Bushfire smoke – how dangerous? When bushfires scar the landscape, they create huge clouds of toxic smoke that tint the skies orange and red. People with allergies may see bushfire smoke from a different perspective; those red skies can signal the start of an onset of allergic reaction and breathing difficulties. What’s in bushfire smoke? […]
Aspergillosis is an infection caused by inhaling spores of the mould Aspergillus which is commonly present in our environment. It usually affects the lower respiratory tract where the mould’s spores can germinate and enter blood vessels creating complications. Symptoms may be like those of asthma, pneumonia, sinusitis or even rapidly progressing systemic illness. The installation of […]
The "new car smell" that car salespeople love to wax lyrical about may actually be harmful for your health, a new study has shown. International researchers looked at the air inside new cars parked outside for 12 straight days, showing it contained high levels of chemicals linked to cancer, such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. The […]
Top 5 workplace allergens and how to avoid them Full time workers may spend a quarter or more of their week indoors at their workplace. All that time spent indoors can expose workers to workplace allergens that could make for a miserable work week, with symptoms extending out into the evening commute and time at […]
9 allergy tips to help reduce symptoms In temperate regions, wind-borne seasonal pollens released from trees, grasses, flowers, and weeds can cause allergy reactions. The most common cause of allergies, pollen grains, are powdery particles produced by plants to carry their reproductive cells to other plants. The grains are designed to easily float through the […]
Which moulds are most dangerous to my health? Mould is a type of fungus that often looks like fuzzy spots of different colors, including green, gray, or black. More than 100,000 mould species have been identified. Exposure to moulds can be linked to negative health effects, depending on the type of mould and the health […]
Poor air quality in China isn’t a surprise to anyone who’s read the news in the last few years. As China has become a globalized, urbanized powerhouse, its air pollution has grown in proportion to its prosperity. At its worst, air quality has reached emergency conditions, threatening the health of tens of millions of people.1 At […]
Kitchen ranges and gas stove cooking can be hazardous to your health. Several types of air pollutants are common in homes, including mould and mildew from water-damaged bathrooms and basements, dander from pets, and infiltration of outdoor traffic pollution. But the kitchen can be the most polluted room in many homes. The main culprit – pollutants emitted on the […]
Health officials have started to warn the public about the dangers posed by an imminent “tridemic,” three different endemic and pandemic viruses that are becoming prevalent around the same time. The tridemic, or “tripledemic”, refers to the risk of being exposed to a triple cocktail of pathogens, mainly influenza (flu), SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that leads to the […]
GOLDACH, Switzerland (March 22, 2022) – The 2021 World Air Quality Report finds that only three percent of cities and no single country met the latest World Health Organization’s (WHO) PM2.5 annual air quality guidelines. The report analyzes PM2.5 air pollution measurements from air monitoring stations in 6,475 cities in 117 countries, regions and territories. IQAir’s […]
Air pollution effects on childhood weight In 2020, international researchers found that being exposed as a child to various indoor pollutants such as particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide is linked to child obesity.7 The results of a study published in Pediatric Obesity in 2017 showed that in the first six months of their lives, babies […]
Since the beginning of the pandemic, when airborne transmission was not yet recognised as a major route of infection transmission, scientists have gained much new evidence that now clearly shows that COVID-19 infections can transmitted to a significant extent via airborne aerosols that remain suspended in indoor air for a substantial period of time. The Society […]
How to become a Clean Air School Clean air is critical in helping students and staff stay healthy. But access to clean air has long been an issue for many schools. This is especially true for disadvantaged or underserved schools near major sources of air pollution. Improving air quality in your school can seem complicated […]
First discovered just ahead of the Chinese New Year Festival in January 2020, coronavirus 2019-nCoV infections threaten millions. The World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control, and other health agencies have issued official warnings.1,2,3 In response to the outbreak, the Chinese National Health Commission held a conference on January 22, 2020 to assess the public […]
What is air? Millions of years ago, the oceans were filled with bacteria or cyanobacteria. Through photosynthesis, these released oxygen into the immediate atmosphere, displacing carbon dioxide and altering the balance. Nitrogen was also being built up in the air by the reaction of sunlight on ammonia. Progressively, this led to our current oxidized atmosphere […]
Detergents, cleansers, powders Many household cleaning products can also trigger allergies, especially those infused with sweet smelling agents. The National Asthma Council Australia recommends opting for products with low levels of chemicals and airing rooms during and after cleaning. Off-gassing of new furnishings Carpets, wall pint, sofas & couches, timber units – all can contain volatile organic […]
Toxic chemicals in your home could be linked to cancer, autism, and reproductive issues. Here are 4 of the most concerning: Pesticides Where they reside: Pesticides are commonly found in fruits, vegetables, potatoes, and milk, among other foods. Even harmful levels of weed-killer - a common pesticide - in some morning cereal products (There's been some debate about […]
While there is no cure for the common cold, the quality of the air you breathe has an effect on how often you get sick. Research also shows that once you have a cold, the quality of the air you breathe has a significant effect on the severity of your symptoms. Billions of cases of the […]
Studies now show that breathing polluted air can impair memory and reasoning, reduce academic performance and even lower intelligence. Clean air can prevent the lowering of a child’s IQ by the avoiding detrimental effects of breathing unclean air, but can clean air actually increase child IQ? Intellectual Quotient (IQ) is an imperfect predictor of many outcomes, such as academic […]
Renovations can make an older home feel new again. But your Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) during home renovations can also be impacted by renovations as the air fills with dangerous chemicals and other contaminants that put your health at risk. It’s important to protect your home’s Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) throughout the entire renovation process: Demolition: Lead, asbestos, […]
