Uploaded April 2019 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The month of May has been designated as Clean Air Month. It all began back in 1972 when the American Lung Association (ALA) sponsored Clean Air Week in May to educate the public about the connection between clean air and respiratory health. In 1994, Clean Air Week was expanded to Clean Air Month.
Clean Air Month is an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of air quality. This is significant as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recently stated that, “Air pollution, which kills more than 6 million people every year, is the biggest environmental health risk of our time.” The UNEP goes on to report, “Airborne pollutants are responsible for about one third of deaths from stroke, chronic respiratory disease and lung cancer, as well as one quarter of deaths from heart attack.”
While it can be a challenge for an individual to control what they are exposed to in the air outdoors, people have significantly more control of their indoor air quality (IAQ). Considering people in many countries, such as the United States, spend up to 90% of their time indoors, the air they breathe in homes, schools and work environments can have a major impact on their wellbeing.
A few of the IAQ pollutants that can be found indoors include, but are not limited to:
• Radon
• Mold
• Pollen, Dust Mites, Animal Dander and Insect Allergens
• Bacteria
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
• Carbon Monoxide
• Particulate Matter
• Tobacco Smoke
• Asbestos Fibers
• Lead Contaminated Dust
• Pesticides and Cleaning Chemical Fumes
• Sewer Gas
Recognizing what indoor pollutants may be present and their sources is a first step towards mitigating or eliminating exposure risks. Fortunately, there are indoor environmental quality (IEQ) professionals that offer these types of services to help determine if a problem exists, where it is coming from, how improve the situation, and ways to prevent the problem from reoccurring.
These are just a few things to know about Clean Air Month and what building occupants could be exposed to indoors. To learn more about this or other building science, environmental, indoor air quality, occupational, health or safety issues, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. emsl.com
LA Testing latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental zimmetry.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine healthyindoors.com
The month of May has been designated as Clean Air Month. It all began back in 1972 when the American Lung Association (ALA) sponsored Clean Air Week in May to educate the public about the connection between clean air and respiratory health. In 1994, Clean Air Week was expanded to Clean Air Month.
Clean Air Month is an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of air quality. This is significant as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recently stated that, “Air pollution, which kills more than 6 million people every year, is the biggest environmental health risk of our time.” The UNEP goes on to report, “Airborne pollutants are responsible for about one third of deaths from stroke, chronic respiratory disease and lung cancer, as well as one quarter of deaths from heart attack.”
While it can be a challenge for an individual to control what they are exposed to in the air outdoors, people have significantly more control of their indoor air quality (IAQ). Considering people in many countries, such as the United States, spend up to 90% of their time indoors, the air they breathe in homes, schools and work environments can have a major impact on their wellbeing.
A few of the IAQ pollutants that can be found indoors include, but are not limited to:
• Radon
• Mold
• Pollen, Dust Mites, Animal Dander and Insect Allergens
• Bacteria
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
• Carbon Monoxide
• Particulate Matter
• Tobacco Smoke
• Asbestos Fibers
• Lead Contaminated Dust
• Pesticides and Cleaning Chemical Fumes
• Sewer Gas
Recognizing what indoor pollutants may be present and their sources is a first step towards mitigating or eliminating exposure risks. Fortunately, there are indoor environmental quality (IEQ) professionals that offer these types of services to help determine if a problem exists, where it is coming from, how improve the situation, and ways to prevent the problem from reoccurring.
These are just a few things to know about Clean Air Month and what building occupants could be exposed to indoors. To learn more about this or other building science, environmental, indoor air quality, occupational, health or safety issues, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. emsl.com
LA Testing latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental zimmetry.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine healthyindoors.com
