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Learn more.","excerptHtml","content","Air pollution can be made up of many components such as ozone, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), larger particulate matter like dust and sand found in PM10, and the smallest particulate matter, PM2.5 (particulate matter that are 2.5 microns in diameter or smaller) and ultrafine particles. While particulate matter is the most common air pollutant and has the most direct impact on human health, carbon dioxide shouldn’t be overlooked. Carbon dioxide can significantly impact human health by increasing blood pressure, raising heart rates, and can contribute to a range of other health symptoms. These pollutants can be invisible for most - until they are made known with the help of an air quality monitor. Air pollutants, including carbon dioxide, can significantly impact human health. What is carbon dioxide? Carbon dioxide, or CO2, is a nontoxic, noncombustible air pollutant and a colorless greenhouse gas. It’s a natural product of human and animal respiration and can be created naturally through processes like volcanic eruptions. However, most carbon dioxide emissions are human produced through human activity. Most carbon dioxide emissions are human produced through human activity. Primary sources of carbon dioxide can include (1): fossil fuel combustion from transportation electricity production industrial sources heating for homes deforestation and wildfires agricultural burning A warming planet with hotter, drier seasons is leading to increases in global carbon dioxide emissions. In just one summer in 2021, wildfires burning in California generated more carbon dioxide than had previously been created in any one summer during the past twenty years (2). Indoor sources of carbon dioxide can include stovetop flames and ovens, fireplaces, and outdoor sources like factories and vehicle traffic. Carbon dioxide should not be confused with carbon monoxide (CO), another pollutant and a more deadly gas caused by incomplete combustion. Carbon dioxide health effects While carbon dioxide is good for plants as it helps photosynthesis, too much carbon dioxide isn’t good for human beings and animals. Exposure to small amounts of carbon dioxide is mostly safe. But carbon dioxide can impact indoor air quality and threaten human health when it builds up to dangerous concentrations. Carbon dioxide can impact indoor air quality and threaten human health when it builds up to dangerous concentrations. As an asphyxiant, carbon dioxide replaces normal, breathable oxygen. Most of the health effects associated with carbon dioxide exposure come from oxygen depletion. While outdoor carbon dioxide measurements of 380 parts per million (ppm) are common, they can reach up to 500 ppm in outdoor urban areas (3). Biological functions can be changed at measurements between 500 ppm and 5,000 ppm (4). A large build-up of CO2 concentrations can be life-threatening; measurements greater than 20,000 ppm can impact breathing, while 250,000 ppm can result in death. Higher concentrations of carbon dioxide can affect health in several ways, including (5,6): impaired decision-making lethargy headache restlessness and inattention drowsiness rapid heart rate increased blood pressure dizziness, vomiting, and nausea How to monitor carbon dioxide One of the most important tools for protecting breathing spaces from airborne pollutants is an air quality monitor equipped to detect carbon dioxide. One of the most important tools for protecting breathing spaces from airborne pollutants is an air quality monitor equipped to detect carbon dioxide. AirVisual Series air quality monitors share data and the relative health threat of PM2.5 and carbon dioxide while providing temperature, humidity, and air pressure information. An IQAir AirVisual air quality monitor equipped with an optional carbon dioxide sensor provides air pollutant data to the IQAir AirVisual mobile app, downloadable on Google play or the Apple Store. Data can also be provided to a dashboard, to a website through a widget, connected to home technology, or shared creatively through APIs. Setting a CO2 alert at around 900 to 1,000 ppm may be a good choice to prevent CO2 buildup from reaching dangerous levels. Alerts can be set from the IQAir Dashboard and the IQAir AirVisual app as emails or as an app notification. When both the indoor and outdoor air quality monitors are paired onsite, it’s then possible to have a more complete picture of air quality in and out of a building. Air quality data contributors can also share their outdoor air quality data. By registering an air quality monitoring device, local data can be shared for people around the globe. Global air quality awareness increases environmental literacy and informs anyone in the area about possible exposure to pollutants. The takeaway Monitoring air pollution empowers action. Monitoring air quality data gives people the ability to take prompt action to counter air pollution threats, including a build-up of carbon dioxide. If you know there’s too much carbon dioxide in your indoor space, you can control how you respond by immediately improving the ventilation. Allow in fresh air and make sure your HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system is in good working order. If letting in outdoor air increases air pollution exposure, mechanical ventilation with filtration can reduce exposure to pollution while lowering carbon dioxide.","contentHtml","

Air pollution can be made up of many components such as ozone, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), larger particulate matter like dust and sand found in PM10, and the smallest particulate matter, PM2.5 (particulate matter that are 2.5 microns in diameter or smaller) and ultrafine particles. While particulate matter is the most common air pollutant and has the most direct impact on human health, carbon dioxide shouldn’t be overlooked.

Carbon dioxide can significantly impact human health by increasing blood pressure, raising heart rates, and can contribute to a range of other health symptoms. These pollutants can be invisible for most - until they are made known with the help of an air quality monitor.

Air pollutants, including carbon dioxide, can significantly impact human health.

What is carbon dioxide?

Carbon dioxide, or CO2, is a nontoxic, noncombustible air pollutant and a colorless greenhouse gas. It’s a natural product of human and animal respiration and can be created naturally through processes like volcanic eruptions. However, most carbon dioxide emissions are human produced through human activity.

Most carbon dioxide emissions are human produced through human activity.

Primary sources of carbon dioxide can include (1):

fossil fuel combustion from transportation
electricity production
industrial sources
heating for homes
deforestation and wildfires
agricultural burning

A warming planet with hotter, drier seasons is leading to increases in global carbon dioxide emissions. In just one summer in 2021, wildfires burning in California generated more carbon dioxide than had previously been created in any one summer during the past twenty years (2).

Indoor sources of carbon dioxide can include stovetop flames and ovens, fireplaces, and outdoor sources like factories and vehicle traffic.

Carbon dioxide should not be confused with carbon monoxide (CO), another pollutant and a more deadly gas caused by incomplete combustion.

Carbon dioxide health effects

While carbon dioxide is good for plants as it helps photosynthesis, too much carbon dioxide isn’t good for human beings and animals.

Exposure to small amounts of carbon dioxide is mostly safe. But carbon dioxide can impact indoor air quality and threaten human health when it builds up to dangerous concentrations.

Carbon dioxide can impact indoor air quality and threaten human health when it builds up to dangerous concentrations.

As an asphyxiant, carbon dioxide replaces normal, breathable oxygen. Most of the health effects associated with carbon dioxide exposure come from oxygen depletion.

While outdoor carbon dioxide measurements of 380 parts per million (ppm) are common, they can reach up to 500 ppm in outdoor urban areas (3). Biological functions can be changed at measurements between 500 ppm and 5,000 ppm (4). A large build-up of CO2 concentrations can be life-threatening; measurements greater than 20,000 ppm can impact breathing, while 250,000 ppm can result in death.

Higher concentrations of carbon dioxide can affect health in several ways, including (5,6):

impaired decision-making
lethargy
headache
restlessness and inattention
drowsiness
rapid heart rate
increased blood pressure
dizziness, vomiting, and nausea

How to monitor carbon dioxide

One of the most important tools for protecting breathing spaces from airborne pollutants is an air quality monitor equipped to detect carbon dioxide.

One of the most important tools for protecting breathing spaces from airborne pollutants is an air quality monitor equipped to detect carbon dioxide.

AirVisual Series air quality monitors share data and the relative health threat of PM2.5 and carbon dioxide while providing temperature, humidity, and air pressure information.

An IQAir AirVisual air quality monitor equipped with an optional carbon dioxide sensor provides air pollutant data to the IQAir AirVisual mobile app, downloadable on Google play or the Apple Store. Data can also be provided to a dashboard, to a website through a w i dget, connected to home technology, or shared creatively through APIs.

Setting a CO2 alert at around 900 to 1,000 ppm may be a good choice to prevent CO2 buildup from reaching dangerous levels. Alerts can be set from the IQAir Dashboard and the IQAir AirVisual app as emails or as an app notification.

When both the indoor and outdoor air quality monitors are paired onsite, it’s then possible to have a more complete picture of air quality in and out of a building.

Air quality data contributors can also share their outdoor air quality data. By registering an air quality monitoring device, local data can be shared for people around the globe. Global air quality awareness increases environmental literacy and informs anyone in the area about possible exposure to pollutants.

The takeaway

Monitoring air pollution empowers action. Monitoring air quality data gives people the ability to take prompt action to counter air pollution threats, including a build-up of carbon dioxide.

If you know there’s too much carbon dioxide in your indoor space, you can control how you respond by immediately improving the ventilation. Allow in fresh air and make sure your HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system is in good working order. If letting in outdoor air increases air pollution exposure, mechanical ventilation with filtration can reduce exposure to pollution while lowering carbon dioxide.

