It was by starting to take an interest in our daily environment and the impact it can have on our health that we discovered indoor pollution. When I told Emi that our interiors that we love so much and in which we thought we were safe could contain more than 900 chemical substances, it was a shock! This discovery spelled the end of our false belief that pollution is found outside. The indoor air in which we spend 80% of our time (home, office, school) is 5 to 7 times more polluted than the outdoor air. Our interiors are potentially rich in allergens and possibly in toxic, irritating or pro-inflammatory chemical pollutants on the mucous membranes of asthmatics and rhinitics.
With this discovery, we said to ourselves that indoor pollution is a bit like the wolf in the sheepfold! So to take care of our health, understanding what indoor pollution is is essential. Talking about indoor pollution is not a fashion phenomenon, it is a public health concern which has been the subject of numerous studies. But while discussing this subject around us, we realized that many people still had no idea what indoor pollution was, so we said to ourselves that a little brief would be welcome...
WHERE DOES INDOOR POLLUTION COME FROM?
The quantities and polluting substances vary from one room to another (bedroom or kitchen) and from one interior to another (house or office). But let's start at the beginning, indoor air is the air present in continuously occupied indoor spaces (home, work, schools, car, gym, etc.). In these indoor spaces we are often exposed to air pollution due to the presence of polluting substances which are sometimes dangerous to health. These substances come from several sources: the products we use, furniture, floor coverings, heating, outside air, microorganisms, cigarette smoke, etc.
BUT WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF INDOOR POLLUTION?
- The most common causes of indoor pollution in our spaces are: Cooking and heating give rise to combustion which can release more or less dangerous substances into the indoor air such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, carbon oxides. nitrogen...
- Water vapor, a source of humidity and if ventilation is insufficient, it contributes to the proliferation of microorganisms (fungi, mold, mites, etc.)
- Cleaning products, waxes, perfumes, cosmetic products, paints, plastics, chipboard furniture, fabrics, electrical appliances emit highly volatile dangerous substances
THE EFFECTS OF INDOOR POLLUTION ON HEALTH?
Every year, 3.8 million people die prematurely from diseases attributable to indoor pollution in homes, which results from inefficient use of solid fuels and oil for cooking, 67% of which are linked to respiratory diseases. Exposure to indoor air pollution almost doubles the risk of pneumonia in children and is responsible for 45% of pneumonia deaths among children under 5 years old. In adults, this pollution can also cause acute lower respiratory tract infections (pneumonia) and contributes 28% to all pneumonia deaths among adults.
SO HOW TO SANITIZE OUR HOME?
The good news is that by being informed of the origin, causes and its impact on health we can adapt our behaviors and habits to reduce indoor pollution. So we tell you how and we reassure you there is nothing rocket science:
- Adopting the right actions for this is recommended: At least 10 minutes per day all year round; To ventilate more when doing DIY, cleaning or when showering or bathing; Not to smoke indoors (even with the windows open); Hang your laundry outside or in a ventilated room; Respect the doses of cleaning and hygiene products recommended on the label; Check the proper functioning of your ventilation systems and maintain them regularly; Ventilate during and after using spray or aerosol.
- Reduce sources of pollution : Choose your construction and decoration products according to their label which indicates their level of emission of volatile pollutants once implemented. The emission characteristics of substances are formalized according to a scale of four classes, from A+ to C, class A+ indicating a very low emission level and class C a high emission level. Choose healthy and natural cleaning products like Hosane products.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women, people with allergies as well as infants must be even more vigilant and avoid exposure to chemicals (cleaning products, etc.).
We have dedicated an Instagram post to this subject, it summarizes part of this article, you can consult it by clicking on the image:
At Hosane we are convinced that “ real power is knowledge ”**, so you now have the power to act on your indoor air and your health!
**Francis Bacon
