AQS Highlights Preventative Measures for Protecting Children's Health

Firm explores importance of healthier children's products, provides product testing opportunities for a "vibrant, healthy future"

ATLANTA, Oct. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Air Quality Sciences, Inc. (AQS) announces its release of Children's Health and Chemical Exposure: Beginning Risks, as part of October's Children's Health Month. The landmark white paper examines the implications of chemical exposure and indoor air quality (IAQ) on children's health, as well as the ways by which physical differences, socioeconomic status, and activity patterns increase overall risk. 

Recent governmental legislation and a growing awareness of the connection between chemical exposure and health suggest a reality check to both purchasing parents and children's product manufacturers. "Most people don't realize that the products they're using to construct, furnish, or clean their homes―even the items used to entertain their children―can be causes for airborne chemical exposure concern," explains Dr. Marilyn Black, president of AQS. "Source control is the number one preventative measure for combating exposure risks in indoor environments, so educating the consumer on selecting healthier, low-emitting products to bring into their homes and schools is a major part of the movement toward improving children's health. Working with manufacturers to create healthier products is the other part."

While short-term airborne chemical exposure causes eye, nose, and throat irritation; coughing; nausea; headache; and respiratory irritation, long-term exposure to some of these compounds can lead to more serious conditions―like the exacerbation of asthma. Asthma is the fastest-growing incurable, chronic disease in children, responsible for more than 14 million missed school days each year, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

"Children's bodies and vital organs are actively growing and developing after birth, so they are incredibly vulnerable to chemical insult," says Black. "Research shows that children who are regularly exposed to indoor air pollutants and volatile organic compounds are up to four times more likely to develop asthma than those who are not exposed."

A 2011 study by AQS indicated that a number of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released from toys and other children's products. Read more about that study at this link. With over 80,000 chemicals in circulation today, choosing third-party certified products which have been tested for their impacts on human health is of the utmost importance. Product evaluation tests, like those performed at AQS's state-of-the-art testing facility, provide data which manufacturers leverage to demonstrate their leadership and commitment to developing healthy products. Manufacturers use third-party certification programs like GREENGUARD Children & Schools to demonstrate that their products have been tested and are low-emitting, giving manufacturers a strong, legitimate claim to communicate to the marketplace.

Children's Health and Chemical Exposure: Beginning Risks is available in its entirety, free of charge, from the Aerias-AQS Indoor Air Quality Resource Center at www.aerias.org. Read more by clicking on this link.

About Air Quality Sciences (AQS)

Air Quality Sciences, Inc. (AQS), a member of the Underwriters Laboratories Global Network, is an ISO 17025 accredited indoor air quality testing and research laboratory. With the largest environmental chamber facility in North America, AQS conducts innovative product development testing for product manufacturers and provides certification services for the third party programs including GREENGUARD, Green Label Plus , Green Seal, EcoLogo, CHPS, UL Environment, Blue Angel, and USGBC, in testing products for their pollutant emissions.  AQS has tested over 70,000 products and has over 90 environmental chambers. For more information, visit www.aqs.com.

SOURCE Air Quality Sciences, Inc.