Indoor air pollution is often overlooked

Indoor air pollution is often more harmful than outdoor air pollution, especially because we spend the largest portion of the day indoor, inside our home or office. The air inside our homes and offices can sometimes be much more polluted compared to outdoor air, and thus present a major health threat.

In their latest study the British scientists were measuring air quality inside and outside three residential buildings with different types of energy use. What they have discovered is that the levels of one of the most common air pollutants nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the kitchen of the city centre apartment with a gas cooker were as much as three times higher than the levels measured outdoors, and well above clean air quality standards.

In order to reduce heating costs many people try to make their homes and offices more airtight which often leads in inadequate circulation of the air and high levels of indoor air pollution that could have adverse effects on human health.

Indoor air pollution is particularly hazardous to elderly people and young children, and can not only lead to respiratory diseases like asthma but also cause heart problems.

The indoor air pollution certainly needs to be included in general air pollution equation and we need to pay more attention on the quality of air we breathe in our homes and offices.

We spend approximately 90% of time indoors so the quality of indoor air is certainly one of the main prerequisites of the healthy life.

Indoor air pollution is yet to be widely recognized issue and there has been very little scientific data about emission rates from different appliances we use in our home and offices. There also hasn't been adequate regulation on indoor pollutants that would regulate the acceptable level of indoor air emissions.

There needs to be far more research about the indoor air quality because the effects of indoor air pollution on our health mustn't be overlooked.