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Air Pollution : The Main Sources Of Outdoor Air Pollution

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Indoor Air Quality
Air Pollution occurs when a substance that has harmful or poisonous effects contaminates the air. It is a serious danger to the environment, but also a major public health issue. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 7 million people died as a result of Air Pollution exposure in 2012, namely 1 in 8 deaths worldwide. Cardiovascular diseases are the main causes of these deaths.
Many people when they think of Air Pollution, cities, car emissions, chemicals from factories, smog come across their mind. They think of Outdoor Air Pollution. However, what about the air within or around our homes?
WHO estimates that Indoor Air Pollution accounted for 4.3 million deaths compared to 3.7 million deaths for Outdoor Air Pollution. Furthermore, as indicated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), many organic pollutants indoors are 2 to 5 times more concentrate than outdoors regardless of the geographic location, whether in rural or highly industrial areas. These concentrations can possibly reach 1000 times higher after certain activities such as paint stripping. In addition to the higher concentration, a person spends about 90% of their time indoors; therefore, Indoor Air Pollution is just as important as Outdoor Air Pollution.
Sources of Indoor Air Pollution, Health Effects, and Solutions
Indoor Air Pollution comes from many sources. Besides the Outdoor Air Pollution making its way indoors, home furnishings, building materials, cleaning products and other lifestyle habits are sources of pollution. Depending on the type of pollutants, their concentrations, the length of exposure, and the person being exposed, the health effects may be experienced in a short or a long term, and can be minor like headaches, eye, nose, and throat irritation, or severe like lung disease, heart disease, or cancer. Hopefully, as mentioned by the WHO, intervening on the source of pollution, the living environment, and the user behavior can cut Indoor Air Pollution.
Some common indoor air pollutants are:
-Asbestos is a microscopic fiber. It is found in heat-resistant fabrics, packaging, or building materials, especially in homes built before 1980. When inhaled, asbestos can cause cancer or other respiratory

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