Improving quality of air
Vijay Garg
The COVID-19 crisis has been pervasive, leading many to take refuge in the confines of their homes with only their closest loved ones around them. While the lockdowns meant less car traffic and reduced carbon emissions, they also shed light on a major health risk that’s often overlooked: indoor air pollution.
According to the World Health Organization1, indoor air pollution can be responsible for up to 4 million premature deaths annually and can cause far-reaching health, economic, and social consequences. When we think of air pollution, what often comes to mind is car emissions, smog, dust, and smoke. The truth is, there is a lot more in the air than we had previously imagined. A growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within our homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than outdoor air.
The Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S. reports that indoor levels of pollutants maybe two to five times — and occasionally more than 100 times — higher than outdoor levels. This is particularly significant because most people spend about 90% of their time indoors, so it is more crucial than ever to understand the hazardous effects poor air quality can have on our well-being.
What causes Indoor Air Pollution (IAP)?
Some forms of IAP are easily identifiable — you can tell when the smoke from cooking that delicious meal fills your house or when a mold infestation makes your room smell musty. However, other forms of air pollution, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are not as easy to spot compared to larger particles like pet dander or dust. VOCs are gases that may or may not have an odour and can come from surprising sources like cleaning products, furniture, art supplies, and common household items like perfumes, glue, resin, polish, and more.
Gas stoves or poorly installed wood-burning units with poor ventilation and maintenance can also increase the indoor levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and harmful particles. And then central heating or cooling systems can simply re-circulate the already polluted indoor air, making the problem worse. Keeping doors and windows open during activities known to contribute to pollution – like painting, unboxing new furniture, or heavy cleaning – allows for more ventilation, but you also need to consider how polluted the air is outside.
Does poor air quality affect your health?
The quick answer is – yes. Exposure to household air pollution can cause problems that have similar symptoms to cold and respiratory issues, making it even more difficult to recognize the problem. According to reports from the World Health Organization2, symptoms from short-term exposure can include nose, throat, and eye irritation, frequent headaches, fatigue or dizziness. Long-term exposure to high levels of IAP can contribute to life-threatening diseases like heart problems, respiratory sickness, lung cancer, among others. Chronic exposure to some pesticides and cleaning agents can also result in damage to the liver, kidneys, endocrine, and nervous systems.
It is important to note that repeated and long-term exposure to poor IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) can pose a severe threat to your respiratory health and immunity levels. In the current pandemic era, when health is of utmost priority, prolonged exposure to air pollution can leave you and your loved ones more vulnerable to viruses3.
What is the solution to Indoor Air Pollution (IAP)?
India is still amidst the pandemic, and while people are trying their best to protect themselves by staying at home, there have been concerns regarding the transmission of various airborne pollutants, even indoors. Air purifiers is the solution of indoor air pollution
(The author is a Retired Principal and an Educationist based at Malout in Punjab)
