Resources and Links

Current active wildfire information

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. http://www.fire.ca.gov/index.php

Geographic Area Coordination Center’s National Portal.

http://gacc.nifc.gov/links/links.htm Provides links to regional geographic centers with specific information about fires in the region.

Recommendations for public health actions

Pre-season public service announcements

In areas where fires are likely to occur, state and local public health agencies should consider running pre-season public service announcements (PSAs) or news releases to advise the public on how to prepare for the fire season. PSAs should be simple (e.g., the season for wildfires is approaching; there are things you can do now to help protect your health and prepare your home in the event of a wildfire), and should list a contact phone number or website for further information.

News releases should be used to provide more detailed information, including information for the general public and for people with chronic diseases.

Create a clean room at home

People who live in areas that are regularly affected by smoke from wildfires would be well advised to create a “clean room” in their home. A good choice is an interior room, with as few windows and doors as possible, such as a bedroom. Some suggestions for maintaining a clean room:

·         Keep windows and doors closed.

·         Set up a properly sized room air cleaner (see above), which will help remove particles from the air while emitting no or minimal levels of ozone.

·         Run an air conditioner or central air conditioning system if you have one. If the air conditioner provides a fresh air option, keep the fresh-air intake closed to prevent smoke from getting inside. Make sure that the filter is clean enough to allow good air flow indoors.

·         Do not vacuum, because vacuuming stirs up particles.

·         Do not smoke or burn anything, such as candles or incense, anywhere in the house.

·         Keep the room clean.

·         If it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, or if you are very sensitive to smoke, seek shelter elsewhere. Keep in mind that many particles will enter your home even if you take all of these steps.

Reduce other sources of indoor air pollution

Many indoor sources of air pollution can emit large amounts of pollutants, some of which are also present in wildfire smoke. Smoking cigarettes, using gas, propane and wood-burning stoves and furnaces, spraying aerosol products, frying or broiling meat, burning candles and incense, and vacuuming can all increase particle levels in a home and should be avoided when wildfire smoke is present.

For instance, in a standard room of 125 square feet, it takes only 10 minutes for

the side-stream smoke of 4 cigarettes to generate indoor levels of particles in the

hazardous ranges (644 micrograms of particles per cubic meter of air or ìg/m³). Frying or broiling some foods can produce even higher levels of particles in the kitchen and dining areas. Some of these sources can also increase the levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides. Besides cigarette smoke, combustion sources that do not properly vent to the outdoors (including “room-vented” or “vent-free” appliances) contribute most to indoor pollutant levels, and are of greatest concern. Thus, reducing indoor air pollutant emissions during smoke events can decrease indoor particle levels, which may partially compensate for the increased particle loading from the outdoor air.

Stay indoors

The most common advisory issued during a smoke episode is to stay indoors. The usefulness of this strategy depends on how well the building limits smoke from coming in from outdoors and on minimizing indoor pollution sources. Staying indoors may therefore provide some protection, especially in a tightly closed, air-conditioned home in which the air conditioner re-circulates indoor air. Generally, newer homes are “tighter” and keep ambient air pollution out more effectively than older homes.

Staying inside with the doors and windows closed can usually reduce exposure to ambient air pollution by about a third or more. Homes with central air conditioning generally re­circulate indoor air, though some outdoor smoky air can still be drawn inside (e.g., when people enter or exit). In homes without air conditioning, indoor concentrations of fine particles can approach 70 to 100 percent of the outdoor levels. In very leaky homes and buildings, outdoor particles can easily infiltrate indoors, so guidance to stay inside may offer little protection. In any home, if doors and windows are left open, particle levels indoors and outdoors will be about the same.

The effects of smoke range from eye and respiratory tract irritation to more serious disorders, including reduced lung function, bronchitis, exacerbation of asthma, and premature death. Studies have found that fine particles are linked (alone or with other pollutants) with increased mortality and aggravation of pre-existing respiratory and cardiovascular disease. In addition, particles are respiratory irritants, and exposures to high concentrations of particulate matter can cause persistent cough, phlegm, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. Particles can also affect healthy people, causing respiratory symptoms, transient reductions in lung function, and pulmonary inflammation. Particulate matter can also affect the body’s immune system and the physiological mechanisms that remove inhaled foreign materials from the lungs, such as pollen and bacteria. As noted earlier, particulate matter exposure is the principal public health threat from short-term exposures to wildfire smoke.

Introduction

Smoke rolls into town, blanketing the city, turning on streetlights, creating an eerie and choking fog. Switchboards light up as people look for answers. Citizens want to know what they should do to protect themselves. School officials want to know if outdoor events should be cancelled. The news media want to know how dangerous the smoke really is.

Smoke events often catch us off guard. This guide is intended to provide local public health officials with information they need when wildfire smoke is present so they can adequately communicate health risks, and precautions to the public. This guide is the product of a collaborative effort by scientists, air quality specialists and public health professionals from federal, state, and local agencies.

Action days are usually called when the AQI gets into the unhealthy ranges. Different air pollution control agencies call them at different levels. In some places, action days are called when the AQI is forecast to be Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, or Code Orange. In this case, the groups that are sensitive to the pollutant should reduce exposure by reducing prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors. For ozone this includes: children and adults who are active outdoors, and people with lung disease, such as asthma. For particle pollution this includes: people with heart or lung disease, older adults and children. Occasionally, an action day is declared when the AQI is Moderate, or Code Yellow, if the levels are expected to approach Code Orange levels.

