Time to Clear the Air!
Research conducted by the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in the scientists has shown that long-term exposure to air pollutants increases the risk of respiratory illnesses such as allergies, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer. Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of ozone, fine particles, and other airborne toxicants. This research has resulted in the development of more stringent air quality standards that promote a higher quality of life, protect the health of children, the elderly and other vulnerable populations, and reduce the costs associated with respiratory disease.
One of the first studies to establish a link between air pollution and respiratory health was the NIEHS-funded Six Cities Study, a long-term study on residents of six U.S. cities to assess the effects of common air pollutants on the risk of pulmonary and cardiovascular disease. The study results showed that people living in the more polluted cities had a higher risk of hospitalization and early death from lung cancer and other respiratory diseases than those living in the less polluted cities.
Recent data collected by NIEHS-funded scientists at the University of Southern California suggest that exposure to pollutants in vehicle and fossil fuel emissions may hinder lung development and limit breathing capacity for a lifetime. Their research shows that children who live in highly polluted communities are five times more likely to have clinically low lung function—less than 80% of the lung function normal for their age.
Other studies conducted by the University of Southern California researchers indicate that increases in ground-level ozone, a highly reactive form of oxygen that is the primary component of urban smog, may actually cause asthma. Children who were active in outdoor sports in areas with high ozone concentrations were more than three times as likely to develop asthma as those who did not engage in outdoor sports during the five-year study.
Air Pollution & Respiratory Disease: Estimated Reductions in Respiratory Illness Due to Enactment of Clear Skies ActLives saved by research on the health consequences of environmental pollutants can be counted in the millions. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s estimates on air pollution, the commitment to new air quality standards and cleaner air will prevent 23,000 premature American deaths, 1.7 million cases of asthma attack or aggravation of chronic asthma, 67,000 new cases of acute and chronic bronchitis, 22,000 respiratory-related hospital admissions, and 42,000 hospital admissions for cardiovascular disease by the year 2010.
Other benefits of cleaner air, according to a study by NIEHS-funded researchers at the University of Washington, include 200 fewer cases of post neonatal mortality, 10,000 fewer infants of low birth weight, and 40,000 fewer emergency room visits for children by 2010. These findings demonstrate the impact that NIEHS-supported research and subsequent regulatory actions have had on protecting the health of our nation’s children and other vulnerable populations.
Maps courtesy of www.theodora.com/maps used with permission.
Indoor Air is the air that everyone breathes while inside your home. Tobacco smoke, asthma triggers, carbon monoxide and radon can cause this air to become harmful.
TOBACCO SMOKE
What is tobacco smoke?
A mixture of chemicals in the smoke that is given off by the burning of a cigarette, pipe or cigar
How is tobacco smoke harmful?
Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemical substances, 40 of them are known to cause cancer. A person standing or sitting by a smoker breathes these chemicals into their lungs.
What happens if a child is around tobacco smoke?
*ear infections may increase
*asthma attacks may be triggered
*lung function may decrease
Where is tobacco smoke found in your home?
*tobacco smoke from cigarettes, cigars or pipes can be found anywhere near or around smokers
What should you do if there is tobacco smoke in your home?
*Don’t smoke around children
*Ask visitors to smoke outside
Did you know?
The smoke of only 10 cigarettes per day may increase a child’s chances of getting asthma
ASTHMA TRIGGERS
What are asthma triggers?
Asthma triggers are usually small pieces of animal skin, mold, dust mites and cockroaches in the air that cause allergies. Some fumes from household products can also be asthma triggers
What are the effects of asthma triggers?
*Asthma triggers can cause asthma attacks
What is an asthma attack?
*Difficulty in breathing
*Tight feeling in your chest
*Wheezing sounds while breathing
What can cause allergies in your home?
*dust
*mold and mildew in damp places
*tobacco smoke from cigarettes, cigars and pipes
*fumes from household products
*perfumes and hair sprays
*animal skin
What should you do if there are asthma triggers in your home?
*Wash all bedding every week in water that is at least 130°F, to kill dust mites
*Open windows and/or use fans when using cleaning products or heaters that give off fumes
*Wash moldy areas with a bleach solution (1 cup bleach in 1 gallon of water)
*Get rid of cockroaches if you find them
Did you know?
*4.8 million children have asthma.
*Asthma is the leading cause of missed school and emergency room visits
*Asthma can be controlled or managed, but not cured
What is carbon monoxide?
*An odorless, colorless gas that comes from burning kerosene, coal, oil or wood
What is carbon monoxide poisoning?
*Poisoning happens when carbon monoxide replaces oxygen in the blood
*The percentage of carbon monoxide is measured in the blood for signs of poisoning
*30%= headache, tiredness
*40%= confusion ?60%= loss of consciousness
*80%= death
What happens if a child breathes carbon monoxide?
*Flu and cold like symptoms
*Blurred vision
*Stomach aches
*Trouble breathing
*Sleepiness
*Ringing in the ears
Where is carbon monoxide found in your home?
*faulty gas water heaters and furnaces
*unventilated space heaters
*clothes dryers
*tobacco smoke
*fuels in wood and gas stoves
What should you do to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in your home?
*Use carbon monoxide detectors in your home
*Use the correct fuel in space heaters, and if it is a kerosene heater crack open a window
*Never use ovens or gas ranges to heat your home
*Open flues when fireplaces are used
*Never burn charcoal inside your home or garage
*Keep gas appliances in good working order
Did you know?
*Unborn children, infants, elderly, and people with heart and breathing problems are at high risk for poisoning from carbon monoxide. RADON
What is radon?
*An odorless and tasteless cancer-causing gas, coming from soil and rock underneath your home
What is radon poisoning?
*Poisoning happens when you breathe air that contains radon
*Poisonous levels are levels measured at 2 and 4 pCi/L (picoCuries per liter of air)
What happens if someone is poisoned by radon?
*Lung and tissue damage
*Cancer (not everyone will get cancer, but smokers are at higher risk)
Where is radon found in and around your home?
*Radon leaks in through cracks in walls and floors
*Some building materials
Time to Clear the Air
What should you do if you think you have radon in your home?
*Buy a low-cost, do-it-yourself radon test kit found in most hardware stores
*Seal cracks in floors and walls in your basement
Did you know?
*All homes with basements should be tested for radon
*Radon is estimated to cause about 14,000 deaths per year