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Administrators and educators in school districts open for in-person learning must rethink their resources, infrastructure, and staffing levels in order to provide the best possible learning environment (1). COVID-19 has required that communities and governments decide on the right balance between virtual and in-person learning, implementing public policies that help keep schools open, and implementing COVID-19 safety protocols in group settings. Students and faculty face potential COVID-19 school risks All teachers, parents, faculty, and students, in particular those who are unvaccinated, are at higher risk of COVID-19 infection in any public setting, including schools. Young people are at risk for COVID-19 infection and severe health issues, including (2): difficulty breathing acute respiratory distress syndrome multiorgan system dysfunction on rare occasions, death Children with underlying pulmonary or immunocompromising conditions could have more serious symptoms than other children. Additionally, non-white communities have suffered far more fatalities proportionally than white communities. A 2020 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) determined that between February 12 and July 31, Hispanic, Black, and American Indian/Alaskan Native persons made up 78 percent of American children who died from COVID-19 and associated health complications (3). However, children and teens seem to have a lower risk of becoming seriously ill than other age demographics. A study found that children and teens under the age of 20 were roughly half as likely to become infected from COVID-19 as people over the age of 20. A 2020 study published in Nature Medicine found that children and teens under the age of 20 were roughly half as likely to become infected from COVID-19 as people over the age of 20. Clinical symptoms might occur an average of 21 percent of the time among people aged 10 to 19, compared to 69 percent in people over 70 years old (4). However, even with fewer infections in children than in adults, there have been COVID-19 outbreaks connected to childcare facilities and schools, with children spreading the virus to one another, to adults, and to caregivers (5) (6). The exact role of children in transmission isn’t fully mapped out, but there is evidence that teenagers can transmit the virus as easily as adults. Additionally, unvaccinated teachers and staff face a serious health risk just by reporting to work. One in four teachers or faculty, or nearly 1.5 million adults, are at increased risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19 due to a pre-existing condition, according to a 2020 brief from the Kaiser Family Foundation (7). Poor air quality contributes to poor health Proper school building ventilation alone will not prevent the spread of COVID-19. Clean air and controlling the source of infection in combination with improved ventilation can help reduce the spread of viruses and bacteria (8). Clean air and controlling the source of infection in combination with improved ventilation can help reduce the spread of viruses and bacteria. COVID-19 can be spread by touching infected people, surfaces, and objects (9).It can also be spread by droplets. Source control measures like wearing masks, staying home while sick, and social distancing directly help reduce large droplet transmission by limiting person-to-person contact infection generally within six feet of one another. Another means of transmission is airborne transmission. Much smaller respiratory droplets can leave infectious viral particles lingering in the air for hours and moving greater distances through air currents (10). Ventilation moves air and with it, aerosolized, small droplets of infectious particles around a building. However, high-quality air filtration, such as HyperHEPA technology, can trap airborne particulate pollutants, viruses, and bacteria. Cleaning the air through filtration can help reduce the risk of COVID-19 by capturing particles as small as 0.003 microns and reducing their concentrations in the air. Natural ventilation solutions like opening windows or holding classes in tents outdoors may help control aerosols, but they’re not practical in most winter climates. And with high-quality air filtration, mechanical ventilation doesn’t need to exceed the building code requirements, thus maintaining higher levels of energy efficiency. Furthermore, when schools elect to incorporate high-quality air filtration, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems do not need to run 100% of the time, which further decreases energy requirements.Another benefit of HyperHEPA technology is low pressure drop, allowing filter replacements to occur only once per year (based on average 50% duty cycle) due to highly efficient filtration material. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers guidelines on how to use ventilation in schools and childcare programs (11).Guidance emphasizes that improving the level of air filtration without significantly reducing airflow is an important component of helping maintain a healthy environment. According to the CDC, improving the level of air filtration without significantly reducing airflow is an important component of helping maintain a healthy environment. While better ventilation can help reduce COVID-19 transmission, outdoor airflow can also introduce outdoor airborne pollutants and allergens into schools. There are many other pollutant sources in schools, including: cleaning products tightly sealed new schools with insufficient ventilation off-gassed chemicals like formaldehyde lead, asbestos, and radon contamination in older school mold particulate pollution, such as PM2.5 and PM10 A number of studies have shown that high levels of particulate matter in the environment has been associated with increased COVID-19 symptoms(12) (13) (14). Studies have shown that high levels of particulate matter in the environment have been associated with increased COVID-19 symptoms. A study in Science Advances found that for every increase of 1 microgram per cubic meter (𝜇g/m3) of PM2.5, the risk of severe or fatal COVID-19 symptoms increased by 8%. Those same researchers later updated their study and determined that long-term exposure to PM2.5 was associated with greater COVID-19 mortality rates in U.S. counties. A further study in Science of the Total Environment determined that particulate matter was directly connected to new cases of COVID-19 in Milan, Italy. PM2.5, or fine particulate matter, has a diameter of 2.5 microns or less. It’s considered dangerous for both children and adults, as PM2.5 can enter the lungs through air passageways and get into the bloodstream (15).Components of PM2.5 include: dust soot dirt smoke salt acids metals PM2.5 is considered dangerous for both children and adults, as it can enter the lungs through air passageways and get into the bloodstream. A 2019 study published in BMC Public Health has linked influenza-like illness to PM2.5, while respiratory disease has long been associated with exposure to the pollutant (16). In a 2010 study, children in six French urban communities were studied for three years to determine the long-term health impacts of air pollution (17).The results, published in the European Respiratory Journal, found a number of health concerns associated with PM10, PM2.5, and gas pollutant exposure, such as: asthma eczema lifetime allergic rhinitis pollen sensitivity Air pollution may even harm children’s ability to learn. A 2015 study published in Population and Environment found that even when accounting for other factors, students exposed to traffic-related pollutants suffer from lower GPAs (18). How clean air can help reduce COVID-19 exposure in schools Thorough and efficient indoor air cleaning in schools can help to reduce exposure to viruses and COVID-19. Thorough and efficient indoor air cleaning in schools can help to reduce exposure to viruses and COVID-19. Airborne COVID-19 particles are generally between 0.06-0.14 microns (19).High-performing air cleaners like the CleanZone SL and NanoMax air filters are capable of capturing particles measuring as small as 0.003 microns. An important health consideration for schools with in-person learning is HVAC-based air cleaning. Filters like the IQAir NanoMax filter remove PM10 coarse particles (< 10 μm), PM2.5 fine particles (< 2.5 μm), and ultrafine particles (< 0.1 microns). NanoMax filters capture up to 90 percent of particles down to 0.003 microns, including viruses, bacteria, allergens, and air pollutants. NanoMax filters can be used in almost any school HVAC system and engineered to meet your school's exact HVAC requirements. The CleanZone SL air purifier removes 95 percent of all particles 0.003 microns or larger. Benefits of the CleanZone SL include: capable of filtering ultrafine particles down to 0.003 microns in diameter, including viruses cleans all air in a 1,000 square-foot space once every 15 minutes viruses and bacteria are filtered through HyperHEPA filter four times an hour Faculty and administrators can actively monitor indoor and outdoor air quality with AirVisual Series air quality monitors. These monitors can detect PM2.5 pollutants, forecast air quality for the next 72 hours, and provide administrators with alerts when the air quality falls below user-determined standards. Schools can also look into the IQAir Clean Air Schools program for help in reducing illnesses. Schools can also look into the IQAir Clean Air Schools program for help in reducing airborne illnesses. Air Quality Experts provide air purification installation services and solutions tailored to the needs of individual schools. Recommended approaches for COVID-19 school control Besides source control, ventilation, and air purification, there are many school policies recommended by health experts. The CDC and the Public Health Agency of Canada encourage several strategies for reducing COVID-19 spread in schools with in-person learning, including (20) (21) (22): smaller class sizes a mix of virtual learning and in-person learning, as appropriate to the student grouping students into small social bubbles, or cohorts groups of students and their teachers avoiding contact with other groups providing tissues and touchless trash cans applying alternating and staggered schedules objects and food are never shared between students and teachers everyone in a school must wear a mask and socially distance providing hand sanitizer, including at lunch checkouts regular hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes avoiding any self-serve food or drink options increasing barriers and dividers at desks, offices, and counters where feasible any person with COVID-19 symptoms must stay home Vaccinated teachers and staff should follow additional CDC guidelines, including (23): wear masks with unvaccinated people and in public places continue to socially distance with unvaccinated people and in public places get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms While everyone should wear masks in schools, some masks help protect better than others. Masks that can be worn include: scarves and fabric masks: one protective layer that blocks coarse droplets surgical masks: a single use item with two protective layers KN95 / N95 / FFP2 respirators: several protective layers that help block coarse, fine, and ultrafine droplets Some masks help protect better than others, such as KN95 / N95 / FFP2 respirators. Common areas that are shared between groups like playgrounds and cafeterias should be closed when possible. For example, students should eat in classrooms or outdoors rather than in cafeterias. If that’s not an option, common area use must be staggered for groups and all objects in the area should be cleaned and disinfected between group visits. Classroom layout can be a challenge but is another essential strategy. All seating should be six feet apart whenever possible. Desks or table seating should all face in one direction. Both virtual learning and in-person teaching classroom restrictions have encouraged some school systems to hire more teachers. In October 2020, Ontario allocated $35 million to hire more teachers for Ottawa, Peel, Toronto, North York, and East York(24).Teachers were hired to support virtual learning and promote physical distancing between students for in-person classes. The province also hired more in-school nurses and custodians to increase cleanings. National virtual class or in-person class policies In concert with state, provincial, and federal policy, communities have been deciding for themselves which mix of virtual and in-person education is best for them. There has been no global consensus on when and where to implement virtual or in-person education. In-person learning benefits While some governments have expressed that keeping their schools open or reopening them is their priority, it can be a challenge to balance health and safety concerns with the benefits of in-person learning (25). While closing schools removes a source of COVID-19 risk for faculty, parents, and students, virtual-learning and school closures have negative impacts on children and their communities. There are societal and students benefits to in-person learning, such as (26) (27): nutritional access welfare services and preventing violence against children socialization skill-building psychological well-being through reduced isolation allows parents to return to work and avoid additional childcare costs better ergonomics best possible learning environment Additionally, some students with physical or learning disabilities may benefit more from in-person learning strategies than virtual classrooms, especially if a school system’s virtual schools create accessibility issues (28). The takeaway There are year-round health concerns in and out of schools for children, from the physical worries like pollution, asthma, and allergies to isolation and learning access difficulties for virtual learners. COVID-19 presents an additional health challenge on top of these existing issues for unvaccinated students and faculty alike. The long-term efficacy of vaccines, including their effectiveness against newer variants of COVID-19, is still to be determined. Until herd immunity is achieved, additional cautions should still be taken even after vaccination. When schools reopen or remain open during the COVID-19 epidemic, administrators will need to focus on maintaining source control through masks and social distancing while developing air cleaning strategies to help control pollutants and microorganisms in the environment. Implementing public health officials’ recommended procedures – controlling the source of infection – can reduce infection risk in schools. Cleaning the air can also help keep students and faculty safe from harmful pollutants and airborne bacteria, viruses, and fungal spores.","

Back to school COVID-19 prevention demands smart strategies for a safe learning environment. Administrators and educators in school districts open for in-person learning must rethink their resources, infrastructure, and staffing levels in order to provide the best possible learning environment (1).

COVID-19 has required that communities and governments decide on the right balance between virtual and in-person learning, implementing public policies that help keep schools open, and implementing COVID-19 safety protocols in group settings.

Students and faculty face potential COVID-19 school risks

All teachers, parents, faculty, and students, in particular those who are unvaccinated, are at higher risk of COVID-19 infection in any public setting, including schools.

Young people are at risk for COVID-19 infection and severe health issues, including (2):

difficulty breathing
acute respiratory distress syndrome
multiorgan system dysfunction
on rare occasions, death

Children with underlying pulmonary or immunocompromising conditions could have more serious symptoms than other children.

Additionally, non-white communities have suffered far more fatalities proportionally than white communities. A 2020 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) determined that between February 12 and July 31, Hispanic, Black, and American Indian/Alaskan Native persons made up 78 percent of American children who died from COVID-19 and associated health complications (3).

However, children and teens seem to have a lower risk of becoming seriously ill than other age demographics.

A study found that children and teens under the age of 20 were roughly half as likely to become infected from COVID-19 as people over the age of 20.

A 2020 study published in Nature Medicine found that children and teens under the age of 20 were roughly half as likely to become infected from COVID-19 as people over the age of 20. Clinical symptoms might occur an average of 21 percent of the time among people aged 10 to 19, compared to 69 percent in people over 70 years old (4).

However, even with fewer infections in children than in adults, there have been COVID-19 outbreaks connected to childcare facilities and schools, with children spreading the virus to one another, to adults, and to caregivers (5) (6). The exact role of children in transmission isn’t fully mapped out, but there is evidence that teenagers can transmit the virus as easily as adults.

Additionally, unvaccinated teachers and staff face a serious health risk just by reporting to work. One in four teachers or faculty, or nearly 1.5 million adults, are at increased risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19 due to a pre-existing condition, according to a 2020 brief from the Kaiser Family Foundation (7).