In many places, action days are called when the AQI is forecast to be Unhealthy, or Code Red. In this case, everyone should reduce exposure to air pollution, but especially the members of the sensitive group for the particular pollutant. What You Can Do.

Indoor Air Quality State Map

The following links are to offices or programs identified by each state as dealing with indoor air-related health inquiries. Some of these links may be to general air quality programs.

What is the health threat from wildfire smoke?

Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials.  Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. Fortunately, most persons who are exposed to thick smoke will not have health problems.  How much and how long you are exposed to the smoke, as well as your age and degree of susceptibility play a role in determining whether or not someone will experience smoke-related problems.  If you are experiencing serious medical problems for any reason, seek medical treatment immediately.

Tools for Locating Active Wildfires Near You

• NOAA Smoke Forecast Tool - Provides a 48-hour prediction of smoke transport and concentration using NOAA satellite information on the location of wildfires combined with NOAA National Weather Service weather forecast models. Tool is updated daily.
• GEOMAC Wildland Fire Support - The Geospatial Multi-Agency Coordination Group's internet-based mapping tool to access online maps of current fire locations.
• MODIS Active Fire Mapping -
  USDA Forest Service Remote Sensing Applications Center's (RSAC) MODIS Active Fire Mapping web site.

Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases.

Smoke may smell good, but it's not good for you.

If you are healthy, you're usually not at a major risk from smoke. Still, it's a good idea to avoid breathing smoke if you can help it.

Smoke is made up of a complex mixture of gases and fine particles produced when wood and other organic matter burn. The biggest health threat from smoke comes from fine particles. These microscopic particles can get into your eyes and respiratory system, where they can cause health problems such as burning eyes, runny nose, and illnesses such as bronchitis. Fine particles also can aggravate chronic heart and lung diseases - and even are linked to premature deaths in people with these conditions.

This summer has been especially hot and dry, which creates an ideal environment for wildfires to ignite. They’ve been flaring up across the country and are a serious threat to people’s health and wellbeing. We all know wildfires can threaten wildlife, property, and our lives, but the smoke produced by these fires is just as devastating.

Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. What’s worse is that smoke from wildfires can travel long distances. So even if the fire is burning several counties over, the residual smoke can still threaten your health.

How can my patients get the daily AQI delivered to their email inbox?

EnviroFlash is a system that sends e-mails about your daily air quality forecast, including alerts when there are unusual air quality events such as wildfires. The message is the same air quality information that the local radio or television stations provide, plus suggested safety measures when levels are unhealthy. This service is provided by state or local environmental agencies and the US Environmental Protection Agency. You can tell if a particular area participates in EnviroFlash by entering the zip code in the specified field on the sign-up page. More information about this free service can be found at www.enviroflash.info.

How effective are air quality alerts in reducing adverse effects in the real world?

For air quality advisories to have a positive effect on public health, they must be widely available and well-understood. Evidence indicates the AQI may indeed be helpful. Data from the 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) conducted in six states (Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin) were analyzed to assess reductions or changes in outdoor activities because of media alerts on AQI and health professional advice to reduce or change outdoor activity levels (Wen et al., 2009). BRFSS is a standardized state-based telephone survey system designed to collect data on health risk behaviors and health conditions from adults aged 18 and older. About 31% (95% CI: 27.8–34.4%; P < 0.0001) of the respondents with lifetime asthma and 16% (95% CI: 15.1–17.1%; P < 0.0001) of those without asthma reported changes in outdoor activities because of media alerts of air quality. Among the respondents who ever received a health professional’s advice to reduce outdoor activity, about 51% of those without asthma (95% CI: 43.2–57.9%; P < 0.001) and 57% of those with lifetime asthma (95% CI: 49.1–63.7%; P < 0.001) reported a media alert-based outdoor activity change or reduction. This shows that receiving advice from a health professional is also a very important factor in the decision to change or reduce outdoor activities.

What is the Air Quality Index?

The Air Quality Index, or AQI, is a nationally uniform index for reporting and forecasting daily air quality. It is used to report the five most common ambient air pollutants that are regulated under the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone, particle pollution (or particulate matter), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. The AQI tells the public how clean or polluted the air is and how to avoid potential associated health effects.

The AQI uses a normalized scale from 0 to 500. Since levels rarely exceed a value of 200 in the United States, in most cases only the range from 0 to 300 is shown. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of pollution and the greater the health concern. An AQI value of 100 generally corresponds to the level of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for the pollutant. AQI values below 100 are generally considered to be satisfactory. When AQI values are above 100, air quality is considered to be unhealthy, at first for members of susceptible populations, then for everyone as AQI values get higher.

Should I recommend that my patients reduce their exposure to ozone?

Information from clinical, epidemiological, and animal studies summarized above indicates that exposure to ambient ozone is a risk factor for triggering acute and chronic health effects. These include chest discomfort, cough, and shortness of breath and increases in daily mortality and hospital admissions for respiratory disease in the general population as well as those with lung disease; asthma attacks in people with asthma; and the possible development of new cases of asthma and other respiratory disease in people exposed to ozone over many years. For example, during and following days when ozone levels are high, people with asthma may experience worsening respiratory symptoms, need more medication, and be more likely to go to emergency rooms or be admitted to the hospital. As with most triggers, some people are more severely affected than others.

