Indoor Air Pollution 每 The Health Hazard Nobody's Talking About

We＊re all conscious of outdoor air pollution, but how many of us realise that we are living with indoor air pollution as well? We think of our homes and offices as safe havens, where the air we breathe is clean and nothing can harm us. We have news for you: they aren＊t.

Here are some of the top causes of indoor pollution:

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? Pollen, mould, mildew and dust mites, which are tiny insects that live in beds, curtains, furniture and carpets

? Tobacco smoke

? Household products like cleaning agents, plastic products, ready-made furniture pieces and antimicrobial items that contain pesticides and other carcinogenic chemicals

? Outdoor pollutants, like vehicular exhaust and industrial pollution, that enter indoor spaces

? Smoke and other harmful particles released when solid fuels like wood, charcoal, coal and dung are burned indoors for cooking or warmth

? Gases like radon and carbon monoxide

? Building materials like asbestos, formaldehyde and lead

Apart from respiratory conditions like asthma and allergies, indoor pollution can also cause heart disease and cancer.

Pollen, mould, dust mites and smoke can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, headaches, dizziness and fatigue. People who have asthma and allergies are much more likely to suffer from these symptoms. Children are also at a greater risk. Statistics show that almost 30% of all children in India suffer from some respiratory condition or the other.

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However, more serious conditions like heart disease and cancer are not far behind. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 3.8 million premature deaths annually by noncommunicable diseases including stroke, ischaemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer are attributed to exposure to household air pollution. Smoke and pesticides are two of the most prominent causes of cancer.

Air conditioners worsen the problem.

The problem of indoor air pollution is tricky to solve. The ideal solution would be to open up all the windows and allow the indoor pollutants to escape, but if you live in a polluted city, you will also be letting outdoor pollutants into your house.

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Air conditioners don＊t help either 每 they trap the germs and pollutants within a room and circulate the same air around again and again. That＊s one of the reasons why if one person in an office falls sick, several other people tend to fall sick as well.

Air purifiers have limited efficacy.

Air purifiers are advertised as being able to suck out pollutants and improve air quality in a jiffy, but whether or not they actually work is still being debated. There＊s a couple of things to be kept in mind here. Firstly, there are two types of pollutants. The first type is particles (dust, mould, pollen and smoke particles) whereas the second type is gases (smoke, radon, carbon monoxide and fumes). Air purifiers can get rid of some of the particles, but they can＊t do anything about the gaseous pollutants.

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Secondly, they can never be 100% effective in getting rid of particles. This is because particles vary in size. The larger particles are easier to trap, but many of the smaller ones are almost impossible to filter. Many particles also settle on surfaces and hide in furniture and upholstery, so they are not circulating in the air and the air purifier can＊t get rid of them.

It's not that air purifiers don't work at all 每 they do, but to a limited extent. As an alternative, plants are natural air purifiers that are much more eco-friendly!