaths a year).
The good news, if indeed any can be found, is that indoor air pollution is infinitely more controllable than outdoor air pollution. There are many ways to reduce and even eliminate these
pollutants from your home. With careful cooperation from educators and businesses, they can also be reduced at school and in the workplace.
An initial level of defense can include an air purifier or filter. Particularly useful against large particulate matter, they are recognized by leading health authorities (The American Lung Association, The Mayo Clinic, The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and the British Allergy Foundation) as an effective means of controlling asthma symptoms. Proper ventilation of interior spaces is an equally important step towards increasing air quality.
Additionally, there are myriad ways to avoid even introducing toxins to your interior. For city dwellers, for example, installing a water filtration system not only increases the overall quality of your water but also eliminates chlorine and chlorinated gases from the air inside your home. Other measures include switching to natural cleaning products and cosmetics and keeping pesticide use to a minimum.
By regular cleaning and controlling the moisture in the bathroom and basement biological pollutants can be minimized. It is also wise to check and clean the vacuum air filter on a regular basis. Use of high-efficiency small particle filters in vacuums and air purifiers has been shown to significantly lower the level of interior particulate pollution and subsequently asthma and allergy symptoms.
Finally, it can be tempting, certainly these days, to save money by purchasing cheaper products when decorating, improving or building a home. But take a long think about the risks to your health associated with toxin-releasing particleboard furniture or synthetic fibers, for example. And suddenly ‘green’ building materials or the more expensive solid wood furniture can become more appealing.
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