New research carried out by the National Institute for Health and Welfare has highlighted the link between indoor air pollutants and reduced life expectancy. The study suggests that indoor air pollution is potentially responsible for the annual loss of over 200,000 healthy life years in the UK.
The pan-European study links exposure to indoor pollutants to cardiovascular disease, as well as other health hazards. The study shows says that 57% of the total burden relates to cardiovascular diseases, 23% to lung cancer, 12% to asthma and the remaining 8% to other respiratory conditions.
The National Institute for Health and Welfare suggests that a change in the way that homes are ventilated could reduce the overall burden of disease caused by indoor air pollution by approximately 38% each year. It states that significant health benefits would be seen across the UK if homes had effective ventilation systems installed.
Commenting on the research, Lee Nurse, Marketing Director at Vent-Axia, says: “This confirms exposure to indoor pollutants is linked to reduced life expectancy and burden of disease. With many people spending the majority of their time indoors, improvements in indoor air quality must be seen as a priority. Continuous ventilation is a simple solution to air quality problems.”
Vent-Axia points out that as the Government continues to drive energy efficiency in homes, ventilation solutions will become even more important as properties become more air tight through insulation and double glazing. If ventilation is not considered in these air tight homes, it will only increase the risk of households experiencing aggravated health problems due to poor indoor air quality.
