When we think of air pollution, many of us picture billowing smokestacks or the exhaust from thousands of vehicles sitting in traffic.
We rarely think about the quality of the air inside our homes, but Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies suggest that indoor levels of pollutants may be two to five times — and occasionally more than 100 times — higher than outdoor levels!
Common indoor pollutants like biological contaminants (e.g., bacteria, viruses, animal dander, cat saliva, dust mites, cockroaches, and pollen), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide (CO), radon (RN), indoor particulate matter; and secondhand smoke have been linked to negative health outcomes ranging from allergies and asthma to lung cancer and heart disease.
The good news is that, when it comes to the quality of the air inside your home, you can take matters into your own hands. For that, the EPA suggests three basic strategies:
Source Control
Some sources of pollution, like asbestos, should just be eliminated. Others, like gas emanating from a gas stove, can be adjusted to reduce emissions.