Poor air quality contributes to poor health

Proper school building ventilation alone will not prevent the spread of COVID-19. Clean air and controlling the source of infection in combination with improved ventilation can help reduce the spread of viruses and bacteria (8).

Clean air and controlling the source of infection in combination with improved ventilation can help reduce the spread of viruses and bacteria.

COVID-19 can be spread by touching infected people, surfaces, and objects (9).It can also be spread by droplets. Source control measures like wearing masks, staying home while sick, and social distancing directly help reduce large droplet transmission by limiting person-to-person contact infection generally within six feet of one another.

Another means of transmission is airborne transmission. Much smaller respiratory droplets can leave infectious viral particles lingering in the air for hours and moving greater distances through air currents (10).

Ventilation moves air and with it, aerosolized, small droplets of infectious particles around a building. However, high-quality air filtration, such as HyperHEPA technology, can trap airborne particulate pollutants, viruses, and bacteria. Cleaning the air through filtration can help reduce the risk of COVID-19 by capturing particles as small as 0.003 microns and reducing their concentrations in the air.

Natural ventilation solutions like opening windows or holding classes in tents outdoors may help control aerosols, but they’re not practical in most winter climates. And with high-quality air filtration, mechanical ventilation doesn’t need to exceed the building code requirements, thus maintaining higher levels of energy efficiency.

Furthermore, when schools elect to incorporate high-quality air filtration, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems do not need to run 100% of the time, which further decreases energy requirements.Another benefit of HyperHEPA technology is low pressure drop, allowing filter replacements to occur only once per year (based on average 50% duty cycle) due to highly efficient filtration material.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers guidelines on how to use ventilation in schools and childcare programs (11).Guidance emphasizes that improving the level of air filtration without significantly reducing airflow is an important component of helping maintain a healthy environment.

According to the CDC, improving the level of air filtration without significantly reducing airflow is an important component of helping maintain a healthy environment.

While better ventilation can help reduce COVID-19 transmission, outdoor airflow can also introduce outdoor airborne pollutants and allergens into schools.

There are many other pollutant sources in schools, including:

cleaning products
tightly sealed new schools with insufficient ventilation
off-gassed chemicals like formaldehyde
lead, asbestos, and radon contamination in older school
mold
particulate pollution, such as PM2.5 and PM10\n

A number of studies have shown that high levels of particulate matter in the environment has been associated with increased COVID-19 symptoms(12) (13) (14).

Studies have shown that high levels of particulate matter in the environment have been associated with increased COVID-19 symptoms.

A study in Science Advances found that for every increase of 1 microgram per cubic meter (𝜇g/m3) of PM2.5, the risk of severe or fatal COVID-19 symptoms increased by 8%.

Those same researchers later updated their study and determined that long-term exposure to PM2.5 was associated with greater COVID-19 mortality rates in U.S. counties.

A further study in Science of the Total Environment determined that particulate matter was directly connected to new cases of COVID-19 in Milan, Italy.

PM2.5, or fine particulate matter, has a diameter of 2.5 microns or less. It’s considered dangerous for both children and adults, as PM2.5 can enter the lungs through air passageways and get into the bloodstream (15).Components of PM2.5 include:

dust
soot
dirt
smoke
salt
acids
metals

PM2.5 is considered dangerous for both children and adults, as it can enter the lungs through air passageways and get into the bloodstream.

A 2019 study published in BMC Public Health has linked influenza-like illness to PM2.5, while respiratory disease has long been associated with exposure to the pollutant (16).

In a 2010 study, children in six French urban communities were studied for three years to determine the long-term health impacts of air pollution (17).The results, published in the European Respiratory Journal, found a number of health concerns associated with PM10, PM2.5, and gas pollutant exposure, such as:

asthma
eczema
lifetime allergic rhinitis
pollen sensitivity

Air pollution may even harm children’s ability to learn. A 2015 study published in Population and Environment found that even when accounting for other factors, students exposed to traffic-related pollutants suffer from lower GPAs (18).

How clean air can help reduce COVID-19 exposure in schools

Thorough and efficient indoor air cleaning in schools can help to reduce exposure to viruses and COVID-19.

Thorough and efficient indoor air cleaning in schools can help to reduce exposure to viruses and COVID-19.

Airborne COVID-19 particles are generally between 0.06-0.14 microns (19).High-performing air cleaners like the CleanZone SL and NanoMax air filters are capable of capturing particles measuring as small as 0.003 microns.

An important health consideration for schools with in-person learning is HVAC-based air cleaning. Filters like the IQAir NanoMax filter remove PM10 coarse particles (< 10 μm), PM2.5 fine particles (< 2.5 μm), and ultrafine particles (< 0.1 microns).

NanoMax filters capture up to 90 percent of particles down to 0.003 microns, including viruses, bacteria, allergens, and air pollutants. NanoMax filters can be used in almost any school HVAC system and engineered to meet your school's exact HVAC requirements.

The CleanZone SL air purifier removes 95 percent of all particles 0.003 microns or larger.

Benefits of the CleanZone SL include:

capable of filtering ultrafine particles down to 0.003 microns in diameter, including viruses
cleans all air in a 1,000 square-foot space once every 15 minutes
viruses and bacteria are filtered through HyperHEPA filter four times an hour

Faculty and administrators can actively monitor indoor and outdoor air quality with AirVisual Series air quality monitors. These monitors can detect PM2.5 pollutants, forecast air quality for the next 72 hours, and provide administrators with alerts when the air quality falls below user-determined standards.

Schools can also look into the IQAir Clean Air Schools program for help in reducing illnesses.

Schools can also look into the IQAir Clean Air Schools program for help in reducing airborne illnesses. Air Quality Experts provide air purification installation services and solutions tailored to the needs of individual schools.

Recommended approaches for COVID-19 school control

Besides source control, ventilation, and air purification, there are many school policies recommended by health experts.

The CDC and the Public Health Agency of Canada encourage several strategies for reducing COVID-19 spread in schools with in-person learning, including (20) (21) (22):

smaller class sizes
a mix of virtual learning and in-person learning, as appropriate to the student
grouping students into small social bubbles, or cohorts
groups of students and their teachers avoiding contact with other groups
providing tissues and touchless trash cans
applying alternating and staggered schedules
objects and food are never shared between students and teachers
everyone in a school must wear a mask and socially distance
providing hand sanitizer, including at lunch checkouts
regular hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes
avoiding any self-serve food or drink options
increasing barriers and dividers at desks, offices, and counters where feasible
any person with COVID-19 symptoms must stay home

Vaccinated teachers and staff should follow additional CDC guidelines, including (23):

wear masks with unvaccinated people and in public places
continue to socially distance with unvaccinated people and in public places
get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms

While everyone should wear masks in schools, some masks help protect better than others. Masks that can be worn include:

scarves and fabric masks: one protective layer that blocks coarse droplets
surgical masks: a single use item with two protective layers
\nKN95 / N95 / FFP2 respirators: several protective layers that help block coarse, fine, and ultrafine droplets

Some masks help protect better than others, such as KN95 / N95 / FFP2 respirators.

Common areas that are shared between groups like playgrounds and cafeterias should be closed when possible. For example, students should eat in classrooms or outdoors rather than in cafeterias. If that’s not an option, common area use must be staggered for groups and all objects in the area should be cleaned and disinfected between group visits.

Classroom layout can be a challenge but is another essential strategy. All seating should be six feet apart whenever possible. Desks or table seating should all face in one direction.

Both virtual learning and in-person teaching classroom restrictions have encouraged some school systems to hire more teachers. In October 2020, Ontario allocated $35 million to hire more teachers for Ottawa, Peel, Toronto, North York, and East York(24).Teachers were hired to support virtual learning and promote physical distancing between students for in-person classes. The province also hired more in-school nurses and custodians to increase cleanings.

National virtual class or in-person class policies

In concert with state, provincial, and federal policy, communities have been deciding for themselves which mix of virtual and in-person education is best for them. There has been no global consensus on when and where to implement virtual or in-person education.

In-person learning benefits

While some governments have expressed that keeping their schools open or reopening them is their priority, it can be a challenge to balance health and safety concerns with the benefits of in-person learning (25).

While closing schools removes a source of COVID-19 risk for faculty, parents, and students, virtual-learning and school closures have negative impacts on children and their communities. There are societal and students benefits to in-person learning, such as (26) (27):

nutritional access
welfare services and preventing violence against children
socialization skill-building
psychological well-being through reduced isolation
allows parents to return to work and avoid additional childcare costs
better ergonomics
best possible learning environment

Additionally, some students with physical or learning disabilities may benefit more from in-person learning strategies than virtual classrooms, especially if a school system’s virtual schools create accessibility issues (28).

The takeaway

There are year-round health concerns in and out of schools for children, from the physical worries like pollution, asthma, and allergies to isolation and learning access difficulties for virtual learners.

COVID-19 presents an additional health challenge on top of these existing issues for unvaccinated students and faculty alike. The long-term efficacy of vaccines, including their effectiveness against newer variants of COVID-19, is still to be determined. Until herd immunity is achieved, additional cautions should still be taken even after vaccination.

When schools reopen or remain open during the COVID-19 epidemic, administrators will need to focus on maintaining source control through masks and social distancing while developing air cleaning strategies to help control pollutants and microorganisms in the environment.

Implementing public health officials’ recommended procedures – controlling the source of infection – can reduce infection risk in schools. Cleaning the air can also help keep students and faculty safe from harmful pollutants and airborne bacteria, viruses, and fungal spores.

