'The Air That We Breathe'
Hilary Cadman
FASTS produces Occasional Papers to bring significant issues to the attention of the community, government and bureaucracy. I attended the launch of the fifth in the series of Occasional Papers called “Indoor Air Quality in Australia: a strategy for action”.
Most of us equate air pollution with outdoor pollutants like exhaust fumes and wood smoke, but equally unhealthy toxins are found in our homes, offices, schools and hospitals. Given that Australians spend about 90% of their time indoors, this is a major problem.
Len Ferrari, President of the Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand (CASANZ), pointed out that although outdoor air quality is governed by national enforceable standards, Australia doesn’t have comparable standards for indoor air. He highlighted the fact that every home has a mix of possible sources of pollution such as new furnishings, pets, a gas stove or flueless gas heater, particle floor boards or someone who smokes. The problem is being made worse by the push for energy efficiency in house design, because sealing buildings to conserve heat reduces ventilation, trapping pollutants inside. Environment Minister, Dr David Kemp, had reservations about setting standards for indoor air, but talked about government funding for various research projects on indoor air pollutants. We all took home a ‘personal air monitor’ from CSIRO, to find out how much formaldehyde and nitrogen oxide we are exposed to in a week - I’m waiting with some trepidation for the result!