Chemical

Air Pollution

Alarm Sounded on Bad Indoor Air Quality

The air inside your home could be more dangerous to your health than the air outside, according to a recent survey from the American Lung Association. And to make matters worse, Americans spend up to 90 percent of their time indoors.

• A 1997 joint study between the U.S. Department of Energy and Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory estimated total costs to the U.S. economy range as high as $168 billion/year. (Fisk, William J. and Rosenfeld, Arthur H.; "Estimates of Improved Productivity and Health From Better Indoor Environments", Lawrence Berkley National Lab & U.S. Dept. of Energy: Berkeley, CA, 1997; ISSN 095-6947) The report attributed $6 to 19 billion from increased respiratory disease, $1 to 4 billion from increased allergies and asthma, $5 to 10 billion from sick building syndrome, and a potentially huge amount, $12 to 125 billion, from reduced productivity.
• The American Lung Association has found that 87 percent of homeowners nationwide are not conscious of indoor air pollutants. Biological contaminants, including molds, bacteria, pollen, dust mites and animal dander promote poor indoor air quality and may be a major cause of days lost from work and school, according to the American Lung Association.
• In office buildings, heating, cooling and ventilation systems that are not properly maintained are frequent sources of biological substances that are inhaled, leading to breathing problems.
• Other pollutants include radon, secondhand smoke, formaldehyde, asbestos and nitrogen dioxide.

The EPA has reported levels of indoor air pollutants may be two to five times higher — and occasionally more than 100 times higher — than outdoor levels.

Here are a few tips:

• Install a carbon monoxide detector in the home to detect high levels of this odorless and potentially deadly gas. According to the American Lung Association survey, only 37 percent of homeowners have a carbon monoxide detector in their home.
• Store firewood in the garage or outdoors, rather than near the fireplace or anywhere else in the home. Drying firewood can release mold spores, which can easily contaminate an entire house. The survey revealed that more than one in three Americans do not follow this recommendation.
• Don't permit recycling items such as newspapers, rags, cans and bottles to accumulate in your living space. Store them in a covered area outdoors and recycle frequently.
• Keep trees and shrubs at least three feet away from the perimeter of the home. Tree and shrub roots can give surface water an easy route into a basement, which can lead to mold growth.
• Use a high efficiency furnace filter and replace it every two to three months. According to the survey, 41 percent of American homeowners fail to replace their filters every two to three months — and nine percent have never replaced the filter in their furnace.

Indoor air pollution is one of the five most urgent environmental problems facing the United States, according to the EPA.

"With all the attention surrounding dangerous levels of smog, ozone and other pollutants in the air we breathe outdoors, many lose sight of the fact that these same pollutants — as well as pollen and other allergens — can easily find their way indoors", said Mark LaLiberte, building expert and technical advisor to the American Lung Association's Health House Project.

Source: American Lung Association's Health House Project.

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