","how-schools-can-help-reduce-covid-19-exposure","gid://shopify/Article/606888952107","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/how-schools-can-help-reduce-covid-19-exposure","2022-01-02T20:00:00Z",[390,653],"How schools can help reduce COVID-19 exposure",{"_10":1167,"_243":1168,"_246":1169,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/406415114614","Kids with masks walking to school","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/COVID_SfeSchool_Desktop_a_2edda0f2-c2ee-46c6-bf80-6901a8ddf901.jpg?v=1752056506",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1171,"_1115":1172,"_1131":1173,"_1133":1173,"_1134":1174,"_1136":1175,"_985":1176,"_10":1177,"_1140":1178,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1179,"_577":1180,"_541":1182,"_1147":1183},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"How can you know what air purifier manufacturers to trust? Let's look more critically at air purification.","The home air purifier market has undergone many shifts and starts in its decades-long history as an affordable solution for indoor air quality. Along with those shifts have been seemingly ground breaking advancements in filtration technologies that may seem like the next revolution in air purification. But not all air purifiers safely clean the air. Not all air purifiers safely clean the air. Let's take an evidence-based approach to the industry and separate the fact from the fiction. What should I look for in an air purifier? Before we examine the various air purifiers on the market with a critical eye, it’s essential to have a solid understanding of what does make a good air purifier. 1. HEPA filters are the standard for the industry. What is a HEPA filter? High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters capture airborne particles from moving air using a dense, random arrangement of fibers. HEPA filters use the physics of particles moving through air to yank them out of the air flow. Their operation is simple but extremely effective, and HEPA filters are now standard issue for almost every air purifier on the market. But it wasn’t always that way. Air purifiers have been around for well over a century. The first air purification systems appeared in the 1850s in charcoal-based masks used by coal miners. They were designed to keep toxic dust out of their lungs. The technology was so successful that, less than twenty years later, respirators were added to these types of masks to protect firefighters from breathing in smoke chemicals and pollutants (1). Beginning in the 1940s, the United States Atomic Energy Commission started experimenting with high-efficiency particulate arrestance, better known now as HEPA, as a method of shielding soldiers from atomic radiation on World War II battlefields (2). HEPA filters did nothing to filter radiation particles, but researchers quickly learned that HEPA filters could filter out many harmful pollutants. In 1963, Manfred and Klaus Hammes, the founders of IQAir, introduced the world’s first residential air filter based on HEPA technology, helping reduce indoor pollution as well as chronic asthma symptoms. Not long after, HEPA became so widespread that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) required that all filters sold under the name “HEPA” must filter at least 99.97% of airborne particles down to 0.3 microns (3). Since then, HEPA air purification has become the standard for the air purification industry. HEPA is now thrown around as a generic term for air filters, but HEPA filters continue to filter 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns. The HyperHEPA filter builds upon the HEPA model to create even more efficient filtration systems. Many manufacturers, including IQAir, have built upon the HEPA model to create even more efficient filtration systems. IQAir’s patented HyperHEPAfilter is one such filter. HyperHEPA filters remove 99.5% of particles down to 0.003 microns, which are 100 times smaller than the DOE’s required 0.3-micron particle size. 2. Not all air purifier designs are created equal. All air purifier manufacturers know that their filters need to live up to this HEPA standard. But long-standing, strict guidelines around air filters can provide a false sense of security in HEPA. To advertise an air purifier as HEPA, it only needs to contain HEPA paper, the paper used to construct a HEPA filter. Whether the air purifier’s Total System Efficiency meets HEPA requirements is another story. In fact, most HEPA air purifiers are not tested for total efficiency (4). The hidden factor at work here is leakage. Despite the high efficiency of many HEPA filters, the housing designs of many air purifiers are not airtight. This means that dirty, unfiltered air passes around the HEPA filter through tiny openings, cracks, and space around the frame of the HEPA filter itself or between the frame and the purifier housing (5). So even though many air purifiers claim that their HEPA filters remove nearly 100% of particles from the air that passes through them, they’re only telling part of the story. In some cases, the actual efficiency of the whole air purifier design, with leakage considered, is closer to 80% or less (6). Even though many air purifiers claim that their HEPA filters remove nearly 100% of particles from the air that passes through them, the actual efficiency of the whole air purifier design, with leakage considered, is closer to 80% or less. Some air purifier manufacturers have resolved this issue with designs that are built to minimize or eliminate leakage. IQAir uses patented 3D UltraSeal knife-edge-in-groove sealing between the filter frame and the purifier housing to guarantee the full efficiency of our HyperHEPA filtration media. 3. Concerned about gas and odors? Go beyond HEPA. While HyperHEPA filters are great at getting particles out of the air, they do NOT take gases and odors out of the air. Unlike particles, the molecules that comprise gases, odors, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are not solid and will float through even the densest HyperHEPA filters. That’s where activated carbon filters come in. How do these filters work? It’s simpler than you might think: Chunks of carbon material (like charcoal) are exposed to high concentrations of oxygen. Countless pores open on the carbon surface, increasing the carbon surface area enormously. At this point, a pound of activated carbon can have the same surface area as 100 football fields. Several pounds of activated carbon are arranged in a flat “bed” and packaged in a proprietary filter design (such as IQAir’s V5 Cell gas and odor control filter). Air passes through the activated carbon bed. Gas, chemical, and VOC molecules are adsorbed into the carbon pores, meaning that they chemically bond to the extensive charcoal surface area. Activated carbon adsorption is the go-to method of filtration for gases as well as chemical pollutants from vehicle emissions and combustion processes (7)(8). Activated carbon adsorption is the go-to method of filtration for gases as well as chemical pollutants from vehicle emissions and combustion processes. Some air purifiers are designed to maximize activated carbon in case you’re more concerned about, for example, gases from cooking or odors from pets than about particle pollution in your home. IQAir’s GC MultiGas is built for such a purpose—while carbon filters generally use a few pounds of carbon, the GC MultiGas contains 12 pounds of activated carbon as well as impregnated alumina, providing well over 1200 football fields worth of surface area for gas and VOC molecules to adsorb to. The takeaway Now you know that the elements of a good air purifier are: HyperHEPA media for particle filtration No system leakage due to sealed filter and purifier housing Activated carbon for gas and odor filtration But we're not done yet. Just as important to know is what not to look for in an air purifier. What should I avoid in an air purifier? When considering air purifiers, some people wonder about their effectiveness and even potential risks. Question often arise, such as \"Do air purifiers work?\" or \"Are air purifiers effective?\" The answer is that while some air cleaning methods can remove particles and pollutants from the air, their capabilities are often limited. But it's not just about effectiveness. People also ask, \"Are air purifiers bad for you?\" This concern arises from potential hidden costs to your health. It's important to be aware of inefficiencies and any potential risks associated with the air purifier you're considering before making a purchase. So, if you're in the market for an air purifier, remember to ask yourself whether it will be effective at removing pollutants and particles from the air, and whether it poses any risks to your health. Ionizer air purifiers Ionizers are purported to purify air by sending out negatively charged ions (anions) that attract positively charged pollution particles (cations), causing them to leave the air and stick to surfaces like ceilings, walls, and furniture. Many popular air purifiers use ionization technology, also called negative ionization, as a central component of their operation. Research suggests that ionizers can help stop potentially infectious molds and bacteria from spreading in sterile environments like dental clinics and hospitals (9)(10). But there are two critical downsides to ionization (11)(12): Ionizer air purifiersdon’t get rid of pollutants. Particles charged by negative ions aren’t removed from the air—they merely stick to surfaces nearby. This includes surfaces inside your airways, such as your windpipe and alveoli, the sacs of air in your lungs. Pollutant build-up can cause heart, lung, and other respiratory conditions. Ionizer air purifierscan generate harmful ozone. Ionizers produce ozone (O3) that can build up to dangerous levels indoors. At even low levels, indoor ozone can irritate your airways, trigger asthma attacks, damage your olfactory bulb (the organ that helps your brain process odors), and even be fatal at high concentrations. Indoor ozone can irritate your airways, trigger asthma attacks, damage your olfactory bulb, and even be fatal at high concentrations. Verdict Don't buy an ionizer air purifier.They don’t remove particles from the air, and the ozone they produce can have harmful side effects, even if the purifier claims that they only charge the particles “a little bit.” Ozone Generators It’s worth saying again: ozone is TERRIBLE for you, especially indoor ozone build-up. The health concerns are serious enough that in 2017, California banned the use of ozonehome air purifiers (13). Ozone generators use a process called corona discharge to release ozone molecules into the air. When an ozone molecule intermingles with a particle or gas molecule, an ozone atom clings to the other molecule and blows it up in a process known as oxidation. Oxidation in the atmosphere after a lightning strike is also what makes the air smell so distinct after a thunderstorm. However, ozone generators do little to clean air and are quite bad for you. Here’s just a short (and far from complete) list of reasons why (14)(15)(16)(17)(18): Ozone can take years to fully clear even a small room of gases. Ozone reactions can introduce ultrafine particles (UFPs) into the air.UFPs can get into your lungs and your bloodstream, causing heart disease and even stunting lung development in children. Indoor ozone levels can rise five to ten times above recommended limits,which range from 0.05 to 0.1 parts per million (ppm), because of a lack of ventilation and in combination with outdoor ozone that seeps indoors.To put this in perspective, those who are sensitive to ozone, such as children, people with asthma, and pets, start experiencing health effects at only 0.01 ppm. Even a “safe” ozone generator that emits a small amount of ozone can quickly trigger potentially life-threatening ailments like asthma attacks. Verdict Don’t buy an ozone generator. They’re NOT air purifiers. Not only do they fail to clean your air, they hurt you and the most vulnerable in your home: your children and your pets. UV Light Purifiers Ultraviolet (UV) light is often used to disinfect equipment in hospitals and prevent the spread of harmful strains of bacteria and viruses (19)(20). One of the most common UV purification methods is called ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, or UVGI. In UVGI, intense UV lights are shined on bacteria and viruses, damaging their DNA beyond repair. Bacterial cells and viruses then shut themselves down because they can no longer function. This is called apoptosis, or programmed cell death, which effectively destroys their ability to cause infections (21). But UV air purification isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Here’s why(22) (23) (24) (25) (26): Bacteria and viruses need to be exposed to UV light for a certain amount of timebefore they’re rendered harmless: some strains need to be treated with UV for several hours in direct UV light before they’re destroyed.Home UV air purifiers don’t shine UV light on them long enough to be genuinely useful. Some bacteria can come back to life and become infectious again even after being disinfected by UV light. UV lights do nothing for pollutant particles.Air treated with UV light can still be full of harmful particulate matter, like PM10 and PM2.5. Many UV air purifiers produce ozone. UV light can burn your skin and damage your eyes. Sure, most UV purifiers block the light from shining out of the purifier, but even brief UV exposure can cause permanent skin and eye damage as well as cancer. Air treated with UV light can still be full of harmful particulate matter. Verdict Don’t buy a UV light air purifier. UV light somewhat disinfects but doesn’t purify air, and research shows that UV’s disinfection potential for air may be exaggerated. What do I do now? At this point, you should feel like you have a good sense of what’s fact and what’s fiction when it comes to a truly effective air purification system. So, what should you do now, armed with your knowledge of what makes a good air purifier? You have a multitude of options for maximizing your indoor air quality: Get a HyperHEPA air purifier. Patented HyperHEPA filtration technology removes 99.5% of pollutant particles down to 0.003 microns, the smallest particles in existence. Use advanced gas-phase filtration. Patented V5 Cell gas and odor control filters, used in HealthPro Series air purifiers, eliminateharmful chemicals and compounds with five pounds of activated carbon. The GC MultiGas features 12 pounds of activated carbon and impregnated alumina to help protect you against indoor gases and chemicals, in addition to our powerful HyperHEPA particle filtration. Use a personal air purifier. Atem Series personal air purifiers are equipped with HyperHEPA filtration technology and a PureJet diffuser that instantly blankets you in clean air. They’re sleek, compact, and portable, allowing you to breathe virtually pure air anytime, anywhere. Install a whole-house air purifier. Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system at home uses outdoor air to heat and cool your home, so even with an indoor air purifier, your air still might become polluted by outdoor particulates on days with poor air quality. The PerfectPro Series whole-house air purifier is equipped with the most powerful HyperHEPA filters available for a residential air purification systems. It fits seamlessly into your existing HVAC system, ensuring that air entering your home is always up to the highest possible standard of quality. Still not sure? Read about some of the misconceptions that surround air purification technology. Use our Help Me Choose tool to see what air purifier may work best for your indoor air quality needs. The most capable air purification technology is always backed by evidence-based facts and science. When it comes to choosing the best air purifier, science has got your back.","

The home air purifier market has undergone many shifts and starts in its decades-long history as an affordable solution for indoor air quality. Along with those shifts have been seemingly ground breaking advancements in filtration technologies that may seem like the next revolution in air purification.

