We tend to think of air pollution as something outdoors. But the air inside your home or office can be polluted too.
Where indoor pollution comes from
| Source | Examples |
|---|---|
| Living things | Mold and pollen |
| Smoke | Tobacco smoke |
| Everyday products | Household products and pesticides |
| Gases | Radon and carbon monoxide |
| The building itself | Materials such as asbestos, formaldehyde and lead |
"Sick building syndrome"
Sometimes a group of people develop symptoms that seem tied to time spent in a particular building. There may be a specific cause — Legionnaires' disease, for example. But sometimes no cause can be found. That is known as sick building syndrome.
How serious is it?
- Usually, discomfort. Most indoor air quality problems make people uncomfortable, and most people feel better as soon as the source of the pollution is removed.
- Sometimes, disease later. Some pollutants can cause illnesses that appear much later, such as respiratory diseases or cancer.
What helps
Two steps improve indoor air:
- Ventilate — make sure the building is well ventilated.
- Remove the source — get rid of the pollutants.
Sources
Based on the MedlinePlus health topic "Indoor Air Pollution," National Library of Medicine, with summary text from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; works of the United States government in the public domain. See also MedlinePlus: Indoor Air Pollution.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
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