Because ambient ozone exposure is a risk factor for triggering both acute and chronic health effects, it is desirable for people to reduce both short-term and cumulative exposure to ozone. People with asthma or other respiratory diseases who know they are affected by ozone exposure will benefit the most from exposure reductions; others may experience little or no benefit.

Epidemiology of Ambient Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease

An association between high levels of anthropogenic air pollutants and human illnesses has been known for more than half a century. A few episodes of markedly increased mortality rates during extreme elevations in urban pollution, such as in the Meuse Valley, Belgium, in December 1930⁶⁹ and during the London fog incident of 1952,⁷⁰ sparked the initial epidemiological research. As a result, a several-decades-long effort to reduce air pollution ensued and culminated in the Clean Air Act legislation of 1970. Despite improvements in air quality over the past few decades, associations between current ambient pollution levels and excess morbidity and mortality have been consistently detected.^71–76

The Air

All around the earth there is a thick blanket of air called the atmosphere. Air, like other gases, does not have a fixed shape. It spreads out to fill any available space so nothing is really empty. But air cannot escape from the atmosphere as the force of gravity keeps it from floating away from the earth.

Air pollution

Ever since people first gathered in settlements there has been pollution. Pollution usually refers to the presence of substances that are either present in the environment where it doesn't belong or at levels greater than it should be.

Air pollution is caused by any undesirable substance, which enters the atmosphere. Air pollution is a major problem in modern society. Even though air pollution is usually a greater problem in cities, pollutants contaminate air everywhere. These substances include various gases and tiny particles, or particulates that can harm human health and damage the environment. They may be gases, liquids, or solids. Many pollutants are given off into the air as a result of human behavior. Pollution occurs on different levels: personal, national, and global.

Introduction – Part ONE

Breathing ground-level ozone can result in a number of health effects that are observed in broad segments of the population. Some of these effects include:

·         Induction of respiratory symptoms

·         Decrements in lung function

·         Inflammation of airways

Respiratory symptoms can include:

·         Coughing

·         Throat irritation

·         Pain, burning, or discomfort in the chest when taking a deep breath

·         Chest tightness, wheezing, or shortness of breath

In addition to these effects, evidence from observational studies strongly indicates that higher daily ozone concentrations are associated with increased asthma attacks, increased hospital admissions, increased daily mortality, and other markers of morbidity. The consistency and coherence of the evidence for effects upon asthmatics suggests that ozone can make asthma symptoms worse and can increase sensitivity to asthma triggers.

Introduction

Patients with pre-existing respiratory diseases are potentially at increased risk of adverse effects of ozone exposure because the response to ozone may interact with the pathophysiology of the underlying disease or simply because these patients generally have less pulmonary reserve and cannot tolerate the reduction in lung function or the increase in symptoms.

People with asthma are a large and growing segment of the population and are also known to be especially susceptible to the effects of ozone exposure. Because the prevalence of asthma in children is particularly high and because children are generally at risk of higher exposures due to time spent in exercise and outdoors, they may be disproportionately affected by ozone exposure.

Introduction – Part ONE

Breathing ground-level ozone can result in a number of health effects that are observed in broad segments of the population. Some of these effects include:

·         Induction of respiratory symptoms

·         Decrements in lung function

·         Inflammation of airways

Respiratory symptoms can include:

·         Coughing

·         Throat irritation

·         Pain, burning, or discomfort in the chest when taking a deep breath

·         Chest tightness, wheezing, or shortness of breath

In addition to these effects, evidence from observational studies strongly indicates that higher daily ozone concentrations are associated with increased asthma attacks, increased hospital admissions, increased daily mortality, and other markers of morbidity. The consistency and coherence of the evidence for effects upon asthmatics suggests that ozone can make asthma symptoms worse and can increase sensitivity to asthma triggers.

Introduction

Breathing ground-level ozone can result in a number of health effects that are observed in broad segments of the population. Some of these effects include:

·         Induction of respiratory symptoms

·         Decrements in lung function

·         Inflammation of airways

Respiratory symptoms can include:

·         Coughing

·         Throat irritation

·         Pain, burning, or discomfort in the chest when taking a deep breath

·         Chest tightness, wheezing, or shortness of breath

In addition to these effects, evidence from observational studies strongly indicates that higher daily ozone concentrations are associated with increased asthma attacks, increased hospital admissions, increased daily mortality, and other markers of morbidity. The consistency and coherence of the evidence for effects upon asthmatics suggests that ozone can make asthma symptoms worse and can increase sensitivity to asthma triggers.

Where can the daily AQI be found?

In many areas, the local media - newspapers, television and radio - will provide AQI reports telling the public when ozone levels are predicted to be unhealthy. These reports generally occur during the weather forecasts. Some national media, such as USA Today, The Weather Channel, and CNN also provide daily air quality reports.

Air quality forecasts and real-time air quality information can be found on EPA's AIRNow Web site (www.airnow.gov). Ozone air quality forecasts for more than 350 cities across the country are posted daily by 4:30 PM during the summertime ozone season.

Click here for today's air quality forecast.

Air-cleaning devices may help reduce levels of smaller airborne allergens, particles, or, in some cases, gaseous pollutants in a home. However, air cleaners may not decrease adverse health effects particularly in sensitive populations such as children, people with asthma and allergies, and the elderly.

