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When we discuss air quality and children’s health, we are often referring to both indoor and outdoor air quality.
Did you know? The average American spends 90% of their time indoors, and indoor air is often 2-5 times dirtier than outdoor air! This can be a result of indoor contaminants, inadequate air filtration, and ventilation issues. Indoor air is unregulated.
Common indoor air contaminants include:
More than 27 million children live in U.S. counties with unhealthy levels of air pollution. Of these children, approximately 1.7 million have asthma.
Kids have higher exposures to outdoor air pollution because they spend, on average, more time outside than adults. Pollution in outdoor air comes from a variety of sources, including cars, buses, trucks, ships, trains, wildfires, industrial plants and hazardous waste sites, and activities like smoking or campfires. Traffic pollutants include possible harmful chemicals in gasoline and diesel exhaust and fine particulate matter that can be especially hard on little lungs. Wildfire smoke is also a source of fine particulate matter along with a mix of air pollutants. Exposure to smoke can cause short-term health effects like eye, nose, throat, and lung irritation, and shortness of breath.
Long-term exposure may be associated with increased rates of chronic bronchitis, reduced lung development and function, and increased death from lung cancer and heart disease. Air toxicants also contribute to increased risk of various cancers and birth defects, and harm to neurodevelopment, immunological, and reproductive health.
Protecting the integrity of the Clean Air Act and advocating for strong and equitable clean air regulations.
Promoting transportation policies for cleaner cars, trucks, planes, trains, and ship as well as those regulating stationary sources, such as industrial plants.
Conducting indoor air quality monitoring in a subset of child care facilities before and after adopting eco-healthy best practices.
Supporting efforts conducted via NIEHS-funded CEHRT Centers to translate air pollution research into child-health protective practice and policy.
Developing resources on air pollution and children’s health for healthcare professionals, child care providers, teachers, public health professionals, and policymakers.
Training child care providers on best practices to protect kids' health from air pollution inside and outside of their facilities.
Incorporating children’s environmental health into child care health and safety standards.
Collaborating with and leading coalitions and groups focused on clean air and those focused on health impacts related to air pollution.
