1) The average American breathes 3,400 gallons of air each day, making ambient air pollution a major environmental problem.

 

2) Indoor air quality is one of the EPA’s top five environmental risks to public health.

 

3) 87 percent of American homeowners are not aware that pollution may be worse inside their homes than outdoors.

 

4) Common indoor air pollutants include dust mites, pollen, mold, radon, carbon monoxide, excessive carbon dioxide, and other chemical fumes.

 

5) Indoor air pollution is two to five times worse (sometimes a 100x worse) than the air outdoors.

 

6) Air pollution contributes to lung disease, respiratory tract infections, asthma and lung cancer.

 

7) The largest reductions in indoor air pollution can be achieved by switching from solid fuels (biomass, coal) to cleaner and more efficient fuels and energy technologies.

 

8) Indoor air pollution is a problem for all types of homes, whether in a dense urban city or a rural town.

 

9) Nearly 2 million people die prematurely from illness attributable to indoor air pollution from household solid fuel use.

 

10) The three most important methods of improving indoor air quality are source removal, air cleaning, and increased ventilation.

 

11) Controlling exposure to indoor allergens and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) could prevent 65 percent of asthma cases among elementary school-age children.