Clinicians frequently recommend that patients who have asthma or allergies use HEPA air filters in HVAC systems or in portable air cleaners. Regardless of how efficient and effective air- cleaning devices are in removing pollutants, a question still remains about their ability to reduce adverse health effects.

How effectively air-cleaning devices alleviate allergic and other health symptoms remains uncertain. Strong data linking air-cleaning devices to reduced health symptoms do not exist. Many studies have associated air-cleaning devices with reductions in airborne indoor pollutant concentrations, but more clinical studies are needed to determine whether air cleaners significantly affect health outcomes. A literature review documented only a limited number of studies that attempted to evaluate the clinical outcomes of air cleaner use. These studies focused on more sensitive groups, such as asthmatic and allergic individuals, children, and the elderly. A number of the studies had important limitations, such as small study size, short duration, and lack of blinding (i.e., subjects and scientists were aware of air cleaner operation), which may result in a placebo effect. The results were also more suggestive than conclusive.

Many indoor pollutants related to asthma and allergies are either airborne particles or irritants, such as the gaseous components of secondhand smoke or nitrogen dioxide, chemicals linked with gas cooking appliances, fireplaces, wood stoves, and unvented kerosene and gas space heaters. Most studies involving subjects who have perennial and seasonal allergy or asthma symptoms tested portable air cleaners equipped with HEPA filters.

Whether installed in the ducts of HVAC systems or used in portable air cleaners, most air filters have a good efficiency rating for removing larger particles when they remain airborne. These particles include dust, pollen, some molds, animal dander, and those that contain dust mite and cockroach body parts and droppings. But because these particles settle rather rapidly from the air, air filters are somewhat ineffective in removing them from indoor areas. And although human activities such as walking and vacuuming, or the high velocity air exiting supply vents, can re-suspend particles, most of the larger particles will resettle before they enter the HVAC system or portable air cleaner and are removed by a particle air filter.

Large particles settle from the air rapidly; therefore, air filters are somewhat ineffective in their removal.

The appropriate type of particle removal air filter can be chosen by looking at its MERV rating in removing airborne particles from the airstream that passes through it. MERV ratings can also be used to compare air filters made by different manufacturers.

The effectiveness of a portable air cleaner depends on the air-cleaning device’s efficiency in removing airborne pollutants, the quantity of air being filtered, the particle size, the size of the room the air cleaner serves, and its location in the space. A voluntary standard is available for measuring the effectiveness of portable air cleaners in reducing airborne pollutants in a room. It was developed by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), a private voluntary standard-setting trade association, and is recognized by the American National Standards Institute.¹⁸ The standard compares the effectiveness of portable air cleaners in a room size test chamber, measured by the clean air delivery rate (CADR) for each of three types of particles in indoor air: dust, tobacco smoke, and pollen. Although AHAM uses tobacco smoke particles to represent smaller airborne particles, air cleaning should not be construed as an effective way to address environmental tobacco smoke. There are thousands of particulate and gaseous chemical compounds, including many known carcinogens, in tobacco smoke that cannot be removed effectively by air cleaning.

Although AHAM uses the CADR concept to evaluate the performance of portable air cleaners in reducing particulate matter concentrations, the CADR can be applied equally to the removal of gaseous pollutants. The CADR does not apply to whole-house air-cleaning devices installed in HVAC ductwork.

Many different gas-phase air-filtration devices are available; however, comparing and rating the effectiveness of installed sorbent filters is difficult because there is no standard test method. ASHRAE Standard Project Committee 145 is developing a standard method for evaluating the effectiveness of gas-phase filtration devices installed in the ductwork of residential HVAC systems, but not in portable air cleaners.³⁰

Gas-phase air filters remove gases and odors by either physical or chemical processes. These filters typically are designed to remove one or more of the gaseous pollutants present at low concentrations in the airstream that passes through them. They are not, however, designed to eliminate all gaseous pollutants. Air cleaners that do not contain sorbent materials or photocatalytic oxidation technology, discussed on page 20, will not remove gaseous pollutants.

Air filters are designed to remove particulate pollutants from indoor air. Their performance depends not only on the airflow rate through the filter media and the filter efficiency, but also on factors such as the:

·    Particle size and mass.

·    Amount of dust on the air filter.

·    Airflow rate, velocity, path, and resistance through the filter media.

·    Mixing of air leaving the filter with the air in the room.

·    Leakage rate of air that bypasses the air filter.

Various technologies can be used in air-cleaning devices. Filtration and electrostatic attraction are effective in removing airborne particles. Adsorption or chemisorption captures some gaseous and vaporous contaminants. Some air cleaners use ultraviolet light (UV) technology. Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) has been used to kill some microorganisms growing on surfaces. Photocatalytic oxidation (PCO), another UV light technology under development, has the potential to destroy gaseous contaminants. Ozone-generating devices sold as air cleaners use UV light or corona discharge and are meant to control indoor air pollutants.

Three Strategies to Reduce Indoor Air Pollutants

Three basic strategies to reduce pollutant concentrations in indoor air are source control, ventilation, and air cleaning.

The use of air cleaners alone cannot ensure adequate air quality.

Indoor Air Pollutants

There are two categories of indoor air pollutants that can affect the quality of air in a home: particulate matter and gaseous pollutants.

