INDOOR AIR POLLUTION: THE PROBLEM DEFINED


 Q: IS INDOOR AIR POLLUTION WIDESPREAD? CAN IT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON HEALTH?

 A: The answer to both questions is "yes". Scientists have discovered that the levels of a dozen common pollutants are generally two to five times higher inside buildings than they are outdoors. The potential impact of these pollutants on human health is magnified because most people spend about 90 percent of their time indoors. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that 30 percent of the Americans who work in non-industrial buildings such as offices, schools and hospitals are exposed to poor indoor air quality in their workplaces--without taking into account exposure to tobacco smoke. (Since city law now bans smoking in public buildings, secondhand smoke is no longer a factor in city schools.)


 Q: ARE SOME PEOPLE MORE VULNERABLE TO INDOOR AIR POLLUTION THAN OTHERS?

 A: Yes. Children are more vulnerable because they breathe in a greater volume of air (including pollutants) relative to their body weight. Other susceptible groups include the elderly and people suffering from asthma and other respiratory problems. In addition, some people have become very sensitive to certain chemicals as a result of past exposure. They can suffer a wide range of health effects--such as rashes, severe headaches, nausea, dizziness and fatigue--whenever they are exposed to even very low levels of those substances. This condition is often called multiple chemical sensitivity.


 Q: WHAT IS "SICK BUILDING SYNDROME"?

 A: Sick building syndrome is the name given to a group of symptoms that appear to be triggered by exposure to poor indoor air quality but neither fit the pattern of any particular illness nor can be traced to any specific exposure source. The symptoms often include headaches, fatigue, nausea, difficulty in concentrating and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and skin. Usually, those affected feel better soon after they leave the building. Generally, sick building syndrome strikes people who work in buildings where there are problems with the design, operation and maintenance of the ventilation system or where there isn't an adequate supply of outside air.


 Q: WHAT DOES THE TERM "BUILDING-RELATED ILLNESS" MEAN?

 A: That term is used when symptoms of a diagnosable illness can be identified and attributed directly to contaminants in the building's air. One example is legionellosis (popularly known as Legionnaire's disease), an infection caused by the legionella pneumophila bacteria. If a building's air conditioning system is poorly maintained, the bacteria can contaminate the water in the cooling tower. Building occupants can then be infected if the contaminated water becomes airborne and is inadvertently drawn into the ventilation system and distributed throughout the building, where it could be inhaled. Other building-related illnesses such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis are associated with exposure to "bioaerosols" that flourish in moist areas. Bioaerosols are airborne biological contaminants that are, were or came from living organisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi, molds, pollen and animal dander.



Q: ARE THERE ANY GOVERNMENT STANDARDS FOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY THAT CAN BE USED TO PROTECT SCHOOL EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS?

 A: The New York City building code requires mechanical ventilation for interior spaces that have windows that do not open. It also specifies the amount of outside air per building occupant that mechanical ventilation must supply. But the code does not address air quality problems that arise from specific activities within schools (e.g., no standards for local exhaust ventilation in art classes) and sets no standards for the maintenance of mechanical ventilation systems. OSHA has drafted a comprehensive air quality standard that would apply to schools and offices as well as industrial workplaces, but it appears unlikely that the regulation will be adopted in the current political climate in Washington, DC.