“Air is the free blessing of heaven; it invigorates the whole system. Deprived of pure air, the body becomes diseased, torpid, and enfeebled.” –Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, p. 160

WHAT IS AIR POLLUTION?

Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or damages the natural environment, into the atmosphere. In other words, air pollution is a term used to describe any unwanted chemicals or other materials that contaminate the air that we breathe resulting in poor air quality, which in turn has negative effects on our health.

Because the atmosphere cannot contain any more particles than it already does, if the atmosphere contains a lot of chemical particles that cause air pollution, some particle has to be depleted. The particle that gets depleted when air pollution is high is oxygen.  An increase in air pollutants directly affects the amount of oxygen in the air, by replacing the oxygen. Normally oxygen is found in the atmosphere at a concentration of approximately 21%. In some industrial cities, the amount of oxygen in the air has been decreased to 15%. This directly correlates to poor health in the people that live in areas with lower oxygen levels. God created our bodies so that the air we breathe contains the right amount of oxygen for the health of our lungs, brain, blood and organs. With lower levels of oxygen, our body does not receive its proper nutrients and we get sick.

INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

Most of the attention in research has been focused on the poor quality of air outside our dwellings, but we forget that we spend up to 90% of our time indoors. Consequently, maintaining the air in our homes free from pollutants is even more important than maintaining pollution-free air outside of our homes. Poor indoor air quality can cause a variety of health problems. For those people that are most susceptible to indoor air pollution, such as children, the elderly, and people who have existing medical conditions, good indoor air quality is even more of a necessity.

“The lungs are constantly throwing off impurities, and they need to be constantly supplied with fresh air. Impure air does not afford the necessary supply of oxygen, and the blood passes to the brain and other organs without being vitalized. Hence, the necessity of thorough ventilation. To live in close, ill-ventilated rooms, where the air is dead and vitiated, weakens the entire system. It becomes peculiarly sensitive to the influence of cold, and a slight exposure induces disease.” —The Ministry of Healing, p. 274

Let us look at some of the pollutants that we can be exposed to in our homes:

BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS

Biological pollutants are defined as living things, or the by-products of living things. These include bacteria, molds, mildew, viruses, animal dander, dust mites, and droppings and body parts of cockroaches, rats, and other insects. Many of these contaminants are small enough to be inhaled. These contaminants circulate through the air in our homes via the heating or air conditioning systems. They cause many negative health effects including allergic reactions such as asthma, eczema and inflammation of the lining of the nose. Mold and mildew release disease-causing poisons and toxins, which contribute to lung damage and some cancers. Symptoms of exposure to biological pollutants include sneezing, watery eyes, coughing, shortness of breath, dizziness, fatigue, and digestive problems. Many of these health effects occur after repeated exposure to these contaminants. Allergic reactions worsen over time. Especially dust mites, mold and mildew grow in damp, warm environments. Regular cleaning, adequate ventilation and controlling the humidity levels in the home, can minimize the impact of these pollutants.

VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

Volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) include a large variety of chemicals which are emitted as a gas from various solids and liquids.  What this means is that these chemicals easily release large numbers of molecules into the air through evaporation even though the substance may be in a solid or liquid form. Most scents or odours, even those that occur in nature are VOC’s. But not all VOC’s are harmful to human health. However, some VOC’s can cause both short-term and long-term negative health effects. VOC’s are present in thousands of items that we use in our homes. These include synthetic furnishings such as furniture fabrics, carpets, vinyl flooring, paints, varnishes, wax, cleaning supplies, air fresheners, dry-cleaned clothing, disinfectants, copiers and printers, glues, adhesives, and permanent markers.  Automotive gasoline is another source of VOC’s.  All of these products can release organic compounds when they are being used, and to a lesser degree when they are stored. VOC’s are present in the air outside our homes, but they are in concentrations of up to ten times more indoors. Think of the smell when you paint a room, and how those “paint fumes” last for hours. Those are VOC’s that you are smelling, and are a significant source of dangerous VOC’s.