Particulate matter (PM) is composed of microscopic solids, liquid droplets, or a mixture of solids and liquid droplets suspended in air. Also known as particle pollution, PM is made up of a number of components, including acids such as nitric and sulfuric acids, organic chemicals, metals, soil or dust particles, and biological contaminants. Among the particles that can be found in a home are:

·    Dust as solid PM or fumes and smoke, which are mixtures of solid and liquid particles.

·    Biological contaminants, including viruses, bacteria, pollen, molds, dust mite and cockroach body parts and droppings, and animal dander.

Particles come in a wide range of sizes. Small particles can be fine or coarse. Of primary concern from a health standpoint are fine particles that have a diameter of 2.5 micrometers (µm) or less. These particles (described as “respirable”) can be inhaled; they penetrate deep into the lungs where they may cause acute or chronic health effects. Coarse particles, between 2.5 and 10 µm in diameter, usually do not penetrate as far into the lungs; they tend to settle in the upper respiratory tract. Large particles are greater than 10 µm in diameter, or roughly one-sixth the width of a human hair. They can be trapped in the nose and throat and expelled by coughing, sneezing, or swallowing.

Respirable particles are directly emitted into indoor air from a variety of sources including tobacco smoke, ozone reactions with emissions from indoor sources of organic compounds, chimneys and flues that are improperly installed or maintained, unvented combustion appliances such as gas stoves and kerosene or gas space heaters, woodstoves, and fireplaces. This category of particles also includes viruses and some bacteria.

Among the smaller biological particles found in a home are some bacteria, mold fragments and spores, a significant fraction of cat and dog dander, and a small portion of dust mite body parts and droppings. Larger particles include dust, pollen, some mold fragments and spores, a smaller fraction of cat and dog dander, a significant fraction of dust mite body parts and cockroach body parts and droppings, and skin flakes.

Gaseous pollutants include combustion gases and organic chemicals that are not attached to particles. Hundreds of gaseous pollutants have been detected in indoor air.

Sources of indoor combustion gases such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide include combustion appliances, tobacco smoke, and vehicles whose exhaust infiltrates from attached garages or the outdoors.

Sources of airborne gaseous organic compounds include tobacco smoke, building materials and furnishings, and products such as paints, adhesives, dyes, solvents, caulks, cleaners, deodorizers, cleaning chemicals, waxes, hobby and craft materials, and pesticides. Organic compounds may also come from cooking food; from human, plant, and animal metabolic processes; and from outdoor sources. Some electronic air cleaners and laser printers may generate the lung irritant ozone by design or as a by-product.

Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that can be found in indoor air. It comes from uranium in natural sources such as rock, soil, ground water, natural gas, and mineral building materials. As uranium breaks down, it releases radon, which in turn produces short-lived radioactive particles called “progeny,” some of which attach to dust particles. Radon progeny may deposit in the lungs and irradiate respiratory tissues. Radon typically moves through the ground and into a home through cracks and holes in the foundation. Radon may also be present in well water and can be released into the air when that water is used for showering and other household activities. In a small number of homes, building materials also can give off radon.¹

Indoor air pollution is among the top five environmental health risks. Usually the best way to address this risk is to control or eliminate the sources of pollutants and ventilate a home with clean outdoor air. But opportunities for ventilation may be limited by weather conditions or by contaminants in the outdoor air.

If the usual methods of addressing indoor air pollution are insufficient, air-cleaning devices may be useful. Air filters and other air-cleaning devices are designed to remove pollutants from indoor air. Some are installed in the ductwork of a home’s central heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to clean the air in the entire house. Portable room air cleaners can be used to clean the air in a single room or in specific areas, but they are not intended to filter the air in the whole house. Air-cleaning devices are categorized by the type of pollutants — particulate and gaseous — that the device is designed to remove or destroy.

Two types of air-cleaning devices can remove particles from the air: mechanical air filters and electronic air cleaners.

Improving the Air Quality in Your Home

Identifying Air Quality Problems

Some health effects can be useful indicators of an indoor air quality problem, especially if they appear after a person moves to a new residence, remodels or refurnishes a home, or treats a home with pesticides. If you think that you have symptoms that may be related to your home environment, discuss them with your doctor or your local health department to see if they could be caused by indoor air pollution. You may also want to consult a board-certified allergist or an occupational medicine specialist for answers to your questions.

Glossary

Improving the Air Quality in Your Home

Indoor Air and Your Health

Health effects from indoor air pollutants may be experienced soon after exposure or, possibly, years later.

Immediate effects may show up after a single exposure or repeated exposures. These include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Such immediate effects are usually short-term and treatable. Sometimes the treatment is simply eliminating the person's exposure to the source of the pollution, if it can be identified. Symptoms of some diseases, including asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and humidifier fever, may also show up soon after exposure to some indoor air pollutants.

Clean Air Guide – Health Effects

Short-term exposure and high pollution levels can cause watery eyes, coughing and wheezing, worsen heart and lung illnesses including asthma and other respiratory diseases such as emphysema, contribute to stress on the cardiovascular system, lessen the lung’s ability to exhale air, and damage lungs even after minor irritation disappears.

Long-term contact with polluted air can have permanent health effects, like rapidly aging the lungs, decreasing lung capacity and function, causing diseases like asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and cancer and shortening life span.

Clean Air Guide -- Glossary

A Glossary of definitions for words commonly used in Air Quality Discussions.

