It is convenient to wear pollution masks when we step out of homes, but what if pollution levels inside our homes become a health concernIJ Past studies by Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute (VPCI) have revealed such facts about indoor pollution that has opened a new debate on the measures to fight against the menace of pollution.
“Urban residents typically spend more than 90 per cent of their time indoors where the concentration of some pollution contaminants is higher in comparison to outside,” stated a review on Indoor Air Pollutants and Respiratory Morbidity by the Department of Pulmonary Medicine of VPCI in 2005.
The study done by the VPCI also stated that the indoor air quality has direct association with acute respiratory infections (ARI) in children. The main indoor air pollutants are particulate matter (PM), sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, benzene, ammonia, chloroform, hydrocarbons and bio-pollutants. The sources of such pollutants vary from articles we use in our home to the buildings we live in. From tobacco smoke, incinerators, gas stoves, new drapes, paint, wall paper to litter boxes, building construction and almost every manufacturing process adds to the indoor pollution.
“These pollutants are highly responsible for respiratory morbidity and mortality,” stated the report. Underlining the drastic impact of these pollutants on one’s health, the report stated that severe health problems can arise due to them including asthma, chronic bronchitis, lungs irritation, pneumonia, chronic cough, phlegm production, allergy, headache, fatigue, lung cancer and in some instances, premature deaths.
Teri, a research institute that works in the fields of energy, environment and sustainable development has explained indoor pollution by referring it to the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of air in the indoor environment within a home, a building, an institution or a commercial facility. According to the Global Burden of Disease Study, indoor pollution is a major contributor to ill-health and pre-mature mortality rates in India. “Hundreds of crores of people are exposed to indoor pollution across the globe out of which estimated 780 million (78 crore) people are in India,” said a pollution expert Dr Satish Anand.
Meanwhile, disclosing the impact of pollutants and its sources present in our daily lives, VPCI stated Environment Tobacco Smoke (ETS) is one of the major pollutants present in the air which is caused by tobacco that people smoke daily. The report added that the risk of cancer remains similar in passive smokers as compared to the one who actually smokes as the chemicals released from the cigarette, both major and side-ends, are harmful to everyone. “Respiratory irritation, bronchitis and pneumonia in children, emphysema, lung cancer, and heart diseases are the health hazards that ETS takes along with it,” further stated the review.
Similarly, the second pollutant that is easily found in the indoor air is the inert gas ‘Radon’ which is generated from soil under buildings, earth-derived construction material and ground water. “Radon gas is a radioactive gas that comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. When the uranium breaks down, the radon gas seeps up and can get into buildings. Radon is especially dangerous because it is both colourless and odourless, which makes it impossible to detect without special testing equipment. Furthermore, it causes lung cancer,” briefed the review by VPCI.
The researched review by the institute also explained about other pollutants like volatile organic compounds (VOC), formaldehyde, lead, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. VOC are generated from solvents found in spray, perfume, furniture polish and room fresheners, the research also stated that formaldehyde is sourced by carpets and plastic boards, lead by house dust and carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide by heaters, gas stoves and furnaces. The health hazards emerging out of all these pollutants include some major illness like asthma, cardiovascular effect, growth retardation, kidney damage and damage to livers.