But not all air purifiers safely clean the air.

Not all air purifiers safely clean the air.

Let's take an evidence-based approach to the industry and separate the fact from the fiction.

What should I look for in an air purifier?

Before we examine the various air purifiers on the market with a critical eye, it’s essential to have a solid understanding of what does make a good air purifier.

$\"Air$

1. HEPA filters are the standard for the industry.

What is a HEPA filter?

High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters capture airborne particles from moving air using a dense, random arrangement of fibers. HEPA filters use the physics of particles moving through air to yank them out of the air flow. Their operation is simple but extremely effective, and HEPA filters are now standard issue for almost every air purifier on the market.

But it wasn’t always that way.

Air purifiers have been around for well over a century. The first air purification systems appeared in the 1850s in charcoal-based masks used by coal miners. They were designed to keep toxic dust out of their lungs. The technology was so successful that, less than twenty years later, respirators were added to these types of masks to protect firefighters from breathing in smoke chemicals and pollutants (1).

Beginning in the 1940s, the United States Atomic Energy Commission started experimenting with high-efficiency particulate arrestance, better known now as HEPA, as a method of shielding soldiers from atomic radiation on World War II battlefields (2).

HEPA filters did nothing to filter radiation particles, but researchers quickly learned that HEPA filters could filter out many harmful pollutants.

In 1963, Manfred and Klaus Hammes, the founders of IQAir, introduced the world’s first residential air filter based on HEPA technology, helping reduce indoor pollution as well as chronic asthma symptoms. Not long after, HEPA became so widespread that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) required that all filters sold under the name “HEPA” must filter at least 99.97% of airborne particles down to 0.3 microns (3).

Since then, HEPA air purification has become the standard for the air purification industry. HEPA is now thrown around as a generic term for air filters, but HEPA filters continue to filter 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns.

The HyperHEPA filter builds upon the HEPA model to create even more efficient filtration systems.

Many manufacturers, including IQAir, have built upon the HEPA model to create even more efficient filtration systems. IQAir’s patented HyperHEPAfilter is one such filter. HyperHEPA filters remove 99.5% of particles down to 0.003 microns, which are 100 times smaller than the DOE’s required 0.3-micron particle size.

2. Not all air purifier designs are created equal.

All air purifier manufacturers know that their filters need to live up to this HEPA standard. But long-standing, strict guidelines around air filters can provide a false sense of security in HEPA.

To advertise an air purifier as HEPA, it only needs to contain HEPA paper, the paper used to construct a HEPA filter. Whether the air purifier’s Total System Efficiency meets HEPA requirements is another story. In fact, most HEPA air purifiers are not tested for total efficiency (4).

The hidden factor at work here is leakage. Despite the high efficiency of many HEPA filters, the housing designs of many air purifiers are not airtight. This means that dirty, unfiltered air passes around the HEPA filter through tiny openings, cracks, and space around the frame of the HEPA filter itself or between the frame and the purifier housing (5).

So even though many air purifiers claim that their HEPA filters remove nearly 100% of particles from the air that passes through them, they’re only telling part of the story. In some cases, the actual efficiency of the whole air purifier design, with leakage considered, is closer to 80% or less (6).

Even though many air purifiers claim that their HEPA filters remove nearly 100% of particles from the air that passes through them, the actual efficiency of the whole air purifier design, with leakage considered, is closer to 80% or less.

Some air purifier manufacturers have resolved this issue with designs that are built to minimize or eliminate leakage. IQAir uses patented 3D UltraSeal knife-edge-in-groove sealing between the filter frame and the purifier housing to guarantee the full efficiency of our HyperHEPA filtration media.

3. Concerned about gas and odors? Go beyond HEPA.

While HyperHEPA filters are great at getting particles out of the air, they do NOT take gases and odors out of the air.

Unlike particles, the molecules that comprise gases, odors, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are not solid and will float through even the densest HyperHEPA filters. That’s where activated carbon filters come in.

How do these filters work? It’s simpler than you might think:

Chunks of carbon material (like charcoal) are exposed to high concentrations of oxygen.
Countless pores open on the carbon surface, increasing the carbon surface area enormously. At this point, a pound of activated carbon can have the same surface area as 100 football fields.
Several pounds of activated carbon are arranged in a flat “bed” and packaged in a proprietary filter design (such as IQAir’s V5 Cell gas and odor control filter).
Air passes through the activated carbon bed.
Gas, chemical, and VOC molecules are adsorbed into the carbon pores, meaning that they chemically bond to the extensive charcoal surface area.

Activated carbon adsorption is the go-to method of filtration for gases as well as chemical pollutants from vehicle emissions and combustion processes (7)(8).

Activated carbon adsorption is the go-to method of filtration for gases as well as chemical pollutants from vehicle emissions and combustion processes.

Some air purifiers are designed to maximize activated carbon in case you’re more concerned about, for example, gases from cooking or odors from pets than about particle pollution in your home. IQAir’s GC MultiGas is built for such a purpose—while carbon filters generally use a few pounds of carbon, the GC MultiGas contains 12 pounds of activated carbon as well as impregnated alumina, providing well over 1200 football fields worth of surface area for gas and VOC molecules to adsorb to.

The takeaway

Now you know that the elements of a good air purifier are:

\nHyperHEPA media for particle filtration
\nNo system leakage due to sealed filter and purifier housing
\nActivated carbon for gas and odor filtration

But we're not done yet. Just as important to know is what not to look for in an air purifier.

What should I avoid in an air purifier?

When considering air purifiers, some people wonder about their effectiveness and even potential risks. Question often arise, such as \"Do air purifiers work?\" or \"Are air purifiers effective?\" The answer is that while some air cleaning methods can remove particles and pollutants from the air, their capabilities are often limited.

But it's not just about effectiveness. People also ask, \"Are air purifiers bad for you?\" This concern arises from potential hidden costs to your health. It's important to be aware of inefficiencies and any potential risks associated with the air purifier you're considering before making a purchase.

So, if you're in the market for an air purifier, remember to ask yourself whether it will be effective at removing pollutants and particles from the air, and whether it poses any risks to your health.

Ionizer air purifiers

Ionizers are purported to purify air by sending out negatively charged ions (anions) that attract positively charged pollution particles (cations), causing them to leave the air and stick to surfaces like ceilings, walls, and furniture.

Many popular air purifiers use ionization technology, also called negative ionization, as a central component of their operation. Research suggests that ionizers can help stop potentially infectious molds and bacteria from spreading in sterile environments like dental clinics and hospitals (9)(10).

But there are two critical downsides to ionization (11)(12):

\nIonizer air purifiersdon’t get rid of pollutants. Particles charged by negative ions aren’t removed from the air—they merely stick to surfaces nearby. This includes surfaces inside your airways, such as your windpipe and alveoli, the sacs of air in your lungs. Pollutant build-up can cause heart, lung, and other respiratory conditions.
\nIonizer air purifierscan generate harmful ozone. Ionizers produce ozone (O3) that can build up to dangerous levels indoors. At even low levels, indoor ozone can irritate your airways, trigger asthma attacks, damage your olfactory bulb (the organ that helps your brain process odors), and even be fatal at high concentrations. \n

Indoor ozone can irritate your airways, trigger asthma attacks, damage your olfactory bulb, and even be fatal at high concentrations.

Verdict

Don't buy an ionizer air purifier.They don’t remove particles from the air, and the ozone they produce can have harmful side effects, even if the purifier claims that they only charge the particles “a little bit.”

Ozone Generators

It’s worth saying again: ozone is TERRIBLE for you, especially indoor ozone build-up. The health concerns are serious enough that in 2017, California banned the use of ozonehome air purifiers (13).

Ozone generators use a process called corona discharge to release ozone molecules into the air. When an ozone molecule intermingles with a particle or gas molecule, an ozone atom clings to the other molecule and blows it up in a process known as oxidation. Oxidation in the atmosphere after a lightning strike is also what makes the air smell so distinct after a thunderstorm.

However, ozone generators do little to clean air and are quite bad for you. Here’s just a short (and far from complete) list of reasons why (14)(15)(16)(17)(18):

\nOzone can take years to fully clear even a small room of gases.
\nOzone reactions can introduce ultrafine particles (UFPs) into the air.UFPs can get into your lungs and your bloodstream, causing heart disease and even stunting lung development in children.
\nIndoor ozone levels can rise five to ten times above recommended limits,which range from 0.05 to 0.1 parts per million (ppm), because of a lack of ventilation and in combination with outdoor ozone that seeps indoors.To put this in perspective, those who are sensitive to ozone, such as children, people with asthma, and pets, start experiencing health effects at only 0.01 ppm. Even a “safe” ozone generator that emits a small amount of ozone can quickly trigger potentially life-threatening ailments like asthma attacks.

Verdict

Don’t buy an ozone generator. They’re NOT air purifiers. Not only do they fail to clean your air, they hurt you and the most vulnerable in your home: your children and your pets.

UV Light Purifiers

Ultraviolet (UV) light is often used to disinfect equipment in hospitals and prevent the spread of harmful strains of bacteria and viruses (19)(20).

One of the most common UV purification methods is called ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, or UVGI.

In UVGI, intense UV lights are shined on bacteria and viruses, damaging their DNA beyond repair. Bacterial cells and viruses then shut themselves down because they can no longer function. This is called apoptosis, or programmed cell death, which effectively destroys their ability to cause infections (21).

But UV air purification isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Here’s why(22) (23) (24) (25) (26):

\nBacteria and viruses need to be exposed to UV light for a certain amount of timebefore they’re rendered harmless: some strains need to be treated with UV for several hours in direct UV light before they’re destroyed.Home UV air purifiers don’t shine UV light on them long enough to be genuinely useful.
\nSome bacteria can come back to life and become infectious again even after being disinfected by UV light.
\nUV lights do nothing for pollutant particles.Air treated with UV light can still be full of harmful particulate matter, like PM10 and PM2.5.
Many UV air purifiers produce ozone.
\nUV light can burn your skin and damage your eyes. Sure, most UV purifiers block the light from shining out of the purifier, but even brief UV exposure can cause permanent skin and eye damage as well as cancer.

Air treated with UV light can still be full of harmful particulate matter.

Verdict

Don’t buy a UV light air purifier. UV light somewhat disinfects but doesn’t purify air, and research shows that UV’s disinfection potential for air may be exaggerated.

What do I do now?

At this point, you should feel like you have a good sense of what’s fact and what’s fiction when it comes to a truly effective air purification system.

