Indoors or Outdoors - Air Pollutants Create Health Hazards for Allergy and Asthma Sufferers

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Indoors or Outdoors - Air Pollutants Create Health Hazards for Allergy and

Asthma Sufferers

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 (Aug 9, 2001 17:33:38 EST) -- The dog days of summer are

here! And that can mean many challenges for people suffering from allergies

and asthma. Why? The ozone alerts that occur frequently during the peak

season -- April through October -- send people scrambling indoors to find

relief from smog, air pollution and other irritants created when the ozone

levels are high. Ozone Action Days are called when weather conditions are

conducive to ground- level ozone formation.

On days when the ozone is particularly high, people at risk should stay

indoors and limit outdoor activities. But what about the quality of indoor

air? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that indoor air

pollutants may be two to five times higher than pollutant levels outdoors.

With Americans spending up to 90 percent of their time indoors, pollutants

such as tobacco smoke, pollen, mold, dust and animal dander can create both

asthmatic and allergic reactions.

As a result, room air cleaners have become popular among asthma and allergy

sufferers, and health-conscious people as well. AHAM, the Association of

Home Appliance Manufacturers, has created a Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR)

Seal to make the purchase of an air cleaner much easier for the consumer. By

providing comparative information on the air cleaner package, CADR helps

consumers make the best choice for their home and for the size of the room

where the product will be used.

There are many different types of indoor pollution -- second hand smoke,

dust mites, animal dander and mold and mildew are just a few. The impact of

these pollutants is magnified in today's energy conscious buildings, which

keep air ventilation to a minimum to avoid heat loss in the winter and heat

gain in the summer.

With the variety of air cleaners available, it's often a confusing process

to find the right one. AHAM developed the CADR to clear up the confusion.

The CADR measurement system rates each air cleaner according to the amount

of clean air the product will deliver per minute in cubic feet. Ratings are

shown on the seal -- which appears on the side of the product package -- for

tobacco smoke, dust and pollen. Appropriate room sizes are also listed. CADR

rated room air cleaners can remove tobacco smoke particles as small as

one-tenth of a micron, and dust and pollen particles much smaller than one

micron. A micron is 39 millionths of an inch -- far below the size of the

period ending this sentence.

For a copy of the Consumer Guide for Room Air Cleaners or a list of

certified room air cleaners, visit the web site at www.cadr.org .

The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers is a full-service trade

association representing manufacturers of major and portable appliances sold

in the United States, and suppliers to the industry. All independent testing

and verification for the AHAM Room Air Cleaner Certification program are

provided by Intertek Testing Services (ITS), an independent laboratory under

contract to AHAM.

Copyright © 2001 Nando Media