Did you know that household air pollution causes over 3 million deaths per year?
Household air pollution is generated by the use of inefficient and polluting fuels (such as kerosene, wood, and charcoal) in and around the home that contains a range of health-damaging pollutants, including small particles that penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, according to the World Health Organization.
Exposure to this pollution can contribute to heart disease, stroke, respiratory infection, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer.
“In poorly ventilated dwellings, indoor smoke can have levels of fine particles 100 times higher than acceptable. Exposure is particularly high among women and children, who spend the most time near the domestic hearth,” according to the World Health Organization. “Reliance on polluting fuels and technologies also require significant time for cooking on an inefficient device, and gathering and preparing fuel.”
In addition, a recent study in Indoor Environments found that, with the HVAC fan on, cooking emissions (fine particulate matters) were transported relatively quickly throughout the main spaces of a test house.
“A cross-correlation analysis showed that it took 2–4 min for kitchen peak concentrations to reach other sensors on the first floor and about 8 min to reach the second floor,” according to researchers.
Household air pollution is an important concern in development of chemical intolerance (CI) and TILT, said Dr. Claudia Miller, allergist/immunologist, professor emeritus, and leader of the TILT Program at UT Health San Antonio.
Learn more about TILT in this tutorial.
What Can You Do about Household Air Pollution?
We want healthy homes because people tend to spend most time indoors.
That is why there is rising demand for services like environmental house calls (EHCs) and eco-friendly real estate and building healthier homes.
Use the TILT Research Program’s guide, “7 Steps to Create a Clean Air Oasis,” in English or Spanish, to select the right cleaning materials and improve the indoor air quality in your home.
“Choose a room where you spend the most time (often the bedroom) or transform your entire home,” Miller said.
The World Health Organization also shares several strategies for reducing exposure to household air pollution and accelerating the transition to clean household energy:
- introduction of cleaner technologies and fuels for cooking, heating and lighting
- improved housing and ventilation design
- supportive government policies and economic incentives
- education and awareness-raising to support necessary changes in cultural habits related to cooking and household energy management.
The organization also issued Guidelines for indoor air quality: household fuel combustion.
“[The guidelines] offer practical evidence-based guidance on what fuels and technologies used in the home can be considered clean, including recommendations discouraging use of kerosene and recommending against use of unprocessed coal; specifying the performance of fuels and technologies (in the form of emission rate targets) needed to protect health; and emphasizing the importance of addressing all household energy uses, particularly cooking, space heating and lighting to ensure benefits for health and the environment,” according to the World Health Organization.
How do you know if you have TILT and chemical intolerance?
Answer these three questions from the TILT Research Program on Chemical Intolerance:
- Do you feel sick when you are exposed to tobacco smoke, certain fragrances, nail polish/remover, engine exhaust, gasoline, air fresheners, pesticides, paint/thinner, fresh tar/asphalt, cleaning supplies, new carpet or furnishings? By sick, we mean: headache, difficulty thinking, difficulty breathing, weakness, dizziness, upset stomach, etc.
- Are you unable to tolerate or do you have adverse or allergic reactions to any drugs or medications (such as antibiotics, anesthetics, pain relievers, X-ray contrast dye, vaccines or birth control pills), or to an implant, prosthesis, contraceptive chemical or device, or other medical/surgical/dental material or procedure?
- Are you unable to tolerate or do you have adverse reactions to any foods such as dairy products, wheat, corn, eggs, caffeine, alcoholic beverages, or food additives (e.g., MSG, food dye)?
If you answer YES to any question, take the Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory (QEESI) and share the results with your doctor!