New Report Ranks 50 Cities Where Dirtiest Air Impacts The Most Kids

Environmental Defense Lays Out Plan To Cut By 80% Key Air Pollution Sources That Trigger Asthma

A new report from Environmental Defense ranks the top 50 U.S. cities where the worst air pollution impacts the greatest number of kids. The Dangerous Days of Summer report recognizes the serious impact poor air quality has on the health of children, but especially on those with asthma, and lays out a plan to reduce by 80% the most important sources of air pollution that trigger asthma.

"This report is a wake up call. Fighting for clean air in this country means fighting for the millions of kids that struggle to breathe every day because of pollution," said John Balbus, M.D., M.P.H., director of the health program at Environmental Defense. "The good news is that the country can curb the triggers of asthma and ease the burden of other health consequences from air pollution. An urgent first step toward this goal is for EPA to cut the harmful pollution from power plant smokestacks instead of weakening long-standing clean air protections."

Tackling the global clean air challenge

News release from World Health Organization

http://www.who.int

26 September 2011 | Geneva -In many cities air pollution is reaching levels that threaten people's health according to an unprecedented compilation of air quality data released today by WHO. The information includes data from nearly 1100 cities across 91 countries, including capital cities and cities with more than 100 000 residents.

Clean Air, Sure, But Not During Fire Season

That Santa Fe has relatively clean air is pretty obvious to anyone who bothers to look around. That the city is among the top 10 urban areas with the cleanest air on the planet, however, seems a little surprising — especially since our nearest competitors on the list, compiled by the World Health Organization, seem to be mostly smallish towns in the vast (and relatively unpopulated) Canadian Northwest.

Which U.S. cities have dirtiest and cleanest air?

How clean is your air? Most U.S. cities with the dirtiest air are getting cleaner but half of Americans still live in in areas where it's often difficult to breathe, the American Lung Association reports today.

Los Angeles remains the smoggiest metro area, although it's improved significantly in the last decade, and Bakersfield, Calif., has the worst particle pollution such as soot and ash, both on a daily and annual level, according to the ALA's 12th annual "State of the Air" report.

How does the air quality in my city compare with other cities? What time of year has the best air quality? Has the air quality in my city improved? AirCompare provides local air quality information to help you make informed, health-protective decisions about moving or vacationing.

Health Effects of Ozone and Particle Pollution

zone and particle pollution are the most widespread air pollutants—and among the most dangerous. Re­cent research has revealed new insights into how they can harm the body—including taking the lives of infants and altering the lungs of children. All in all, the evidence shows that the risks are greater than we once thought.

State of the Air

People at risk

Looking at the nation as a whole,

The American Lung Association State of the Air 2011 finds—

n Roughly half the people (50.3%) in the United States live in counties that have unhealthful levels of either ozone or particle pollution.

Almost 154.5 million Americans live in the 366 counties where they are exposed to unhealthful levels of air pollu­tion in the form of either ozone or short-term or year-round levels of particles.

n Nearly half the people in the United States (48.2%) live in areas with unhealthful levels of ozone.

Counties that were graded F for ozone levels have a com­bined population of almost 148.1 million. These people live in the 338 counties where the monitored air quality places them at risk for decreased lung function, respiratory infec­tion, lung inflammation and aggravation of respiratory illness. The actual number who breathe unhealthy levels of ozone is likely much larger, since this number does not include people who live in adjacent counties in metropolitan areas where no monitors exist.

The American Lung Association State of the Air 2011 report ranks the metropolitan areas based on ozone and particle pollution during 2007, 2008 and 2009. For particle pollution, we rank separately the areas with high year-round (annual average) levels and high short-term levels (24-hour) found in monitoring sites across the United States. We take official data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to compile the rankings. For more information about how we grade and rank cities, go to Methodology.

Air Pollution Linked to Breast Cancer, Study Suggests

— Air pollution has already been linked to a range of health problems. Now, a ground-breaking new study suggests pollution from traffic may put women at risk for another deadly disease. The study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, by researchers from The Research Institute of the MUHC (RI MUHC; Dr. Mark Goldberg), McGill University (Drs. Goldberg, Dan Crouse and Nancy Ross), and Université de Montréal (Dr. France Labrèche), links the risk of breast cancer -- the second leading cause of death from cancer in women -- to traffic-related air pollution.

         Twenty-five of the top 27 most-polluted cities for year-round particle pollution levels had cleaner air than last years report found.

         Air pollution hovers at unhealthy levels in almost every major city, threatening peoples ability to breathe and placing lives at risk.

         The most widespread kinds of air pollution are ozone (smog) and particle pollution (soot). Breathing either can harm your body and risk your life.

         When inhaled, ozone irritates the lungs, resulting in something like a bad sunburn within the lungs.

         The American Lung Association leads the fight for healthy air every day. We fight for tighter clean air standards, reduced power plant emissions and cleaner diesel fuels and vehicles.

         Breathing in particle pollution can increase the risk of early death, heart attacks, strokes and emergency room visits for people with asthma, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

         About one in 17 people in the United States lives in an area with unhealthy year-round levels of fine particle pollution.

Researchers have known for some time that outdoor air pollution can impact those with compromised immune systems, however recently they have started to conduct more complete studies on the impact of poor indoor air quality on respiratory systems.

At the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, their research team documented the symptoms of 148 adults who suffered from severe cases of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) i.e. emphysema, chronic bronchitis.

