Indoor air pollution is the contamination of air with pollutants within or around buildings. There are a wide range of sources of indoor air pollution with differing impacts on human health. The WHO estimates 3.2 million deaths per year in 2020 were due to health issues attributed to residential indoor air pollution.
Permalink
The two main routes for improving indoor air quality is by:
- Identifying key emission sources and acting to reduce emissions. Reduce or avoid: burning in your home e.g. use of gas appliances for cooking / burning wood in open fires or stoves / synthetic smells (air fresheners & scented candles) / use of potent detergents / build up of mould and pet dander / vaping and smoking.
- Ventilate your home to refresh indoor air. Altering the environment to improve ventilation i.e. increasing the rate at which pollutants are released from indoor areas or by preventing ingress. e.g. by applying +ve pressure.
- To help reduce damp and mould Indoor Air Aware has many tips and advice.
- For help to quit smoking and vaping – Smokefree
- If possible avoid use of any combustion process; it is better to use electric appliances than cooking or heating with gas or fuel. Burn better has further information on stoves and open fires.
Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, also known as Awaabs Law sets out requirements for social landlords to investigate and act on reported hazards within specific timeframes, which include: mould, carbon monoxide, asbestos, radon and VOCs. If you are a Council tenant contact Tenant and Leaseholder Services for further information. For information about housing conditions in other types of tenure, please visit: Private Sector Housing Team.
Permalink- Indoor Air Aware
- For Local Air Quality Management, including real time pollution monitoring and reports for air quality in Thanet please see our air quality page.
- UK radon and Thanet radon for further information on radon levels.