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INDOOR POLLUTION/
MAIN CONTAMINANTS
source: www.science.org.au/nova/
015/015print.htm#box%202
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In ‘closed’ environments, the effects of ‘outdoor’ pollution (from road traffic, industrial waste, heating systems) are added to those typical in an ‘indoor’ environment:- emissions from building materials and furniture
- metabolic processes
- tobacco smoke
- cleaning and sanitary products
- bacteria, viruses, mycetes, etc.
Some scientists have been checking to see just what happens when manufactured items like furniture and carpets are placed in a home…
The polluting effect of building materials used in a modern house have been checked too:- the foam in the cushions of a sofa is manufactured from a variety of chemicals and some of those chemicals remain active long after the furniture has left the factory;
- toxic organic compounds such as formaldehyde (CH2 O) may be emitted in small quantities from carpets, soft furnishings and fabrics;
- household pesticides and cleaning solvents may contain volatile toxic compounds;
- according to some reports, up to 90% of asthma cases in children can be attributed to carpets;
- builders use all sorts of glues, sealers and fillers in modern building – and most of these use some sort of solvent as their base. The pollution levels in a new house can be quite high;
- asbestos insulation – once used to keep the heat in – is dangerous if its fibres are inhaled.
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