Give the Gift They Need & Want

Give the gift of an air purifier.  Studies have shown the air we breathe in our homes is up to 100 times worse than the air outside.  With the increase of more energy efficient homes, the air contained in them is worse now than ever before.  At The Pure Air Store we are committed to providing solutions to your indoor air quality problems.

Below are several different types of Air Purifiers and a short description of their abilities.  Click on the links to be taken to our blog articles where more in depth information is provided.  These are a sample of the numerous brands and styles of Air Purifiers that we stock at The Pure Air Store.

Doctor warns of Christmas tree mold

Allergens may multiply, causing potential health problems in home

ORLANDO, Fla. — What's green and festive and makes you sneeze?

It might be your Christmas tree.

Allergists have long suspected that live Christmas trees are the culprits behind some folks' runny, itchy noses during the holidays. And now, one doctor believes he has proof.

"I've been in practice for 30 years and, every year, between Christmas and New Year's, we have everybody come in with recurring sinus infections," said Dr. John Santilli, a Connecticut allergy specialist.

"We tell them, 'Take down the tree,' but we never had the proof to show them."

Determined to prove his point, Santilli placed a live Christmas tree inside an intern's apartment and took air samples for two weeks. (Santilli keeps his Christmas tree on a porch until Christmas Eve.)

Study Shows Trees May Bring Allergy Symptoms Along With Holiday Cheer

Live Christmas trees may bring more than the fresh pine scent of the holiday season into homes, according to a new study.

The study, which was presented at The American College of Allergy, Asthma& Immunology Annual Scientific Meeting in Dallas, examined the relationship between mold growth on live Christmas trees and poor indoor air quality.

This study grew out of a consistent and dramatic increase in asthma and sinus complaints among patients every winter, which is especially pronounced during the holiday season, notes study researcher John Santilli, MD.

Spore counts soar when evergreens are brought indoors, researchers find

FRIDAY, Nov. 16 (HealthDay News) -- While bringing home a live Christmas tree marks the beginning of the holiday season for many, the mold that thrives on its branches can trigger weeks of suffering for some, a new study shows.

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Connecticut researchers have found that the mold count from a live Christmas tree rose to five times the normal level two weeks after the tree was brought indoors, and that can prove problematic for people with mold allergies. Their research was presented this week at the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology annual meeting, in Dallas.

"Christmas trees are another possible source of mold exposure during the holiday season," said study co-author Philip Hemmers, an allergist and immunologist with St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport, Conn. "Mold allergies peak in the fall, and we see a second peak with a lot of our mold-sensitive patients during the holiday season. Our finding correlates with this second peak of mold sensitivity."

A study by Canadian researchers at Simon Fraser University found that the use of HEPA filters may help reduce cardiovascular disease risk that results from exposure to air pollution, specifically that from residential wood smoke.

Sick building syndrome is a term used to describe ill health effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building and that cannot be attributed to any other specific illness or cause. Symptoms that building occupants may experience include headache, dry cough, and fatigue. Most people with this syndrome report relief soon after leaving the building.

Removal of the pollutant source is the most effective way to solve an indoor air quality

issue, when it can be done and when the cause is known. Regular maintenance of HVAC systems; replacing water-stained drywall, panels, wood, ceiling tiles and carpets is animportant start to improving the quality of indoor air. A ban on tobacco use is a major plus. Venting emissions to the outdoors will also improve indoor air quality.

If you’re having remodeling done in the near future or even now it is always a good idea to leave the completed remodeling job unoccupied for a good period of time to allow gaseous pollutants to fade away over time.

Sick building syndrome (sometimes referred to as SBS) becomes evident when occupants of a home or building experience health problems which have an unknown cause. SBS usually occurs when much time is spent in a home or building. In many cases the actual cause of the problem cannot be identified. The health problems may be evident with occupants who spend much time in a certain room or area of the structure, or may be a problem throughout the entire structure.

Sick building syndrome (SBS) occurs when the occupants of a building experience acute health effects that seem to be linked to time spent in a building. There is usually no specific illness or cause identified. The complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone, or may be widespread throughout the building. Frequently, problems result when a building is maintained in a manner that is inconsistent with its original design or prescribed operating procedures, or when occupant activities create a problem (1).

Introduction

The term "sick building syndrome" (SBS) is used to describe situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified. The complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone, or may be widespread throughout the building. In contrast, the term "building related illness" (BRI) is used when symptoms of diagnosable illness are identified and can be attributed directly to airborne building contaminants.

A 1984 World Health Organization Committee report suggested that up to 30 percent of new and remodeled buildings worldwide may be the subject of excessive complaints related to indoor air quality (IAQ). Often this condition is temporary, but some buildings have long-term problems. Frequently, problems result when a building is operated or maintained in a manner that is inconsistent with its original design or prescribed operating procedures. Sometimes indoor air problems are a result of poor building design or occupant activities.

Indicators of SBS include:

Building occupants complain of symptoms associated with acute discomfort, e.g., headache; eye, nose, or throat irritation; dry cough; dry or itchy skin; dizziness and nausea; difficulty in concentrating; fatigue; and sensitivity to odors.

The cause of the symptoms is not known.

Most of the complainants report relief soon after leaving the building.

Is indoor air quality a real problem, or is this just another hippie health scare?

