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Air
Purifiers
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| Indoor
Air Quality Information |
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Do
most of us have problems with the quality of air in our homes? |
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Yes
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates
that the air in our homes and offices are two to
five times more polluted than the outdoor air.
The US EPA has ranked indoor air pollution as a
high priority public health risk (US EPA, 1990).
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the National
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) concluded
that preventing exposure to environmental allergens
and irritants may help prevent asthma (NHLBI, 1995). If
you're like most people, you spend up to 90% of
your time indoors. If you can find a way
to reduce airborne pollutants and allergens that
you breathe, you may be able to increase your vitality
and health and reduce allergies and asthma attacks.
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| How
can I reduce indoor air pollution? |
| According
to the American Lung Association (ALA) (www.lungusa.org),
air pollution in our homes can be reduced in three
different ways: |
- Controlling
the source of pollution
- Increasing
Ventilation, and
- Cleaning
the Air
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These
are listed in their order of effectiveness. |
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| What
are some of the sources of air pollution in my home? |
| We
don't always think of the following as sources
of air pollution, but depending on the type of
product, all of the following can be significant
sources of pollution and irritation in our homes: |
- Paints & Varnishes
- Out
gassing from furniture, insulation and building
materials (especially particle board and plywood)
- Carpets
- Smoking
- Cleaning
and Personal Care Products
- Pets
- Dust
Mites
- Mold
- Combustion
Appliances (gas heaters, stoves, etc.)
- Fine
particulate matter from outdoor pollution and
forest fires
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| Particulate
Matter - A Serious Health Problem |
The
EPA has long recognized that fine particulate matter from smog
and forest fires can be a serious health problem, exacerbating
cardiovascular and respiratory problems and causing premature death. Numerous
studies have associated particle pollution with increased hospital
admissions, reduced lung function, shortened life spans, cancer
and increased school absences. Most severely affected are
children, the elderly, those with asthma and other respiratory
problems, and those with cardiovascular disease. We discuss
this issue here because although smog and forest fires represent
outdoor pollution, they also come inside our homes and contribute
to our indoor air pollution.
A team of researchers in Southern California has discovered that microscopic
airborne particles can disrupt the inner workings of cells, which may explain
how particulate matter from car and diesel exhaust and other pollutants that
are found in urban haze can harm the body. (LA Times, April 7, 2003) The
researchers found that the particles trigger a reaction that causes inflammation,
which may help us to understand why particle pollution often makes asthma worse
(asthma is an inflammation of the airways). |
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Air Purifiers |
