"In the last several years, a growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities. Other research indicates that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors. Thus, for many people, the risks to health may be greater due to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors."
The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality
U.S. EPA/Office of Air and Radiation
Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (6609J)
Cosponsored with the Consumer Product Safety Commission
EPA 402-K-93-007 http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/insidestory.html#Intro1
"Poor indoor air quality can cause or contribute to the development of chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. In addition, it can cause headaches, dry eyes, nasal congestion, nausea and fatigue. People who already have respiratory diseases are at greater risk."
American Lung Association
Indoor Pollution Fact Sheet August 1999 Update http://www.lung.org/associations/charters/plains-gulf/air-quality/indoor-air-quality.html
"Indoor air quality problems can occur in all types and ages of buildings; in newly constructed buildings, in renovated or remodeled buildings, and in old buildings. Problems in new, clean buildings are rarely, if ever, related to microbial growth, since the physical structures are new [Ex. 3-61]. Older buildings that have not been adequately maintained and operated may have problems with bioaerosols if parts of the building have been allowed to become reservoirs for microbial growth. Also, if inadequate outside air is provided, regardless of the age of the building, chemical and biological contaminants will build up to levels that can cause health effects in some workers. In addition, other physical factors such as lack of windows, noise, and inadequate lighting, and ergonomic factors involving uncomfortable furniture and intensive use of video display units, etc., will cause discomfort in occupants that may be inaccurately attributed to air quality."
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
29 CFR Parts 1910, 1915, 1926, 1928 [Docket No. H-122] RIN 1218-AB37
Indoor Air Quality http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_id=13369
"Health effects from indoor air pollutants may be experienced soon after exposure or, possibly, years later.
Immediate effects may show up after a single exposure or repeated exposures. These include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Such immediate effects are usually short-term and treatable. Sometimes the treatment is simply eliminating the person's exposure to the source of the pollution, if it can be identified. Symptoms of some diseases, including asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and humidifier fever, may also show up soon after exposure to some indoor air pollutants. The likelihood of immediate reactions to indoor air pollutants depends on several factors. Age and preexisting medical conditions are two important influences. In other cases, whether a person reacts to a pollutant depends on individual sensitivity, which varies tremendously from person to person. Some people can become sensitized to biological pollutants after repeated exposures, and it appears that some people can become sensitized to chemical pollutants as well.
Certain immediate effects are similar to those from colds or other viral diseases, so it is often difficult to determine if the symptoms are a result of exposure to indoor air pollution. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the time and place the symptoms occur. If the symptoms fade or go away when a person is away from the home and return when the person returns, an effort should be made to identify indoor air sources that may be possible causes. Some effects may be made worse by an inadequate supply of outdoor air or from the heating, cooling, or humidity conditions prevalent in the home.
Other health effects may show up either years after exposure has occurred or only after long or repeated periods of exposure. These effects, which include some respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer, can be severely debilitating or fatal. It is prudent to try to improve the indoor air quality in your home even if symptoms are not noticeable. More information on potential health effects from particular indoor air pollutants is provided in the section, "A Look at Source-Specific Controls. While pollutants commonly found in indoor air are responsible for many harmful effects, there is considerable uncertainty about what concentrations or periods of exposure are necessary to produce specific health problems. People also react very differently to exposure to indoor air pollutants. Further research is needed to better understand which health effects occur after exposure to the average pollutant concentrations found in homes and which occur from the higher concentrations that occur for short periods of time."
Consumer Product Safety Commission and Environmental Protection Agency
The Inside Story -A Guide to Indoor Air Quality
CPSC Document #450 http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/450.html
"In homes across America, the quality of indoor air can be worse than outdoor air. Have you ever stopped to think about whether the air you're breathing at home is healthy? Do you frequently have headaches or feel nauseous or tired in your home? Do you feel better when you leave the house? If you have these symptoms, or others listed here, your home's air quality may be the problem. The Healthy Indoor Air for America's Homes Program was developed to provide basic but comprehensive information to consumers on how to get a handle on indoor air quality (IAQ) in their homes. The goal of the Program is to educate consumers about sources, health risks, and control measures related to common residential indoor air problems and to help consumers reduce their health risks from these problems. Check out some more information about our Program's Background & Impacts."
Healthy Indoor Air for America's Homes
Montana State University Extension Service
Taylor Hall ~ Bozeman, MT 59717 http://www.montana.edu/wwwcxair/
"South Carolinians want their homes to be free from indoor air pollutants and toxic substances that can affect the health of children and other family members. You spend 80 to 90 percent of your time indoors, and you may have family members with health conditions which are affected by pollutants. You may feel the effects of exposure to an indoor pollutant immediately after exposure, or the problem may not show up until years later. Immediate effects include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat; headaches; dizziness and fatigue. Age, preexisting conditions, and sensitivity to the pollutant can all affect whether a person reacts to a pollutant."
Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service
Questions About Indoor Air Quality? http://nasdonline.org/document/1448/d001242/questions-about-indoor-air-quality.html