Every one of us can recall a particular time when the air we were breathing seemed particularly unpleasant or even noxious. It might have been during a trip to the city or each time we step outside our door with the breeze is blowing from a certain direction. Most people associate air pollution with the outdoors but it is equally important to consider indoor air.
In the case of outdoor air, pollution comes in a number of popular flavours, the most popular sources of which include the burning of wood, diesel, gasoline and heating oil. In addition, there is also particulate matter pollution. Called PM10 or PM2.5 based on the size of particles, PM pollution results in significant negative health impacts for us all. The Health Officers’ Council of BC believes that current levels of PM10 in British Columbia are associated with an additional 82 deaths, 69 respiratory hospitalizations, 60 cardiac hospitalizations and higher numbers of emergency room/physician visits each year.
Naturally, since we do not live in “the city,” we can feel pretty smug about how safe our own air is. Right? Not! Contrary to popular belief, “most of the deaths and hospitalizations attributable to PM pollution are estimated to occur outside the GVRD [Greater Vancouver] and the Capital Regional District [Victoria].” This quote from a 1998 report by the Health Officers Council of BC reminds us that air pollution is not just a big city problem. Much of this is because wood burning is often more popular in smaller communities outside our cities.
Because we spend so much of our time indoors, air quality there is also important to our health. How much time we spend in these microenvironments, combined with the higher concentration of certain pollutants in them, is key to the health effects of poor indoor air. Our air is a mixture of many interacting chemical and biological agents from both natural and man-made sources. Chemical sources include smoking, painting, petroleum and home renovations. Many of us will recall the UFFI (urea formaldehyde) insulation popular until we discovered how sensitive we were to those chemicals. Some of the other indoor air components to be aware of include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), solid particles, moulds, fungi and bacteria.
The effects of air pollution, both indoors and out, include irritation to the eyes, nose and throat and difficulty breathing. They can also include over-sensitivity to chemicals, nervous system poisoning and even cancer. Although most pronounced in children, the elderly and those with asthma, allergies or lung problems, the effects of air pollution are detrimental to all of us.
We know that large sources of emissions can affect a whole airshed, it can be a small, local source such as one inefficient woodstove that is the most important contributor to poor air quality in one neighbourhood. Since we are all partners in our air quality, perhaps we should consider some of the things we can personally control.
The most obvious changes to consider include driving less and not smoking (or at the very least, not indoors —note that this is an article about pollution, not the detriments of smoking). Some of the other steps to take:
• Open a window to let fresh air into the house. This will both get rid of stale air and will weaken the effects of any indoor pollutants; • Be good to humidifiers and dehumidifiers by cleaning them regularly, using fresh water and emptying them every day; • If you use a woodstove or fireplace, have it cleaned regularly, use dry wood and burn at a high temperature in a new efficient air tight stove. • Clean or change furnace filters monthly • Use exhaust fans vented outdoors in areas where moisture can build up like the bathroom and laundry room. Good air rewards all of us with better health. How bad can that be?