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Air quality
Indoor air quality
(Photo: iStockphoto)
As people spend a considerable amount of time indoors, either at work or at home, indoor air quality plays a significant part in their general state of health. This is particularly so for children, elderly people and other vulnerable groups.
The WHO guidelines for indoor air quality, developed under the coordination of WHO/Europe, address three groups of issues:
- biological indoor air pollutants (dampness and mould)
- pollutant-specific guidelines (chemical pollution)
- pollutants from indoor combustion of fuels.
These three categories were recommended by experts in 2006 in view of their public health relevance. Experts also discussed the role of WHO guidelines in reducing the health risks due to indoor air pollution, and recommended scope and format of the guidelines.
WHO/Europe published the guidelines for dampness and mould in 2009, those on selected pollutants in 2010 and expects to issue those on indoor combustion of fuels in 2011.
See also
- Biological indoor air pollutants: dampness and mould
WHO guidelines published in 2009 - Chemical indoor air pollutants: selected pollutants
WHO guidelines published in 2010 - Development of WHO guidelines for indoor air quality
Report on a WHO working group meeting, October 2006
From other WHO sites
- WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
An assessment of effectiveness of policies protecting against harmful exposure to second-hand smoke, conducted by IARC, indicates significant health benefits to adults and children. In particular, smoke-free policies decrease tobacco use in youths, and voluntary smoke-free home policies decrease children’s second-hand smoke exposure - Second hand smoke: Assessing the burden of disease at national and local levels
- Indoor air pollution