Indoor Air

 

It is estimated that in the United States we spend 80-90% of our time indoors. Indoor air pollution can sometimes be 2-5 times higher, and occasionally 100 times higher than outdoor air. Indoor air includes the air inside schools, houses, offices and vehicles.

Some causes of polluted indoor air are:

Pollutant Description
Radon Gas Naturally occurring radioactive gas in soil enters buildings through cracks and openings in floors and walls that touch the soil.
Secondhand Smoke Smoke from burning tobacco.
Cooking and Heating Any fuel burning appliance (fireplace, gas cook stove, furnace) that is not vented or is improperly vented releases gases or small particles into the indoor air.
Paint, air fresheners, cleaning supplies, pesticides, furniture Vapors from these products go into the air when they are used or while they are stored.
Living organisms

Mold, dust mites

 

A few things you can do to reduce indoor air pollution:

  1. Test your home for radon.
  2. No smoking allowed indoors.
  3. Use low or no-VOC paint when painting and if this isn’t possible open windows to circulate fresh air.
  4. Choose non-toxic cleaning products
  5. Choose non-toxic pest control methods, especially indoors
  6. Choose ground coverings made from natural fibers
  7. Avoid wall-to-wall synthetic carpet
  8. Make sure high moisture areas are well ventilated to avoid mold and mildew
  9. Avoid air fresheners
  10. Have plants indoors to filter air pollutants
  11. Select environmentally preferred furniture that has recycled content and uses glues, finishes and padding low in VOCs and formaldehyde