Tales With A Twist: Not Safe In Our Houses Too!

2020. The year that challenged everybody. We were forced to stay in our homes, and not to barge out, unless an emergency. No one in their wildest dreams had thought of such an eye-raising crisis. 

We all believe that when we are indoors, we are safe, safe and sound. 

But people, think. Are you really safe? High chances are that you may be more endangered in than out!

Indoor Air Pollution (same as Household Pollution) is the degradation of air quality inside our house by harmful chemicals and other materials. It can be up to 10 times worse than outdoor air pollution. This is because contained areas cause  pollutants to build up more than open spaces. Usually indoor air quality problems only cause discomfort. Many feel better as soon as the source of pollution is removed. Still, some pollutants can cause diseases that show up much later, such as respiratory diseases or cancer.

Usually (when there was no headachy Covid-19), women and children were the groups most affected as they spent more time indoors. But now, all get affected as all are indoors.

While people rejoiced over clear, pollution-free skies during the lockdown, they paid little heed to a silent killer that may have grown more dangerous during this time: household or indoor air pollution.

In 1992, the World Bank designated indoor air pollution in the developing countries as one of the four most critical global environmental problems, and it still remains.

Daily averages of pollutant levels emitted indoors often exceed current WHO guidelines and acceptable levels. Although many hundreds of separate chemical agents have been identified in the smoke from biofuels, the four most serious pollutants are particulates, carbon monoxide, polycyclic organic matter, and formaldehyde. Unfortunately, very little research has been done in rural and poor urban indoor environments in a manner that is necessary.

In urban areas, exposure to household air pollution has increased due to various reasons, including the construction of more tightly sealed buildings, reduced ventilation, the use of synthetic materials for building and furnishing and the use of chemical products, pesticides, and household care products. 

IAP can begin within the building or be drawn in from outdoors. Other than nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and lead, there are a number of other pollutants that affect the air quality in a contained space.

COVID-19 spread globally in the past months and caused hundreds of thousands of people to die. Many countries took lockdown policies to restrict human activities and industry to slow down the virus spread.

And as we stay indoors most of time due to the lockdown, we are getting overexposed to this indoor air pollution. From cooking residues to paints, sprays to glues, carpets to molds, detergents to cleaning products, we are surrounded by the deadly pollutants. 

Considering the huge time people stay indoors, the household pollution plays a more important role for human health during lockdown. Unfortunately, available studies on IAP and its health impact during this period are rare, compared with those on ambient air. Therefore, more investigations should be performed to estimate the impact of global COVID-19 lockdown on human health in the future.

Chances are, when life returns to normal, people will be infected with all kinds of diseases including lung diseases and respiratory problems. 

Do we want this? Of course not!

As is the proverb, ‘Prevention is Better than Cure’, the responsible citizens of the world should be ready, armor and sword in hand. (Not really...) 

Then what can we do to deplete IAP?

• Proper Ventilation: One of the best prevention methods of indoor air pollution is Proper Ventilation. Ventilation appears to be a one stop shop for the control of indoor humidity and airborne contaminants; it also removes unpleasant smells and products, introduces filtered outside air, keeps interior air rotating, also preventing stagnation of the air.

• Ban Smoking: Absolutely no cigarette smoke.

• Give Your Pets A Bath Often : If you have pets, bathe them and wash their bedding very often to reduce allergy-causing dander. And I hate to break it to you, but you should also keep them out of bedrooms.

• Use Exhaust Fans: Use kitchen fans to remove cooking fumes and in bathrooms to remove steam.

• Skip Fires: Dancing fireplace flames look delightful, but they release a lot of soot and smoke into the air.

• Don’t Cover Up Odors: Avoid air fresheners, scented candles, incense, and other odor-masking fragrances, which can trigger asthma.

• Vacuum Often: Do this especially if you have a pet. Brooms can just stir up more dust.

• Reduce Outdoor Air Pollution :The largest cause of IAP is the ambient air outside. Therefore, measures like using electric cars and planting more native trees should be undertaken.

While these are just some of the ways to reduce indoor air pollution in the times of Covid-19, we should try our best to do what we can now.

I urge you all to follow the motto, ‘Health is Wealth’, and let us all fight the Corona and Indoor Air Pollution together, because if it is not reduced, severe diseases are just waiting to inhabit us!