So, what should you do now, armed with your knowledge of what makes a good air purifier? You have a multitude of options for maximizing your indoor air quality:

\nGet a HyperHEPA air purifier. Patented HyperHEPA filtration technology removes 99.5% of pollutant particles down to 0.003 microns, the smallest particles in existence.
\nUse advanced gas-phase filtration.\n
- Patented V5 Cell gas and odor control filters, used in HealthPro Series air purifiers, eliminateharmful chemicals and compounds with five pounds of activated carbon.
- The GC MultiGas features 12 pounds of activated carbon and impregnated alumina to help protect you against indoor gases and chemicals, in addition to our powerful HyperHEPA particle filtration.
\n
\nUse a personal air purifier. Atem Series personal air purifiers are equipped with HyperHEPA filtration technology and a PureJet diffuser that instantly blankets you in clean air. They’re sleek, compact, and portable, allowing you to breathe virtually pure air anytime, anywhere.
\nInstall a whole-house air purifier. Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system at home uses outdoor air to heat and cool your home, so even with an indoor air purifier, your air still might become polluted by outdoor particulates on days with poor air quality. The PerfectPro Series whole-house air purifier is equipped with the most powerful HyperHEPA filters available for a residential air purification systems. It fits seamlessly into your existing HVAC system, ensuring that air entering your home is always up to the highest possible standard of quality.

Still not sure? Read about some of the misconceptions that surround air purification technology. Use our Help Me Choose tool to see what air purifier may work best for your indoor air quality needs.

The most capable air purification technology is always backed by evidence-based facts and science. When it comes to choosing the best air purifier, science has got your back.

","do-air-purifiers-work-air-purifier-myths-and-facts-debunked","gid://shopify/Article/606869193003","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/do-air-purifiers-work-air-purifier-myths-and-facts-debunked","2022-01-02T14:14:32Z",[853,653,1181],"Popular articles","Do air purifiers work? Air purifier myths and facts debunked",{"_10":1184,"_243":1185,"_246":1186,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/408358224246","Close-up of what appears to be a room air purifier with some plants in the background (another indoor air purifying tool that has been shown to be ineffective in improving indoor air quality).","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/AQL_misconceptions-about-air-purifiers_5058ed72-2e8d-4b0f-9570-93510f9f1f89.jpg?v=1758212336",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1188,"_1115":1189,"_1131":1190,"_1133":1190,"_1134":1191,"_1136":1192,"_985":1193,"_10":1194,"_1140":1195,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1196,"_577":1197,"_541":1199,"_1147":1200},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Here are six cleaning myths that can save you 2.5 hours a week when cleaning your home of the 40 pounds of dust that accumulates in your home each year.","A typical six-room home accumulates 40 pounds of dust every year. On average, you spend about 2.5 hours a week cleaning your home. By learning the truth behind these six household cleaning misconceptions, you may save time cleaning and you will be better prepared to make your cleaning efforts more effective. Myth #1 — A mop and broom are the best tools for cleaning. Not necessarily. A high-performance vacuum, used correctly, removes more dirt from hard floors than does a mop or broom. In fact, mops and brooms only push dirt around. What to do: A high-quality vacuum removes dirt from floors and surfaces and captures it in a HEPA filter. As a bonus, vacuuming your hard floors can also cut down on the amount of time it takes to clean them. Myth #2 — Frequent vacuuming will ruin your carpets. Actually, the opposite is true. Regular vacuuming will help protect and extend the life of your carpet. That’s because grit and dust is abrasive and will ruin carpet fibers as the carpet is stepped on. What to do: As a rule of thumb, try to vacuum at least once a week; More is better. Use a high-quality HEPA vacuum cleaner, because low-quality systems simply send dust and dirt back into the air. Myth #3 — Household dust is primarily composed of dead skin cells. This common belief is not necessarily true. Household dust is a mix of dirt, pet dander, fabric fibers, pollen, dust mites and their droppings, and a variety of other ingredients including human skin flakes. About a third of household dust comes from indoor sources. The rest is a mix of outdoor dirt and particles. What to do: Focus on controlling the sources of dust that have the greatest impact. For example, removing shoes just before or upon entering the household will substantially reduce dirt tracked in from outside. Myth #4 — Dust mites are only found in pillows and bedding. False. Dust mites and their droppings can spread throughout the home and trigger allergic reactions or asthma in many people. Hundreds of thousands of them may live in your home’s bedding and pillows. But they also live in carpets, drapery and anywhere else where there is household dust. They thrive wherever they can find their favorite food: dead human skin cells. What to do: Dust mites thrive in humid conditions, so keep the humidity in your home below 50%. Remember that mites and their droppings can spread throughout the house, so consider steam-cleaning carpets throughout the home whenever possible. Myth #5 — Tobacco smoke isn’t a household dust problem. Wrong. Residual nicotine and other toxic chemicals from tobacco smoke settle on room surfaces and, once there, become resistant to normal cleaning. This toxic residue, known as thirdhand smoke, clings to dust, carpets, walls and other surfaces and continues to build up over time. What to do: The best way to fight thirdhand smoke is to never allow smoking indoors. Myth #6 — An air cleaner will help reduce household dust. Not necessarily. It depends on the air cleaner — and many air cleaners (for example, “ionic” air cleaners) don’t remove dust at all. Ionizers electrically charge particles that then stick to walls, TV screens, etc. What to do: Choose a high-performance air cleaner (such as the #1 rated IQAir HealthPro Plus) to dramatically reduce the amount of dust and particles in the air before it settles and becomes surface dust. When it comes to good housekeeping, a clean home is a healthy home. By knowing the truth about these six housekeeping myths you will be better prepared to fight dirt and dust wherever you find it. You may save time cleaning, too. But best of all, the Indoor Air Quality in your home will be substantially improved, and everyone in your home will be healthier year round.","

A typical six-room home accumulates 40 pounds of dust every year. On average, you spend about 2.5 hours a week cleaning your home. By learning the truth behind these six household cleaning misconceptions, you may save time cleaning and you will be better prepared to make your cleaning efforts more effective.

Myth #1 — A mop and broom are the best tools for cleaning.

Not necessarily. A high-performance vacuum, used correctly, removes more dirt from hard floors than does a mop or broom. In fact, mops and brooms only push dirt around.

What to do: A high-quality vacuum removes dirt from floors and surfaces and captures it in a HEPA filter. As a bonus, vacuuming your hard floors can also cut down on the amount of time it takes to clean them.

Myth #2 — Frequent vacuuming will ruin your carpets.

Actually, the opposite is true. Regular vacuuming will help protect and extend the life of your carpet. That’s because grit and dust is abrasive and will ruin carpet fibers as the carpet is stepped on.

What to do: As a rule of thumb, try to vacuum at least once a week; More is better. Use a high-quality HEPA vacuum cleaner, because low-quality systems simply send dust and dirt back into the air.

Myth #3 — Household dust is primarily composed of dead skin cells.

This common belief is not necessarily true. Household dust is a mix of dirt, pet dander, fabric fibers, pollen, dust mites and their droppings, and a variety of other ingredients including human skin flakes.

About a third of household dust comes from indoor sources. The rest is a mix of outdoor dirt and particles.

What to do: Focus on controlling the sources of dust that have the greatest impact. For example, removing shoes just before or upon entering the household will substantially reduce dirt tracked in from outside.

Myth #4 — Dust mites are only found in pillows and bedding.

False. Dust mites and their droppings can spread throughout the home and trigger allergic reactions or asthma in many people. Hundreds of thousands of them may live in your home’s bedding and pillows. But they also live in carpets, drapery and anywhere else where there is household dust. They thrive wherever they can find their favorite food: dead human skin cells.

What to do: Dust mites thrive in humid conditions, so keep the humidity in your home below 50%. Remember that mites and their droppings can spread throughout the house, so consider steam-cleaning carpets throughout the home whenever possible.

Myth #5 — Tobacco smoke isn’t a household dust problem.

Wrong. Residual nicotine and other toxic chemicals from tobacco smoke settle on room surfaces and, once there, become resistant to normal cleaning. This toxic residue, known as thirdhand smoke, clings to dust, carpets, walls and other surfaces and continues to build up over time.

What to do: The best way to fight thirdhand smoke is to never allow smoking indoors.

Myth #6 — An air cleaner will help reduce household dust.

Not necessarily. It depends on the air cleaner — and many air cleaners (for example, “ionic” air cleaners) don’t remove dust at all. Ionizers electrically charge particles that then stick to walls, TV screens, etc.

What to do: Choose a high-performance air cleaner (such as the #1 rated IQAir HealthPro Plus) to dramatically reduce the amount of dust and particles in the air before it settles and becomes surface dust.

When it comes to good housekeeping, a clean home is a healthy home. By knowing the truth about these six housekeeping myths you will be better prepared to fight dirt and dust wherever you find it.

You may save time cleaning, too. But best of all, the Indoor Air Quality in your home will be substantially improved, and everyone in your home will be healthier year round.

