Indoor air has been found to be 5-6 times more contaminated than outdoor air, even in high-traffic, population-dense areas like inner cities. This may seem counter-intuitive because of known carcinogens like diesel and carbon monoxide pollution and other industrial heavy metals readily found in the outside air. However, the fact that we spend 90 percent of our time indoors and that lower respiratory lung disease is now the forth leading cause of death makes it imperative to examine the root causes for indoor pollution and to find solutions to prevent it.
Sources
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “Indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air are the primary cause of indoor air quality problems in homes.” Add to this increasingly tight insulation as a measure to save energy in the form of heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer, and there is a real problem—insufficient dilution of indoor air by outdoor air, making the air inside one stagnant cocktail of noxious fumes.
Particles
The EPA identifies three categories of indoor air pollutants: particles, gases and radon, with very small particles being the most problematic substance. Those include cigarette smoke, spray paint, toxic chemical compounds, fireplaces, wood burning stoves and poorly maintained gasoline engines. Larger particles which mostly cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals might be mold spores, pollen, animal dander, cockroach dust and spoor of dust mites.
Gases
Gaseous pollutants detected indoors originate from such things as solvents, cleaning products, personal care products, fragrances, pesticides, fumes from building materials and furnishings; carpeting and tobacco smoke. Then there is radon which is ubiquitous throughout the United States and is naturally found in rock, soil, concrete, stone and brick. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Radon detectors are available for purchase in hardware stores.
Health Effects
Fine particulate matter is anything smaller than 10 microns in size, about one-fifth the diameter of a human hair. Wheezing, coughing, asthma attacks, bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema and lung cancer are all consequences of being exposed to fine particulate matter. There are particles even smaller than that, measured at 2.5 microns in diameter which infiltrate the farthest reaches of the lungs, never to be expelled again. Other symptoms of ill health from indoor air pollution are dizziness, headaches, nausea, constant fatigue, poor concentration, coughing, sneezing and shortness of breath.
Solutions
Adequate ventilation is mandatory to maintain respiratory health. Some items cause involuntary exposure, such as fumes in particle boards—particularly old ones, new carpets and new bedding for example. Other items to avoid are vinyl shower curtains and other products made of vinyl, such as lunch boxes, table covers and rain coats. All it takes to avoid those is to get rid of them and avoid bringing them into the house in the future.
Precautions
Common sense measures you can take include never letting your car idle in an attached garage and avoid burning incense. One single incense stick can push the concentration of fine particulate matter into the danger zone. If you have gas appliances, buy a carbon monoxide detector. Odorless gases usually go undetected until there are serious symptoms. Dry-cleaned clothing should be aired out before bringing them inside the house. Use low or no-VOC water-based paint to paint indoors. Some of these steps may seem draconian, but they provide huge pay-offs in respiratory health, especially for children.
References
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Green Housekeeping, Ellen Sandbeck. Scribner, 2008. New York, NY
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services
- Canadian Centre of Occupational Health and Safety
- The Green Guide
