Indoor Air Pollutants
“Sick building” syndrome (SBS) is a term used to describe a combination of
ailments associated with an individual’s place of work or residence. Many
people spend the majority of their lives indoors, sleeping, working, eating, and
relaxing, where air circulation may be restricted and where indoor air pollutant
levels may be 2 to 5 times greater than outdoor levels. Up to a third of new and
remodeled buildings worldwide may be linked to symptoms of SBS. The
following sections discuss some examples of specific indoor air pollutants.
ASBESTOS
Asbestos became a major part of manufacturing in America starting in the early
1800s and was commonly used until the mid-1970s. Its first popular use was the
lining in steam engines. The construction, ship-building, and manufacturing
industries used asbestos-containing products whenever possible. Asbestos is
inexpensive, durable, and flexible and naturally acts as an insulating and
fireproofing agent. Examples of where asbestos was commonly used include
automobile gaskets and brake linings, bakeware, ceiling and flooring tiles,
cigarette filters, drywall, fireproofing materials, insulation, plastics, roofing
shingles, and vinyl products.
Breathing asbestos fibers can lead to lung cancer, mesothelioma (a cancer of
the lining of the chest and the abdominal cavity), and asbestosis (lungs are
scarred with fibrous tissue). The symptoms of breathing asbestos fibers usually
do not appear until about 20–30 years after the first exposure.
The Environmental Protection Agency has no general ban on the use of
asbestos; however, asbestos was one of the first hazardous air pollutants
regulated under the Clean Air Act of 1970, and many applications have been
forbidden by the Toxic Substances Control Act.
CARBON MONOXIDE
In closed environments, the concentration of carbon monoxide can easily rise to
lethal levels. Carbon monoxide poisoning is the most common type of fatal
indoor air poisoning in many countries because it easily combines with
hemoglobin to block the blood’s oxygen-carrying capacity. Worldwide, carbon
monoxide poisoning is responsible for more than half of all poisoning deaths
with about 2,500 people dying from it each year in the United States.