White Paper

Research studies around the world have linked indoor air pollution to
such health effects as headaches, respiratory problems, chronic coughs,
eye irritation and lethargy. Those suffering ailments such as asthma,
allergies and lung diseases are extremely vulnerable to indoor airborne
pollution, as are infants that can spend almost 24 hours a day indoors
during the winter months.
The threat posed by indoor air pollution is a bigger problem today than
ever before even if many people believe it does not apply to them.
However, there are many sources of polluted indoor air beyond emissions
from traffic and industrial plants. For instance, few people spend much
time thinking about the chemicals released into the air they are breathing
by hairsprays, oven cleaners, pesticides, laundry aids, floor and furniture
polish and even air fresheners. In addition, the way we construct build-
ings nowadays more efficiently in order to cut energy loss also results in
reduced ventilation, which enables potential pollutants to build up.
Thankfully, there are choices consumers can make to avoid degradation
of their indoor air quality. Apart from the obvious choice of controlling the
source of the air pollution and ensuring fresh air ventilation, not always
an easy choice in major urban areas, a simple and proven alternative is
an air cleaner fitted with filters providing HEPA performance, a remedy
recommended in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of
Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
At Blueair, we believe that everyone should have the right to breathe air
as pure as nature intended. We have produced this White Paper in order
to draw attention to the very real, if not broadly understood problem of
indoor air pollution and the solutions that are readily available. We call on
the European Commission to help Europe’s consumers make the right
choice by adopting the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) system of com-
paring the efficiency of different air cleaner that has been developed by
AHAM, the U.S. Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.
Johan Wennerström,
R&D Manager, Blueair AB, Stockholm, Sweden
1. Executive summary
The air we breathe in our homes or offices can be up to 100 times worse than the air
outside, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
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With people in
industrialized countries spending around 90% of their time indoors, at home, work and
leisure, indoor air pollutants pose a very real threat to human health and wellbeing.
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http://www.epa.gov/air/basic.html