New Study Highlights the Deadly Effects of Poor Indoor Air Quality

TAMPA, Fla., April 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study out of the UK is taking a closer look at the impact of air pollution on human health, and the findings may surprise you. According to the study, 'Every breath we take: the lifelong impact of air pollution', which was conducted by the Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health, air pollution claims more than 40,000 lives each year in the UK alone.

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While the study does not address the impact of these pollutants in the U.S., Americans face similar problems with air pollution, and as a result likely have similar outcomes.

The study shows that in addition to outdoor pollutants such as vehicle emissions, indoor pollutants can also be hazardous. This includes pollutants common in homes and buildings, like volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from household cleaning products and air fresheners, carbon dioxide from faulty boilers or heaters, mold, pet dander and even formaldehyde.

"Indoor air pollutants or biological pollutants can harbor in multiple locations within ones building without visual evidence," said Alan Wozniak, CIAQP, CIEC, CAB, President and CEO of Pure Air Control Services, a professional indoor environmental quality firm located in Clearwater, Fla.  "Common hiding or breeding grounds for these pollutants include air handling systems – in the coils, drain pans and blower assemblies – fiberglass insulation, carpeting, refrigerator pans, crawlspaces, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and bathroom shower pans."

According to the UK study, indoor air pollutants caused or contributed to 99,000 deaths in Europe in 2012 alone. The problem for many is that they don't know that they are breathing in these toxic chemicals.

Study authors wrote, "…consideration of particular exposures in the home, public places, schools/colleges, hospitals, workplaces and transport is very important in assessing impacts of the breathed environments on our health and wellbeing. Useful indicators of indoor air quality are measured levels of CO₂ [carbon dioxide] or total VOCs."

The authors note that measurement of the pollutants alone is not an indicator of potential health effects, but they do signal problems with air quality, which is useful for remediation purposes. Affordable test kits are available through www.IndoorAirTest.com to test for these indoor pollutants, including tests for formaldehyde, radon, lead, organic vapors (VOCs), mold, dust, smoke and allergens. From there, people can actively seek to remove the source and reduce their risk of adverse effects.

"These tests will give people peace of mind knowing that their environment is not causing them or their families' physical harm," said Wozniak. "It's a small price to pay to know that you and your loved ones are safe."

If a more detailed analysis of your home or business is necessary a "professional industrial hygiene/building sciences evaluation" is recommended to provide a more definitive diagnosis for baseline considerations.

About Pure Air Control Services:

Pure Air Control Services, Inc. (Pure Air) is a nationally recognized indoor environmental quality firm that offers a full range of professional solutions. Divisions include Environmental Diagnostics Laboratory (EDLab), Building Health Check, Diagnostics and Building Sciences, and Building Remediation Sciences. For more information, visit www.pureaircontrols.com.

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SOURCE Pure Air Control Services