Air Quality

Improving air quality

The only way to choose what we breathe is by changing the environment we occupy or by cleaning the air around us. Environmental laws that reduce the sources of pollution or require mitigating measures have a proven track record for improving air quality.²

Laws and regulations are effective at improving air quality in the long term. There are also immediate steps that can be taken to improve air quality in the local environment. An air purifier can improve the air quality of a room, home, or office. A High Efficiency Particulate Air filter, or HEPA filter, will significantly reduce the amount of particulate matter in the air. A HEPA air purifier works by trapping small particles in the air in a filter medium.

Some air filtration systems include an activated carbon filter that reduce the amount of volatile organic compounds in the air. VOCs such as benzene are known carcinogens, so air filtering that includes a method for reducing VOCs can be beneficial to human health.³

Impurities in the air

Pure air is mostly gaseous nitrogen and oxygen in a four to one ratio, with a tiny sliver of argon, carbon dioxide, water vapor, and other gases. Air that consists only of a mixture of gases really only exists in a laboratory environment.⁴

In the real world, there are always small particles of solid material floating in the air. The particulate matter may be natural in origin, such as pollen, mold spores, or miniscule pieces of minerals and soil. The particulates may also be artificial, such as soot from power plants, factories, and vehicle exhaust. Other artificial sources of particulate matter include dust and particulates produced from construction or manufacturing.

In addition to these particles, there are gases introduced to the atmosphere by human activities that are considered impurities. Oxides such as sulfur dioxide and nitric oxide, which can cause acid rain, and nitrogen dioxide, which can lead to asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, are created as combustion products by vehicles and power plants.⁵ Industrial processes and consumer products that contain volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, also contribute to the gaseous impurities in the atmosphere. Paints, furniture foams, and cleaning supplies can release volatile organic compounds into the local atmosphere.⁶

Poor air quality has been linked with many negative health effects. Higher levels particulate matter in the air has been found to increase the risk of dying of diseases of the lungs, such as lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as acute lower respiratory infections⁷. In addition to pulmonary distress, high particulate matter in the air increases the risk of ischemic heart disease, where blood flow to the heart is limited.⁸

Poor air quality has also been linked to a variety of negative health effects for children⁹. Higher incidence of asthma hospitalization, as well as lower school test scores are some of the effects poor air quality has on children.