What is indoor air pollution?
Air pollution is the top environmental risk to human health in the UK. Air Quality is the term we use to describe how polluted the air we breathe is. When air quality is poor, the air we breathe can become dangerous, especially to those with heart or lung conditions.
The World Health Organisation has highlighted air pollution as a major environmental risk to our health. phs Group’s corporate social responsibility report highlights that “We spend 90% of our time indoors and around nine hours every day sharing spaces with others. We breathe in 10,000 litres of air every day and, when we are indoors, we are breathing in air which is five times more polluted than outdoor air.”
Volatile Organic Compounds in Your Home
The gases that are emitted are known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These gases are present in various solids and liquids and can cause both long term and short-term effects on your health. The 10 most common VOCs are found indoors. Common examples of VOCs that may be present in our daily lives are benzene, ethylene glycol, formaldehyde, methylene chloride, tetrachloroethylene, toluene, xylene. All these chemicals can be found in everyday household items such as air fresheners, household cleaners, cooking and DIY materials.
The Cocktail of Emissions
Everyday tasks affect the impact we have on air pollution. For example, burning wood and coal in open fires and stoves makes up 38% of the UK’s primary emissions of fine particulate matter2 (PM2.5). Some cooking activities can create fine pollution. Car garages that are attached to homes can allow Carbon monoxide (CO) to enter your living spaces, especially if cars are started with garage doors shut, or if there is incorrect insolation between the garage and living space. Some compounds can take up to six months to dissipate. More information about indoor air pollution can be found here
How Do I Reduce My Exposure to Indoor Pollutions?
With air pollution being the top environmental risk to human health in the UK it is important to do our part to minimize risk to ourselves and others. You can do simple things to improve the air quality indoors such as keeping your home well-aired, preventing condensation, monitoring the temperature, use air cleaners and dehumidifiers.
But remember that outdoor air pollution can also travel inside. You can check your local outdoor air pollution levels on the Defra Website
If you would like more information on how we are tackling air pollution Get In Touch with us, or re-watch our air purity webinar here.