CALUTECH INC

Environmental analysis of indoor air, including causes and suggested solutions

INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

Everyone faces many risks, including various pollutants and toxins in their daily

environments. Most people know that outdoor air pollutants such as car exhaust, city

smog, factory waste, etc. are toxic. But many people do not realize how dangerous the air

inside buildings can be to their health. The EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

states that the air in even the largest and most industrialized cities is less toxic than air

found in typical homes. Many people do not know that indoor air pollutants can be two to

five times higher than outdoor air pollution and can sometimes be 100 times higher!

It is estimated the most people spend 90% or more of their

time indoors. Because of this, the quality of the indoor air we

breathe every day becomes critical. Additionally, those who

are indoors for the longest periods are often those who are the

most susceptible to the effects of indoor air pollution-

including the elderly, the young, and the chronically ill.

Various micro-organisms such as bacteria, viruses, molds, and

fungi often become airborne and this is a common cause of

illness or allergy. With the threat of biological warfare, the

eradication of airborne pathogens becomes even more

important.

CAUSES OF INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

There are many items in a home or office that can be sources of indoor air pollution.

Building materials and furnishings:

New or damp carpeting.

Cabinets or furniture made of pressed-wood products.

Deteriorated asbestos-containing insulation.

Combustion sources:

Oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood, tobacco products.

Combustion appliances (vented or unvented):

Gas ranges and ovens, gas water heaters, furnaces, gas clothes dryers, wood or coal-

burning stoves, fireplaces, and space heaters.