Harmful VOC’s typically will not cause an immediate toxic or poisoning effect, but long-term exposure to them will have effects on one’s health. It is difficult to determine their overall effect on health because the concentrations that people are exposed to are low and the symptoms take many years to develop. But, the evidence is becoming more clear as time goes on. Research does show that high levels of these VOC’s do have immediate health effects, therefore it is reasonable to determine that long-term, low level exposure may also produce the same health effects over time. Some of these health effects include eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, dizziness, memory impairment, nausea, vomiting; damage to liver, kidneys and brain.  Many VOC’s are known to cause cancer in animals, and some are suspected also of causing cancer in humans.

Ways to reduce exposure include having good ventilation when using these products, ensuring stored products are in closed containers, avoiding using dry cleaners that return your clothes to you with a strong odour, using natural fabrics on furniture, and installing hard wood floors.

WOOD BURNING STOVES, HEATERS, FIRE PLACES, AND CHIMNEYS

The major pollutants produced by these products include carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and fine particles. Residential wood combustion refers to the burning of wood in fireplaces, wood stoves, fire pits and other devices used for heating our homes or for cooking food. An improperly operated wood stove fails to achieve the high combustion temperatures necessary to burn the small particles and ignite the gases. Also, if wood stoves and fireplaces are not vented properly, these small particles will enter into the living space of homes. Carbon monoxide is produced when this partial combustion takes place. The danger with carbon monoxide is that is replaces the carbon dioxide in our bodies, which lowers the body’s oxygen levels. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are headaches, dizziness, nausea, confusion, disorientation, fatigue, and chest pain. Often people confuse these symptoms with the flu or food poisoning. Continued exposure to nitrogen dioxide may lead to lung diseases such as emphysema.

Smoke from wood-burning stoves and fireplaces contain a complex mixture of gases and particles, which are significant pollutants. Smoke is produced when wood does not burn completely. The smell of smoke in the house is a sign that pollutants from wood burning are present in the air. A certified wood stove should never smell like smoke. Doors should be tight-fitting and inspected regularly. Smoke in the house can lead to respiratory problems for the occupants. It can also be a sign of graver danger.

A major health threat from smoke comes from fine particles (also called particle pollution, particulate matter) and volatile gases. The size of particles is directly linked to their potential for causing health problems. Small particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter pose the greatest problems, because they can get deep into the lungs, and some may even get into the bloodstream. Among these particles are “fine particles,” which are 2.5 micrometers in diameter and smaller. These fine particles can affect both your lungs and your heart. People who heat with wood should do so as cleanly as possible.

Carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) in wood smoke contain many of the same carcinogens that are in cigarettes. Breathing wood smoke increases your risk of cancer. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that wood smoke is 12 times more carcinogenic than equal amounts of tobacco smoke. More generally, small particulate matter and other pollutants in indoor smoke inflame the airways and lungs, impairing immune response and reducing the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

THE FORGOTTEN THREE BILLION

Is the concern about indoor pollution only applicable to those of us who live in the typical North American or European house, apartment or condominium? No. The World Health Organization refers to the “forgotten 3 billion,” people in developing countries who still cook and heat their homes using solid fuels on open fires or traditional stoves, resulting in high levels of indoor air pollution. These solid fuels consist of wood, animal dung, and crop waste. Such cooking and heating produces high levels of indoor air pollution with a range of health-damaging pollutants, including small soot particles that penetrate deep into the lungs. In poorly ventilated dwellings, indoor smoke can be 100 times higher than acceptable levels for small particles. Exposure is particularly high among women and young children, who spend the most time near the domestic hearth.

Nearly 2 million people a year die prematurely from illnesses attributable to indoor air pollution due to solid fuel use.  Among these deaths, 44% are due to pneumonia. Another 54% of deaths are from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and 2% from lung cancer. Nearly half of deaths among children under five years old are from respiratory infections due to particulate matter inhaled from indoor air pollution from household solid fuels.  There is also evidence of links between indoor air pollution and low birth weight and tuberculosis.

According to Global Health Risks, deaths and diseases attributable to indoor air pollution is responsible for 2.7% of the world’s disease burden.

The main problem with indoor air pollution is that we have no choice but to breathe in the air around us, regardless of its quality. Therefore, we need to control what we bring into our homes, the way we heat our homes and cook our food, and we need to be mindful of those practices that will minimize the effect of the pollutants that surround us to reduce the adverse, negative effects of indoor air pollution on our health.