Indoor Air Quality

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Why is indoor air quality a concern?

Although most people want to believe that their homes, workplaces, and schools are safe places, recent scientific evidence shows that the air within homes and other buildings may be much more polluted than the air outside. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that exposure to air pollutants can be two to five times higher (sometimes more than 100 times higher) indoors than outdoors. Since most people stay indoors most of the day (often 90% of the day), they are exposed to indoor air much more than to outdoor air. The health effects of poor quality indoor air may therefore be very important. Moreover, the people who are most vulnerable to such health effects-the very young, the elderly, and the chronically ill-are the ones most likely to spend the most time indoors.

Some indoor air pollutants are known to be toxic, or poisonous. They may have health effects ranging from triggering asthma attacks to causing cancer. Other indoor pollutants are thought to be harmful, but their effects are not clearly linked to specific illnesses. Establishing links between specific illness and specific indoor air pollutants is difficult because most people are exposed to many contaminants at low levels.

The most common contaminants encountered as indoor air pollutants include carbon monoxide, tobacco smoke, asbestos, pesticides, and microbes.

According to the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, which has studied indoor air in Connecticut schools, while there are national standards for outdoor air, which states are required to meet, there are no similar standards for indoor air quality. An industry standard for ventilation exists, but Connecticut has no designated or funded indoor air quality programs in any state agencies to encourage the use of the industry guidelines or to assist the schools in following these guidelines.

There is no formal organization in Connecticut that is responsible for indoor air quality.