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Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
* Indoor pollution affects 21 million people each year in the United States.
(Occupational Safety and Health Administration-OSHA)
* 6 out of 10 homes and buildings are “sick” and are hazardous to occupants.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
* Indoor Air Quality can reduce a person’s ability to perform specific mental tasks requiring concentration, calculation or memory.
EPA Indoor Environments Division, Indoor Air Quality and Student Performance (August 2000)
* Indoor air pollution consistently ranks among the top 5 environmental risks to public health.
EPA Indoor Environments Division, Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools: Actions to improve IAQ (September 1999)
* Contaminated central air handling systems can become breeding grounds for mold, mildew and other sources of biological contaminants and can then distribute these contaminants through the home.
The Inside Story-A Guide to Indoor Air Quality published April 1995 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
* It is possible for microbial growth to occur in HVAC systems when the proper conditions are met, such as appropriate temperature range and the presence of water and nutrients. In the presence of sufficient moisture, dust and other organic particles contamination can act as a nutrient base for microbial growth.
Presentation by Frank Sanders, Director of Antimicrobial Division of the U.S. EPA at 1999 American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Annual Meeting in Chicago
* The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that one-third of the 4.5 million commercial buildings in the U.S. offer less than acceptable air quality and ranks IAQ among the top five important environmental issues.
* The World Health Organization estimates that up to 30% of office buildings worldwide may suffer significant problems with 10-30% of the occupants of the buildings experiencing health effects which are related to poor IAQ.
* In a nationwide random sampling of office workers, 24% perceived air quality problems in their work environments and 20% believed that their work performance was hampered accordingly.
Indoor Pollution in the Office published by the American Lung Association
* Employers are finding that providing good indoor air quality promotes increased productivity and reduced lost time due to illness.
* The number of personal injury liability lawsuits due to poor quality indoor air is increasing. Settlements and awards have reached the $500,000 mark per plaintiff.
* Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a product of combustion, typically from motor vehicle exhaust and tobacco smoke and is dangerous at relatively low concentrations. An air supply opening located too close to a loading dock can introduce CO into the building.
* Many organic chemicals are found in indoor air at trace concentrations and may cause IAQ problems. Potential sources for organic chemicals include building insulation, carpeting, paint, chemicals used in cleaning and cooking odors.
* EPA studies of human exposure to air pollutants indicate that indoor levels of pollutants may be 2-5 times, and occasionally, more than 100 times higher than outdoor levels.
* Allergies are responsible for 3.5 million lost U.S. workdays each year, at a cost of $639 million. An estimated two million school days are lost each year due to allergies, with an indirect cost reaching $4 billion.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America Web Site
* Indoor air pollution is the primary cause in as many as 50 million cases of occupational chronic respiratory disease each year-a third of all occupational illnesses. These are widespread, debilitating and affect people in their social and economic prime of life. They are preventable with a minimum of resources.
WHO’s 1999 Guidelines for Air Pollution Control-Revised September 2000
* An estimated 100 million days are lost to asthma each year and 10 million days of school absences annually. Direct and indirect expenses related to asthma are estimated at more than $6 billion a year. More than 17 million Americans suffer from asthma, which is the seventh-ranking chronic condition in America.
* One out of six people who suffer from allergies does so because of the direct relationship to the fungi and bacteria in air duct systems.
Total Health & Better Health Magazine
* The average American is indoors nearly 90% of the time, and more than half of this time is spent in the home.
* 50% of homes contain problem molds. A new medical study attributes nearly 100% of chronic sinus infections to mold. A 300% increase in the asthma rate over the past 20 years has been linked to molds.
* 87% of American homeowners are not aware that pollution may be worse inside their homes than outdoors.
American Lung Association
* House dust is the major cause of allergies in persons with year-round complaints of runny or stuffy nose, itchy, watery eyes and sneezing. In addition to these allergic reactions, dust can trigger asthma attacks of wheezing coughing and shortness of breath.
* 20% of the U.S. population, nearly 55 million people spend their days in our elementary and secondary schools. Studies show that ½ of our nation’s 115,000 schools have problems linked to indoor air quality. Students are at greater risk because of the hours spent in school facilities and because children are especially susceptible to pollutants.
* A radon-related EPA investigation of 29 schools across the country found inadequate ventilation in most schools. Nearly one in five schools has at least one room with radon above the EPA recommended action level of 4 pCi/L.
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