Air pollution remains a great health concern and costs billions of dollars annually in health care costs and lost productivity.

Surprisingly, indoor air pollution has been measured to be two to five times more hazardous than outdoor air pollution. Poor indoor quality can cause eye irritation, headaches, allergies and respiratory problems, such as asthma, sick building syndrome and other serious health problems. Since most of us spend 90 percent of our time indoors, it’s important to understand what impacts our air quality.

We’ve all become very aware of the impact of smoke to both the smoker and those who are considered second-hand smokers. As a result, smoking has been banned from many public places. In some states, smoking is banned from all public places. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, smoking is just one of many hazardous pollutants that impact our indoor air quality.

In fact, our indoor air quality is impacted by numerous indoor pollutants consisting of lead, asbestos, carbon monoxide, radon, pesticides, cleaning products, and other biological pollutants. Because, lead, asbestos, carbon monoxide and radon are more commonly recognized hazards, you’ve probably already taken measures to eliminate or reduce their impact on the indoor air quality.

Biological pollutants, on the other hand, are sometimes overlooked or not considered by many when evaluating indoor environment. Biological pollutants are produced by living things and consist of bacteria, mold, mildew, animal dander and cat saliva, dust, mites, cockroaches and pollen. It seems unreasonable that we could avoid biological pollutants in our everyday life. We can, however, decrease the amount of exposure. This can be accomplished by:

• Avoiding use of air fresheners
• Fixing any leaks throughout home/office building
• Using fans and/or opening windows in bathrooms and kitchens
• Cleaning air conditioners, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers frequently
• Vacuuming (including upholstered furniture and mattresses) and cleaning regularly
• Using environmentally preferred products for cleaning and for pest control

  Breathing is something we take for granted and inhaling indoor air pollutants is something we’re usually not consciously aware that we’re doing.

  Improve your health and give your lungs a break by controlling the amount of biological pollutants in your home or work place.