The Environmental Protection Agency ranks indoor air pollution among the top five environmental risks to public health. In fact, airborne pollutants in your home may be 25-100 times greater than those found outdoors! Learning more about what these pollutants are, how they may impact your health, and what you can do to get rid of them is extremely important for you, and your family.
Below is a list of the most common pollutants that may be found in a typical household.
Learn more about:
Asbestos | Bacteria and Mold | Carbon Dioxide | Cockroaches | Dustmites | Formaldehyde | Pet Dander | Pollen | Radon | Smoke Particles
Asbestos
Asbestos has been used in a wide variety of products and materials. Common asbestos-containing materials (ACM) include thermal and acoustic insulation, fireproofing, concrete, flooring, roofing felts, building papers, shingles, electrical insulation, decorative sprays, gaskets, packing, and textiles. There is little health risk if the material is fully intact and is properly maintained; but it can quickly turn dangerous if any of the fibers become friable and airborne, and are inhaled. Medical reports have documented laboratory and clinical evidence that inhalation of asbestos fibers can lead to an increased risk of developing asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. Epidemiological studies also show that the risk of lung cancer increases tenfold for smokers compared to nonsmokers exposed to asbestos. In fact, some medical reports have indicated that even a single fiber of asbestos can cause lung cancer.
Bacteria and Mold
It is estimated that about 10 percent of buildings found in the U.S. may suffer from mold pollution. Molds, and fungi are microorganisms that generally have threadlike bodies called mycelium that reproduce through the production of airborne spores. When health effects from molds occur, it is generally as a result of inhaling these spores. Infections, sickness, and allergic disease can all be caused by mold pollution. There are about fifty to one hundred different molds typically found growing indoors and all occur in areas that are damp or have high humidity.
Carbon Dioxide
Carbon dioxide pollution can often be found in houses during the winter months. This may be due to unvented kerosene and gas heaters, gwood and gas-burning fireplaces, leaking chimneys and furnaces. But it can typically be caused by tobacco smoke, automobile exhaust in attached garages, and everyday gas appliances as well. Some health effects may include eye, nose, and throat irritation, impaired lung function, impaired respiratory function in children, bronchitis, lung cancer, and flu-like symptoms.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are small insects that are extremely resilient little creatures. They have remained unchanged for almost 80 million years and prefer damp, dark areas to live and breed. Cockroaches are capable of living for a month without food, can hold their breath for over 45 minutes, and even have the ability to slow down their own heart rate. Because of this it is often very difficult to eliminate them from your household.
According to the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) only about 10 percent of homeowners know that cockroaches pose a health risk. Cockroaches produce allergens that are left behind from droppings and dead roaches. This allergen collects in house dust and is very difficult to remove. A 2005 national study ranking factors that affect asthma showed that cockroach allergens may worsen asthma symptoms more than other known triggers.
Dustmites
Another allergenic irritant, the dust mite, thrives in warm, humid conditions and feeds upon dead skin flakes shed by humans and pets. The average person can shed up to 700,000 skin scales per day creating an abundant food source for these prehistoric looking creatures. Approximately 10 to 15 percent of the general population suffers from an allergy related to dust mites. The majority are allergic to the airborne, breathable dust mite feces and not the dust mite itself. Dust mites are very difficult to eliminate from your home due to their incredible abundance. In face, about 40,000 dust mites can thrive in only one ounce of dust. Imagine how many dust mites may live in even the cleanest of homes!
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is a chemical typically found in pressed wood products such as hardwood, plywood wall paneling, particleboard, and fiberboard, as well as foam insulation, permanent press textiles, glue, vehicle exhaust, stoves, and fireplaces. Some of the problems associated with the formaldehyde pollution include eye, nose, and throat irritation, coughing, fatigue, rashes, and allergic reactions. It has even been known to cause cancer in animals and is deadly at very high concentration.
Pet Dander
Almost all pets can cause allergies, including dogs and especially cats. Small animals like birds, hamsters and guinea pigs can cause problems, so all pets should be removed from the home if pets trigger asthma and allergy symptoms. It is important to not e however that pet allergens may stay in the home for months after the pet is gone. This is primarily because the allergen remains in the house dust. If the pet stays in the home, keep it out of the bedroom of anyone with asthma or allergies. Weekly pet baths may also help cut down the amount of allergen in the home. Sometimes you hear that certain cats or dogs are “non-allergenic”. However there really is no such thing as a “non-allergenic” cat or dog, especially if the pet leaves dander and saliva in the home. Goldfish and other tropical fish may be a good substitute.
Pollen
Pollen is a fine to coarse powder consisting of small grains which produce the male gametes of seed plants. The pollen grain with its hard coat protects the reproductive cells during the process of their movement between the stamens and pistil of different flowers. Allergies to pollen are often refered to as hay fever. Generally pollens that cause allergies come from plants whose pollen is dispersed by air currents. Such plants produce large quantities of lightweight pollen which can be carried for great distances while airborne and are easily inhaled, bringing it into contact with the sensitive nasal passages.
Radon
Radon is a a naturally occurring free gas that is found in many homes. The Environmental Protection Agency recomends that action should be taken if Radon levels exceed 4pci/L. However it is estimated that one out of every 15 homes in the United States has radon levels above this level. Radon can enter the home through cracks in the foundation floor and walls, drains, and other openings. Indoor radon exposure is estimated to be the second leading cause of lung cancer and a recent report by the National Research Council estimates that radon is responsible for between 15,000 and 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States.
Smoke Particles
Tobacco smoke has long been recognized as a major cause of mortality and morbidity, responsible for an estimated 434,000 deaths per year in the United States. It is also a source of indoor air pollution due to the release of harmful chemicals, particles, and carcinogens such as carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. Exposure to tobacco smoke affects everybody, but children are more vulnerable than any other age group because they are still growing and developing.
