Why Clean Air Matters

The impact of household air pollution

In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared air pollution as the greatest risk to health. The WHO reports that nine out of ten people breathe polluted air every day resulting in around 7 million people dying prematurely each year- one in eight of total global deaths.

Household air pollution led to more than 3.8 million premature deaths among children and adults in 2012.




The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that on average

people spend 90% of their life indoors where the air can be 5 times more polluted than outside.


Over recent decades the rise in energy-efficient building construction has resulted in air trapped inside and the increase in synthetic building materials, furnishings, personal care products, pesticides, and household cleaners has increased indoor pollutants.

    How Severe is Air Pollution in the UK

      In the UK, there are 36,000 premature deaths, 9,500 of which are in London, per year due to air pollution. In London, Birmingham, and Leeds, air pollution will exceed European limits until at least 2030. Every area of the capital breaches global standards for PM2.5 pollution particles, with most areas exceeding levels by at least 50%. If current air pollution levels persist, Public Health England predicts that by 2035 there will 2.5 million new cases of:
        • Coronary heart disease
        • Stroke
        • Lung cancer
        • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
        • Diabetes
        • Low birth weight
        • Dementia

        Air pollution is particularly damaging to children

        The British Lung Foundation states that children are particularly vulnerable to poor indoor air quality as their lungs are still developing. Their airways are smaller, so inflammation caused by pollution can cause their airways to narrow more easily than in older people. In a systematic review of 221 studies the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the Royal College of Physicians concluded

        “Urgent action is needed to address the problems of poor indoor air quality. Children are potentially being exposed to harmful levels of pollutants throughout their daily lives in the buildings where they live, play and learn”.


        The WHO states that close to half of deaths due to pneumonia among children under 5 years old are caused by particulate matter inhaled from household air pollution.

        • What is household air pollution

        The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence describes air pollutants as:

        "Air pollutants in the home range from mould spores caused by dampness to toxic fumes from gas cookers, open fires, candles or wood burners. They also include allergens from house dust mites and vapours from household sprays, cleaning materials, paintwork and furnishings."

         

        The British Lung Foundation states there are two types of air pollution:

          1. particulate matter (PM) – microscopic particles of dust and dirt in the air
          2. gases – carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide
             These are created by:
            • how you heat your home
            • how you cook
            • poor ventilation
            • damp
            • chemicals in cleaning products
            • some building materials

            Understanding PM10, PM2.5 and Ultrafine Particles

            Particulate matter (PM) varies in size. Some particles are large enough to be seen by the naked eye, such as dust, soot, or dirt. But the most damaging particles are the smaller particles, known as PM10 and PM2.5. PM10 refers to particles with a diameter smaller than 10 microns (10µm) – that’s 100 times smaller than a millimetre. PM2.5 refers to particles with a diameter smaller than 2.5 microns, and these are known as fine particles. The smallest fine particles, less than 0.1 micron in diameter, are called ultrafine particles.

            As stated by the World Health Organization:

            "PM10 can penetrate and lodge deep inside the lungs, the even more health-damaging particles are PM2.5 which can penetrate the lung barrier and enter the blood system. They can increase the risk of heart and respiratory diseases, as well as lung cancer."

            How can Intellipure help

            Intellipure air purifiers are the only systems to effectively address all three pollutant categories, including ultrafine particulates down to 0.007 microns, volatile organic compounds and microorganisms. Intellipure is trusted for air purification in hospitals, medical clean rooms, government buildings, leading businesses and military applications.