How to Handle Underestimated Indoor Pollution, Which Can Be Worse than Outdoor Pollution
Your indoor air should be cleaner than outdoors, unless you live in a remote, pristine, heavily-wooded or coastline area. But for most of us, that's not the case. And most of us spend much more time indoors than outdoors thinking we're safe from the pollution of vehicular traffic, aircraft aerosol spraying, and industrial pollution. Most people don't think in terms of indoor pollution. But due to modern construction and insulation materials demanded for better energy conservation, chemically-laced furnishing and carpeting, stored toxic cleaning materials, and other particulates brought indoors into dwellings that are airtight, recycled air for cooling and heating tends to accumulate an invisible cloud of toxic pollution indoors. The toxic chemicals “off-gas” or release their vapors into indoor environments that are poorly ventilated with fresh air. In addition to chemical and particulate pollution, oxygen is diminished by the necessary practice of breathing without outdoor air circulating. The air inside your home or office can be worse than outside air. Since most of us spend the bulk of our time indoors, it would be wise to ensure our inside air is as healthy as possible. The amount and extent of indoor air toxins are surprisingly high. But there are ways of purifying your indoor air and protecting against those indoor airborne toxins.
