Air pollution and indoor air quality (IAQ) both have a significant impact on health and economic development.
World Health Organisation (WHO) data shows that almost all of the global population (99%) breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline limits, with low- and middle-income countries suffering from the highest exposures. Here the impact of poor air quality is explored.
Air quality and climate change
Many of the drivers of air pollution are also sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
Policies to reduce air pollution offer a winning strategy for both climate and health, lowering the burden of disease and contributing to the near- and long-term mitigation of climate change.
Credit: https://globalabc.org/our-work/tracking-progress-global-status-report (accessed 5 July 2024)
Air pollution
In 2015, the World Health Assembly adopted a landmark resolution on air quality and health, recognising air pollution as a risk factor for non-communicable diseases such as ischaemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and cancer, and the economic toll they take.
https://data.who.int/countries/710 (Accessed 5 July 2024)
Air pollution and economic development
Air pollution takes its toll on the economy in several ways:
- Costs human lives.
- Reduces people’s ability to work.
- Affects vital products such as food.
- Damages cultural and historical monuments.
- Reduces the ability of ecosystems to perform functions societies need.
- Remediation or restoration costs.
Indoor air quality
The United States Environmental Pollution Agency (EPA) describes IAQ as “the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants”.
The perceived comfort experienced by occupants of an indoor environment can be influenced by the temperature, air movement and relative humidity, whereas the health of occupants can be affected by the presence and concentration of indoor air pollutants.
Health and poor IAQ
In a building with poor IAQ, occupants may experience symptoms such as headache, eye, nose, throat or skin irritation, fatigue, shortness of breath, hypersensitivity and allergies, sinus congestion, dizziness or nausea.
Sick Building Syndrome refers to a condition where these health effects are experienced only when occupying the building, without a specific illness or cause being identified. Where a specific cause or illness can be identified, such as Legionnaires Disease, it is referred to as a building-related illness.
Thermal comfort
The air temperature, velocity and relative humidity contribute to conditions such as Sick Building Syndrome, and to thermal comfort.
The goal is an indoor environment where most occupants perceive the thermal environment as satisfactory (not too hot, not too cold, sufficient airflow, etc.). When thermal comfort is not achieved, it may cause an increase in employee complaints and lower productivity.
Control of IAQ
Suitable control measures to improve the IAQ in a building will depend on the specific environment and the pollutants that are present.
As a minimum, every indoor environment should be ventilated either naturally or mechanically. The air breathed by employees must not endanger their safety, and the concentration of any harmful substance therein should be kept below the prescribed limits.
Issue: Air pollution versus air quality, and how this affects health and productivity.
Solution: Indoor air quality should be controlled either naturally or mechanically to protect the occupants of a building.
References
- WHO (2023). Air Pollution, World Health Organisation. Available at https://www.who.int/health-topics/air-pollution (Accessed: 5 July 2024).
- WHO (2021). WHO global air quality guidelines. Available at https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240034228 (Accessed: 5 July 2024).
- ENECE (2023). Air pollution and economic development, UNECE. Available at https://unece.org/air-pollution-and-economic-development (Accessed: 5 July 2024).
- National Institute for Occupational Health. Fact sheet: Indoor Air Quality. https://www.nioh.ac.za/fact-sheets/indoor-air-quality/ (Accessed 5 July 2024).