Air pollution; How inside is worse than outside

Think how much time you spend inside: sleeping, working, watching TV, eating… Some of us spend as little as 1 hour per day outside.  Why all the fuss?

Everyone knows about the dangers of outdoor air pollution from car exhaust fumes to emissions from factories.  But did you know that your home environment is actually worse? Sometimes by up to 5 times the levels found outside.

Why is that? Anything that is man-made could contain synthetic and chemical substances.  The furniture, fixtures, fittings, finishes and fuel burning heaters.  These toxic substances are not contained within the sofa, carpet or paint finish – they become airborne and are associated with ill health. Low levels of these airborne substances are being released constantly over long periods of time. And so you are breathing these in over time.  These substances can be just as dangerous to health with prolonged exposure as they would with high levels of exposure in a short burst of time. Oh and even cigarette smoke is known as an indoor air pollutant.

Bring into the equation ′tight housing′ – which are houses that have been built to be air tight.  Think of offices that have air-conditioning as standard, can you open the windows? No, you adjust the aircon controls.  So where do the pollutants go – they circulate.

The moral of the story, spend more time outdoors – it′s the lesser of 2 evils.  Ventilate your home and office frequently with fresh air – simply open the windows and doors.  Most importantly be aware of what you are buying, is it natural or synthetic?

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