Why is Indoor Air Pollution a Problem?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) calls indoor air pollution one of the greatest risks to human health. Indoor air can be as much as 100 times more polluted than outside air. Possible health effects of poor indoor air quality include irritation, allergies, asthma, cancer, as well as reproductive and developmental problems. Most products used indoors, including furnishings, construction materials, consumer products and cleaners release Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), including formaldehyde. Many of these indoor contaminants are carcinogens (i.e. formaldehyde, benzene, and radon) or likely to cause cancer (i.e. certain pesticides, chlorinated solvents, and aldehydes). Back to FAQs 2. What are Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs? Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are chemicals used to manufacture and maintain building materials, interior furnishings, cleaning products, and personal care products. “Volatile” implies that these chemicals evaporate, or get into the air easi