","housekeeping-myths-keep-your-home-dirty","gid://shopify/Article/606876729643","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/housekeeping-myths-keep-your-home-dirty","2022-01-01T21:49:51Z",[390,1198,653],"Allergies and Asthma","Housekeeping myths that keep your home dirty",{"_10":1201,"_243":1202,"_246":1203,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/405534998902","Vacuuming a wooden floor","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/39_housekeeping_desktop_75da2a0b-d4a6-4c32-8b87-8357c89f0ec9.jpg?v=1749028123",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1205,"_1115":1206,"_1131":1207,"_1133":1207,"_1134":1208,"_1136":1209,"_985":1210,"_10":1211,"_1140":1212,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1213,"_577":1214,"_541":1215,"_1147":1216},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"There are a number of things however, that should be done to limit our personal pollution output (because they’re fun and easy – and can make a serious difference!). Here’s our top 10 recommendations for lowering your impact.","You may not realize it, but unless you live off the grid, eat your meals raw, wear a loincloth, and walk to work, you’re contributing to air pollution.It’s not your fault – virtually everything we do in modern society puts pollutants in the air, one way or another.There are a number of things you can do to limit your personal pollution output -- they’re not only fun and easy but also can make a serious difference!.Here are our top 10 recommendations for lowering your impact.Use public transportWhether you live in a city or in the countryside, there are numerous methods of traveling from A to B. From cars to taxis, buses to bicycles, Segway’s to scooters, even swimming up or downstream, it can feel sometimes like a jungle out there, with seemingly endless choices for how to get from home to work and back again.1Since transportation is a chief source of global pollution, it’s a good place to start if you are looking to reduce your impact.If your journey to work, like most of us, is too far for walking and too short for flying, seize the opportunity to jump on a bus or subway.Avoid taxisTaxis can be more relaxing than getting squished on the subway during rush hour.But it can be easy to forget that taxi rides are responsible for a whole journey’s worth of emissions – maybe even two, with drivers trawling the streets before and after we enjoy the ride.Luckily - there are many cheaper (and greener) ways to get around.Grab a segway, bicycle, or ponyRemember that guy whizzing past you standing on a Back-to-the-Future-esque, cool-looking wheeled platform without breaking a sweat? That could be you.If inspiring awe (or disdain) on a futuristic commute isn’t your scene, then grab your padded shorts and lycra up for an early cycle. You’ll be beating the traffic with toned, sun-beaten legs before you know it.Alternatively, why not consider broadening your skillset and try riding a pony, if you’re out of inspiration?If you can’t resist the 4-wheeled machines, keep it greenIf you are in the market for a car, new or used, do your research on fuel efficiency.A zero-emissions automobile is ideal, but over the past 10 years, great strides have been made in the development of hybrid vehicles that emit much less than 100% gas-driven cars.2Similarly, consider opening up your vehicle door to friends and set up a carpool. Streamline your cash and pollution, whilst making yourself popular. If you drive every day to work with an empty car, this is for you.Reconnect with your feetOld-fashioned as it may seem, walking from place to place is not only healthy and emission-free, but can also be surprisingly efficient even across a big city.Any activity tracker fiends will attest that some healthy competition goes a long way to make a stroll a more appealing option.Now, think about all the amazing home appliances that make your daily life easier.Most of these likely use electricity, which is largely still produced from unsustainable sources across the world.3Limiting your electricity usage at home (and anywhere else, for that matter) is a super easy, but easily forgotten way to reduce a leading contributor of airborne pollution (energy production) from the source. Here are a few tips to do so.Turn off and unplug unused electronicsElectronic devices can use electricity even when switched off.Try an Appliance Energy Calculator to see just how much your everyday devices might be using up excess energy.4Avoid single-use plastic cups, platesCarry a reusable cup with you for drinks on-the-go.When ordering take-out, kindly ask the restaurant owners to avoid giving unnecessary disposable tableware.Reduce your energy billsIt’s no secret that air conditioners and heaters, even the energy-efficient ones, draw a lot of power.5By using a fan instead of an air conditioner, you will save money on your electric bill while also helping the environment.Turn your heater down and add an extra blanket on your bed. If you must use your A/C, try going up 1°C (or 2°F) in the summer and down 1°C (or 2°F) in the winter.Look for the Recycled logoUsing products that use recycled materials cuts down on the waste produced by buying products with packaging that are produced new.In some cases, the product may be a little more expensive, but the pollution saving down the chain of manufacturing will help the environment.Eat less meatSad though it may be to hear it, meat production is a highly inefficient way to produce food.Per kilogram produced, meat burns through more land, water, and other food, and importantly, produces more polluting emissions than non-meat produce such as grains, fruit, or veggies.6But fear not: no-one’s asking you to go complete cold turkey in order to improve the air.Simply cutting down with a meat-free meal or two per week can have a significant impact on your food footprint.Encourage friends to reduce their footprint as wellYour friends and family are all affected by poor air quality. Talk to them about it!Every friend you convince to reduce their footprint multiplies your personal impact and helps you to bathe in planetary good karma as well as cleaner air.We may all feel like a cog in the machine contributing to the global air pollution problem but we can still make a difference in reducing our footprint.See what’s polluting your home and neighborhood with the AirVisual Series air quality monitor.","

You may not realize it, but unless you live off the grid, eat your meals raw, wear a loincloth, and walk to work, you’re contributing to air pollution.

It’s not your fault – virtually everything we do in modern society puts pollutants in the air, one way or another.

There are a number of things you can do to limit your personal pollution output -- they’re not only fun and easy but also can make a serious difference!.

Here are our top 10 recommendations for lowering your impact.

Use public transport

Whether you live in a city or in the countryside, there are numerous methods of traveling from A to B. From cars to taxis, buses to bicycles, Segway’s to scooters, even swimming up or downstream, it can feel sometimes like a jungle out there, with seemingly endless choices for how to get from home to work and back again.¹

Since transportation is a chief source of global pollution, it’s a good place to start if you are looking to reduce your impact.

If your journey to work, like most of us, is too far for walking and too short for flying, seize the opportunity to jump on a bus or subway.

Avoid taxis

Taxis can be more relaxing than getting squished on the subway during rush hour.

But it can be easy to forget that taxi rides are responsible for a whole journey’s worth of emissions – maybe even two, with drivers trawling the streets before and after we enjoy the ride.

Luckily - there are many cheaper (and greener) ways to get around.

Grab a segway, bicycle, or pony

Remember that guy whizzing past you standing on a Back-to-the-Future-esque, cool-looking wheeled platform without breaking a sweat? That could be you.

If inspiring awe (or disdain) on a futuristic commute isn’t your scene, then grab your padded shorts and lycra up for an early cycle. You’ll be beating the traffic with toned, sun-beaten legs before you know it.

Alternatively, why not consider broadening your skillset and try riding a pony, if you’re out of inspiration?

If you can’t resist the 4-wheeled machines, keep it green

If you are in the market for a car, new or used, do your research on fuel efficiency.

A zero-emissions automobile is ideal, but over the past 10 years, great strides have been made in the development of hybrid vehicles that emit much less than 100% gas-driven cars.²

Similarly, consider opening up your vehicle door to friends and set up a carpool. Streamline your cash and pollution, whilst making yourself popular. If you drive every day to work with an empty car, this is for you.

Reconnect with your feet

Old-fashioned as it may seem, walking from place to place is not only healthy and emission-free, but can also be surprisingly efficient even across a big city.

Any activity tracker fiends will attest that some healthy competition goes a long way to make a stroll a more appealing option.

Now, think about all the amazing home appliances that make your daily life easier.

Most of these likely use electricity, which is largely still produced from unsustainable sources across the world.³

Limiting your electricity usage at home (and anywhere else, for that matter) is a super easy, but easily forgotten way to reduce a leading contributor of airborne pollution (energy production) from the source. Here are a few tips to do so.

Turn off and unplug unused electronics

Electronic devices can use electricity even when switched off.

Try an Appliance Energy Calculator to see just how much your everyday devices might be using up excess energy.⁴

Avoid single-use plastic cups, plates

Carry a reusable cup with you for drinks on-the-go.

When ordering take-out, kindly ask the restaurant owners to avoid giving unnecessary disposable tableware.

Reduce your energy bills

It’s no secret that air conditioners and heaters, even the energy-efficient ones, draw a lot of power.⁵

By using a fan instead of an air conditioner, you will save money on your electric bill while also helping the environment.

Turn your heater down and add an extra blanket on your bed. If you must use your A/C, try going up 1°C (or 2°F) in the summer and down 1°C (or 2°F) in the winter.

Look for the Recycled logo

Using products that use recycled materials cuts down on the waste produced by buying products with packaging that are produced new.

In some cases, the product may be a little more expensive, but the pollution saving down the chain of manufacturing will help the environment.

Eat less meat

Sad though it may be to hear it, meat production is a highly inefficient way to produce food.

Per kilogram produced, meat burns through more land, water, and other food, and importantly, produces more polluting emissions than non-meat produce such as grains, fruit, or veggies.⁶

But fear not: no-one’s asking you to go complete cold turkey in order to improve the air.

Simply cutting down with a meat-free meal or two per week can have a significant impact on your food footprint.

Encourage friends to reduce their footprint as well

Your friends and family are all affected by poor air quality. Talk to them about it!

Every friend you convince to reduce their footprint multiplies your personal impact and helps you to bathe in planetary good karma as well as cleaner air.

We may all feel like a cog in the machine contributing to the global air pollution problem but we can still make a difference in reducing our footprint.

See what’s polluting your home and neighborhood with the AirVisual Series air quality monitor.

","how-can-i-make-a-difference-reducing-air-pollution-here-s-10-ways","gid://shopify/Article/606885347627","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/how-can-i-make-a-difference-reducing-air-pollution-here-s-10-ways","2022-01-01T18:24:39Z",[390,653],"How can I make a difference reducing air pollution? Here’s 10 ways!",{"_10":1217,"_243":1218,"_246":1219,"_248":1220,"_244":1221},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/406026027382","Blue, polluted-free skies.","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/20180815bluesky_d4ae21e5-01ef-4e1b-8daf-b79669922c33.jpg?v=1750680538",1024,757,{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1223,"_1115":1224,"_1131":1225,"_1133":1225,"_1134":1226,"_1136":1227,"_985":1228,"_10":1229,"_1140":1230,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1231,"_577":1232,"_541":1233,"_1147":1234},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Scientists now believe that traffic-related air pollution is a cause, not just a trigger, of asthma.","A growing number of scientists now believe that traffic-related air pollution is a cause, not just a trigger, of asthma. Research confirms that traffic pollution plays a role in the development of asthma that goes beyond just triggering symptoms. Research confirms that traffic pollution plays a role in the development of asthma that goes beyond just triggering symptoms. This is a huge breakthrough in the understanding of what asthma is and how it can develop, even in those who aren’t predisposed to the condition. While many factors are involved in a person’s development of asthma, traffic pollution is perhaps one of the most alarming. But now, with recent advancements in portable air purification, it's also one of the most avoidable. What is asthma? Asthma is a chronic lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways in the lungs, according to the National Institutes of Health.1 The most common recurring symptoms include: Wheezing. This is a whistling or squeaky sound that occurs during breathing. Chest tightness. This often feels like someone is sitting on your chest or squeezing your rib cage. Shortness of breath. Some people with asthma say they feel out of breath or can’t get the air out of their lungs. Coughing. Asthma-related coughing is typically worse at night or early in the morning. Episodes of these symptoms are known as asthma attacks. During the attack, the sides of the airways in the lungs swell and the airways shrink. An asthma attack often occurs when someone with asthma is exposed to asthma triggers. Some common triggers are: tobacco smoke dust mites cockroach allergens pets mold smoke air pollution, especially ultra fine particles in vehicle emissions What is the exact cause of asthma? Many triggers of asthma attacks are known, but the exact cause of the disorder itself isn’t known, according to the Mayo Clinic.2 Interaction between genetic and environmental factors is believed to be at work. Traffic pollution may cause asthma Several studies released in the last two decades overwhelmingly suggest the role of common traffic pollutants in the development and worsening of asthma: In 2000, researchers at the University of California, Davis, found that monkeys exposed to ozone developed asthma after only a few months of exposure.3 Ozone is a central component of traffic-related pollution. Researchers at the University of Southern California found in 2012 that at least 8% of cases of childhood asthma in Los Angeles County were attributable to traffic-related pollution.4 A 2012 study of two heavily polluted California cities, Riverside and Long Beach, found that a conservative estimate of the total medical costs incurred by asthma symptoms was about $18,000,000 a year.5 In 2013, the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute reported in the European Respiratory Journal that 14% of asthma cases they studied were attributable to traffic-related pollution. According to the Institute, traffic pollution is statistically comparable to secondhand smoke as a cause of asthma.6 Middle-aged adults in Tasmania living less than 200 meters from a major road were found to have an increased risk of developing persistent asthma, according to a 2018 study published in Environment International.7 2019 study results published in the International Journal of Transportation Science and Technology suggest that between 7% and 12% of annual childhood asthma cases in Bradford, United Kingdom were directly connected to traffic-related air pollution.8 Several studies released in the last two decades overwhelmingly suggest the role of common traffic pollutants in the development of asthma. Reducing exposure to traffic pollution Exposure to traffic pollution is largely a result of where a person lives, works, or goes to school. Generally, concentrations of airborne pollutants are elevated within 500 feet of a busy roadway. Prevailing winds and other factors can significantly affect where pollutant levels are highest. And outdoor traffic pollutants aren’t the only culprit of car-related pollutant exposure. According to 2012 findings by Ecology Center, over 275 different types of pollutants can be present in a car at any given time.9This cocktail of toxic pollutants includes a mixture of outdoor traffic pollution and both chemicals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) off-gassed from steering wheels, dashboard, and armrests, sometimes at nearly twice the level considered dangerous by the World Health Organization.10 Here’s what you can do to help protect yourself from the effects of traffic pollution at home, at school, at work, and on the road in the thick of vehicle pollution. At Home Some communities have developed recommendations for new construction near busy roads. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 15 member countries have policies established to keep schools a distance from major roadways.11 Health authorities in Quebec recommend schools be built at least 500 feet (150 meters) away from busy roads.12 The Air Resources Board (California) recommends that new housing should be sited at least 500 feet from major roadways.13 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggests screening for high-traffic roads and highways within a half mile of a prospective school building.14 Those who live near a busy roadway should close windows and doors during peak traffic hours. Those who live near a busy roadway should close windows and doors during peak traffic hours. Also, consider a high-performance air purifier to remove particulates and other pollutants from the indoor air. At School High-performance air filtration can be installed in classrooms and in central HVAC systems in schools. A few states have instituted policies indicating how close a school can be built to major highways or other significant pollution sources: California: New school sites must be located at least 500 feet from the edge of a freeway or busy traffic corridor15 Florida: Site must not adjoin a through highway, if practicable16 Georgia: Risk/hazard analysis required if a site is within 3 miles of a major highway17 A high-performance, ultra-quiet, commercial-grade air purifier is designed to remove particulate matter from classrooms at a high rate, delivering up to 600 cubic feet per minute (CFM) while operating at an extremely low noise level. Call (866) 500-4090 to talk to aSolutions Engineer about custom solutions for school air quality issues. At Work Air pollution from traffic and other sources can be controlled in the workplace through ventilation, source control, and air filtration. Those who work in buildings with poor or unpredictable indoor air quality should consider purchasing a high-performance personal air purifier for their work areas. Those who work in buildings with poor or unpredictable indoor air quality should consider purchasing a high-performance personal air purifier for their work areas. In Your Car Driving on congested roadways exposes drivers to a plethora of both particulate and chemical pollutants at extremely high levels and for long periods of time. Commuters should purchase a high-performance car air purifier to constantly recirculate fresh air in their vehicles. Commuters should consider purchasing a high-performance car air purifier to constantly recirculate fresh air throughout the vehicle. Commuters should avoid dangerous ionizers (which can actually make asthma or other respiratory symptoms worse) or ineffective portable air purifiers with little filtration surface area to capture airborne particles and no media to capture chemicals or VOCs.18,19 The takeaway Air pollution from traffic is a health risk that will not go away anytime soon. Take precautions anywhere you or your loved ones are exposed, including home, work, school, and in your own vehicle. You may not be able to control air pollution from traffic, but you can control the indoor air you breathe. This includes the air in your car, where you’re most at risk of exposure to dangerous traffic and vehicle pollutants.","