Unfortunately, indoor air can be far more polluted than outdoor air, according to the EPA. Radon, a radioactive gas often found indoors, is responsible for more lung cancer deaths -- about 20,000 people in the U.S. each year -- than any other cause after smoking. Asthma affects some 23 million people, including over six million children, and is responsible for almost two million emergency-room visits each year. These and many other serious health problems are directly attributed to indoor air quality.

It smells OK to me, so I should be fine in here.

Definition:

Sick building syndrome describes a range of health problems that can occur through exposure to the pollutants inside a home, office or other building. Sick building syndrome is usually related to poor indoor air quality, and can be caused by mold, radon, smoke or any number of chemical pollutants.

In some cases, building occupants complain of sick building syndrome symptoms that can include headache, nausea, fever, dizziness, eye or skin irritation, dry cough or fatigue. These symptoms may lessen or disappear when occupants are outside the building. Poor ventilation, chemical contaminants like volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from office machines, carpets and furniture, and biological contaminants like mold, dust mites, bacteria and pollen are all cited as frequent causes of sick building syndrome.

Volatile organic compounds represent one of the two major pollutant categories implicated in the sick-building syndrome. This article reviews measurement and analytic methods, presents a summary of the etiologic considerations, and presents newer, nonregulatory intervention strategies that can be used to prevent complaints resulting from this pollutant category. (J ALLERGY CLIN IMMUNOL 1994;94:296-303.)

According to EPA's Terms of the Environment, a volatile organic compound is "any organic compound that participates in atmospheric photochemical reactions except those designated by EPA as having negligible photochemical reactivity." VOC can also stand for the term “volatile organic chemical”.

Sources of emissions related to outdoor VOCs include solvent use, on road vehicles, non road equipment, industrial processes, fires and more. You can find out about outdoor VOC sources, as well as state and local summaries of VOC emissions, at http://www.epa.gov/air/emissions/voc.htm.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) – “VOCs are ground-water contaminants of concern because of very large environmental releases, human toxicity, and a tendency for some compounds to persist in and migrate with ground-water to drinking-water supply well … In general, VOCs have high vapor pressures, low-to-medium water solubilities, and low molecular weights. Some VOCs may occur naturally in the environment, other compounds occur only as a result of manmade activities, and some compounds have both origins.” - Zogorski and others, 2006

How Do You Know if a Mold is Dangerous?

When an inhabitant sees their environment affected by mold for the first time, it is easy to jump to conclusions that the mold is dangerous. The truth is that there are over 200 known types of mycotoxins, or toxicities released by mold.

Not all of these are dangerous, though it is unknown how many undiscovered toxins are yet to be identified. When trying to determine the seriousness of a mold infestation, the best thing to do is to look to hiring a toxic mold inspector.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are a large group of carbon-based chemicals that easily evaporate at room temperature. While most people can smell high levels of some VOCs, other VOCs have no odor. Odor does not indicate the level of risk from inhalation of this group of chemicals. There are thousands of different VOCs produced and used in our daily lives. Some common examples include:

What are volatile organic compounds (VOCs)?

Anthrax may register high on the public's consciousness, but table salt is probably the bigger threat to overall public health, as high-sodium diets create a number of health risks over the course of a lifetime. Indoor mold problems act in a very similar fashion, as rare forms of dangerous mold grab all the headlines, while more common molds quietly cause headaches, sinus problems, and other respiratory problems for thousands of Americans.

Just like anthrax, there are a ton of facts and myths associated with mold, based on scientific evidence, sensationalized media, urban legends, and common fears. Here are three of the more useful fact v. myth phenomena that you should understand mold and your home or apartment.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors. VOCs are emitted by a wide array of products numbering in the thousands. Examples include: paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, office equipment such as copiers and printers, correction fluids and carbonless copy paper, graphics and craft materials including glues and adhesives, permanent markers, and photographic solutions.

Are you Living in an Area with Risks of Toxic Mold?

If you are living in an area where the relative humidity is above 55%, you are very much liable to health risks caused by toxic molds.

Black Mold, also known as Stachybotrys Chartarum.

Stachybotrys Chartarum is a greenish-black fungi found worldwide that colonizes particularly well in high-cellulose material such as straw, hay, wet leaves, dry wall, carpet, wall paper, fiber-board, ceiling tiles, thermal insulation, etc. The fungus, before drying, is wet and slightly slimy to touch.

How Serious Is Indoor Air Pollution?

The US Environmental Protection Agency or EPA conducted a study on indoor air pollution and discovered that human exposure to air pollution is 2 to 5 times high indoors than outside. Sometimes, the level of air pollution in a home can be up to 100 times higher than the air pollution outside. To make this problem even worse, the average American will spend up to 90% of their day inside. These facts forced the EPA and it Science Advisory Board to rank indoor air pollution as one of the top five environmental risks to the health of the general public.

Over 25 million people, including millions of children, have asthma or other breathing problems and over 12 million people report having an asthma attack in the past year. Asthma accounts for over 17 million physician office and hospital visits, and nearly 2 million emergency department visits each year.

·         People with asthma, allergies, or other breathing conditions may be more sensitive to mold.

·         If you or your family members have health problems after exposure to mold, contact your doctor or other health care provider.

·         Controlling moisture in your home is the most critical factor for preventing mold growth.

·         If you plan to be inside the building for a while or you plan to clean up mold, you should buy an N95 mask at your local home supply store and wear it while in the building.