1. Indoor Air Pollution By Rebecca Gonsalves-Lamontagne
Health Impacts of Indoor Air Pollution
Indoor Air Pollution By Rebecca Gonsalves-Lamontagne
Overview
80-90% of our time is spent indoors
There is no EPA regulation for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), but it is ranked in their top 5 environmental risks to public health
Pollution indoors can be anywhere from twice as high to 100X that of outdoors
Regulation
Although there is no federal program the following agencies provide guides and standards:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Sick Building Symptoms is a term created by the World Heath Organization (WHO)
Characterized by an increase of certain nonspecific symptoms in more than 20% of a building occupants and can affect as many as 30-40% of a building occupants
Symptoms include irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and skin, runny nose, dry cough, bronchial asthma, and rashes and itches
Sick Building Syndrome vs. Building Related Illness
Building related Illness is an illness where the symptoms can be linked to an airborne “stressor”
Symptoms include infection, fever, or clinical signs of pathology
Usually a specific illness is identified where as in sick building syndrome there is no specific or identifiable illness
Common Pollutants and Sources
References:
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ent.cgi?article=1275&context=ealr
iaq/indoor-air-pollution-introduction-health- professionals#carbon-monoxide
iaq/identifying-problems-indoor-environments
toxics/sources/air-guideline-values.html
aq-standards.html
oil-and-natural-gas-industry/new-source- performance-standards-and
air-quality-important-schools
How to Control Indoor Air Pollution
Control humidity levels between 30%-50%
Have Heating/air conditioning systems professionally cleaned every three to five years
Install exhaust fans in kitchens, bathrooms, and dryers
Ventilate attics and crawl spaces
Removed anything that has been water damaged
Keep a clean household!