Pollutants

i) Volatile organic compounds

♤ The main indoor sources are perfumes, hair sprays, furniture polish, glues, air fresheners, moth repellents, wood preservatives, and other products.

♤ Health effect - irritation of the eye, nose and throat, headaches, nausea and loss of coordination.

♤ long term - suspected to damage the liver and other parts of the body.

ii) Tobacco

♤ Smoke generates a wide range of harmful chemicals and is carcinogenic.

♤ Health effect - burning eyes, nose, and throat irritation to cancer, bronchitis, severe asthma, and a decrease in lung function.

iii) Biological pollutants

♤ It includes pollen from plants, mite, and hair from pets, fungi, parasites, and some bacteria. Most of them are allergens and can cause asthma, hay fever, and other allergic diseases.

iv) Formaldehyde

♤ Mainly from carpets, particle boards, and insulation foam. It causes irritation to the eyes and nose and allergies.

v) Radon

♤ It is a gas that is emitted naturally by the soil. Due to modern houses having poor ventilation, it is confined inside the house and causes lung cancers.

Do you know?

♤ Trees are an important part of our world. They provide wood for building and pulp for making paper. They provide habitats (homes) for all sorts of insects, birds and other animals. Many types of fruits and nuts come from trees -- including apples, oranges, walnuts, pears and peaches. Even the sap of trees is useful as food for insects and for making maple syrup -- yum!

♤ Trees also help to keep our air clean and our ecosystems healthy. We breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. Trees breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. We’re perfect partners!

♤ Trees do lots for us, our environment and other plants and animals in nature but we don’t just love trees for practical reasons.

vi) Asbestos

vii) Pesticides