Indoor Air Pollution

Daily activity requires individuals to spend as much as 90% of their time indoors. Some pollutants present in larger quantities indoors than outdoors, and with long-term exposure, even low concentrations of pollutants may have a significant biological impact. Indoor air pollution has been related to a higher risk of upper and lower respiratory tract irritation, respiratory and allergic symptoms and diseases, lung function reduction, BHR, and lung cancer.Nearly half of the world's population uses biomass fuels for cooking, heating and/or lighting. Solid-fuel smoke causes huge health problems in developing countries but wood-burning populations in developed countries may also be at risk. According to the World Health Organization, 4.3 million people died from exposure to household air pollution (HAP) in 2012 (7.7% of the total annual global burden of disease). Globally, HAP ranks third among risk factors for DALYs. Air quality is particularly important for frail subpopulations (i.e. children, elderly people, and subjects with cardiorespiratory diseases or socioeconomic deprivation).