A growing number of scientists now believe that traffic-related air pollution is a cause, not just a trigger, of asthma. Research confirms that traffic pollution plays a role in the development of asthma that goes beyond just triggering symptoms.

Research confirms that traffic pollution plays a role in the development of asthma that goes beyond just triggering symptoms.

This is a huge breakthrough in the understanding of what asthma is and how it can develop, even in those who aren’t predisposed to the condition. While many factors are involved in a person’s development of asthma, traffic pollution is perhaps one of the most alarming. But now, with recent advancements in portable air purification, it's also one of the most avoidable.

What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways in the lungs, according to the National Institutes of Health.¹ The most common recurring symptoms include:

\nWheezing. This is a whistling or squeaky sound that occurs during breathing.
\nChest tightness. This often feels like someone is sitting on your chest or squeezing your rib cage.
\nShortness of breath. Some people with asthma say they feel out of breath or can’t get the air out of their lungs.
\nCoughing. Asthma-related coughing is typically worse at night or early in the morning.

Episodes of these symptoms are known as asthma attacks. During the attack, the sides of the airways in the lungs swell and the airways shrink. An asthma attack often occurs when someone with asthma is exposed to asthma triggers. Some common triggers are:

tobacco smoke
dust mites
cockroach allergens
pets
mold
smoke
air pollution, especially ultra fine particles in vehicle emissions

What is the exact cause of asthma?

Many triggers of asthma attacks are known, but the exact cause of the disorder itself isn’t known, according to the Mayo Clinic.² Interaction between genetic and environmental factors is believed to be at work.

Traffic pollution may cause asthma

Several studies released in the last two decades overwhelmingly suggest the role of common traffic pollutants in the development and worsening of asthma:

In 2000, researchers at the University of California, Davis, found that monkeys exposed to ozone developed asthma after only a few months of exposure.³ Ozone is a central component of traffic-related pollution.
Researchers at the University of Southern California found in 2012 that at least 8% of cases of childhood asthma in Los Angeles County were attributable to traffic-related pollution.⁴\n
A 2012 study of two heavily polluted California cities, Riverside and Long Beach, found that a conservative estimate of the total medical costs incurred by asthma symptoms was about $18,000,000 a year.⁵\n
In 2013, the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute reported in the European Respiratory Journal that 14% of asthma cases they studied were attributable to traffic-related pollution. According to the Institute, traffic pollution is statistically comparable to secondhand smoke as a cause of asthma.⁶\n
Middle-aged adults in Tasmania living less than 200 meters from a major road were found to have an increased risk of developing persistent asthma, according to a 2018 study published in Environment International.⁷\n
2019 study results published in the International Journal of Transportation Science and Technology suggest that between 7% and 12% of annual childhood asthma cases in Bradford, United Kingdom were directly connected to traffic-related air pollution.⁸\n

Several studies released in the last two decades overwhelmingly suggest the role of common traffic pollutants in the development of asthma.

Reducing exposure to traffic pollution

Exposure to traffic pollution is largely a result of where a person lives, works, or goes to school. Generally, concentrations of airborne pollutants are elevated within 500 feet of a busy roadway. Prevailing winds and other factors can significantly affect where pollutant levels are highest.

And outdoor traffic pollutants aren’t the only culprit of car-related pollutant exposure. According to 2012 findings by Ecology Center, over 275 different types of pollutants can be present in a car at any given time.9This cocktail of toxic pollutants includes a mixture of outdoor traffic pollution and both chemicals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) off-gassed from steering wheels, dashboard, and armrests, sometimes at nearly twice the level considered dangerous by the World Health Organization.¹⁰

Here’s what you can do to help protect yourself from the effects of traffic pollution at home, at school, at work, and on the road in the thick of vehicle pollution.

At Home

Some communities have developed recommendations for new construction near busy roads.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 15 member countries have policies established to keep schools a distance from major roadways.¹¹\n
Health authorities in Quebec recommend schools be built at least 500 feet (150 meters) away from busy roads.¹²\n
The Air Resources Board (California) recommends that new housing should be sited at least 500 feet from major roadways.¹³\n
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggests screening for high-traffic roads and highways within a half mile of a prospective school building.¹⁴\n

Those who live near a busy roadway should close windows and doors during peak traffic hours.

Those who live near a busy roadway should close windows and doors during peak traffic hours.

Also, consider a high-performance air purifier to remove particulates and other pollutants from the indoor air.

At School

High-performance air filtration can be installed in classrooms and in central HVAC systems in schools. A few states have instituted policies indicating how close a school can be built to major highways or other significant pollution sources:

\nCalifornia: New school sites must be located at least 500 feet from the edge of a freeway or busy traffic corridor¹⁵\n
\nFlorida: Site must not adjoin a through highway, if practicable¹⁶\n
\nGeorgia: Risk/hazard analysis required if a site is within 3 miles of a major highway¹⁷\n

A high-performance, ultra-quiet, commercial-grade air purifier is designed to remove particulate matter from classrooms at a high rate, delivering up to 600 cubic feet per minute (CFM) while operating at an extremely low noise level. Call (866) 500-4090 to talk to aSolutions Engineer about custom solutions for school air quality issues.

At Work

Air pollution from traffic and other sources can be controlled in the workplace through ventilation, source control, and air filtration.

Those who work in buildings with poor or unpredictable indoor air quality should consider purchasing a high-performance personal air purifier for their work areas.

Those who work in buildings with poor or unpredictable indoor air quality should consider purchasing a high-performance personal air purifier for their work areas.

In Your Car

Driving on congested roadways exposes drivers to a plethora of both particulate and chemical pollutants at extremely high levels and for long periods of time.

Commuters should purchase a high-performance car air purifier to constantly recirculate fresh air in their vehicles.

Commuters should consider purchasing a high-performance car air purifier to constantly recirculate fresh air throughout the vehicle. Commuters should avoid dangerous ionizers (which can actually make asthma or other respiratory symptoms worse) or ineffective portable air purifiers with little filtration surface area to capture airborne particles and no media to capture chemicals or VOCs.^18,19

The takeaway

Air pollution from traffic is a health risk that will not go away anytime soon. Take precautions anywhere you or your loved ones are exposed, including home, work, school, and in your own vehicle.

You may not be able to control air pollution from traffic, but you can control the indoor air you breathe. This includes the air in your car, where you’re most at risk of exposure to dangerous traffic and vehicle pollutants.

","does-traffic-pollution-cause-asthma","gid://shopify/Article/606883316011","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/does-traffic-pollution-cause-asthma","2022-01-01T15:45:43Z",[390,1198,653],"Does car pollution cause asthma?",{"_10":1235,"_243":1236,"_246":1237,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/406054306166","Kid coughing in the back seat of a car","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/Car-pollution-causes-asthma_A_1cc83e0f-9850-4af2-8e1d-a45bbc8758df.jpg?v=1750764599",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1239,"_1115":1240,"_1131":1241,"_1133":1241,"_1134":1242,"_1136":1243,"_985":1244,"_10":1245,"_1140":1246,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1247,"_577":1248,"_541":1249,"_1147":1250},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"The WHO has revised its air quality guidelines for the first time in 15 years. See what’s changed.","The World Health Organization (WHO) released revised air quality guidelines on September 22, 2021, the first major update to the standards in 15 years.1The revised recommendations, produced from evidence-based data and information and a growing awareness that no amount of air pollution is safe for human beings, resulted in nearly all pollutant standards being strengthened in comparison to the air quality guidelines established in 2005 (published in 2006).2 If target levels of pollution are implemented by governments, these new guidelines will save lives by reducing preventable airborne pollutant deaths.If target levels of pollution are implemented by governments, the WHO’s new air quality guidelines will save lives by reducing preventable airborne pollutant deaths.The WHO noted that updating the newly updated air quality guideline (AQG) levels was motivated by a desire to save lives. The guidelines are intended to spur greater global reductions in pollution emissions.Some of the updated key air pollutants also contribute to human-induced climate change, which can create conditions for deadlier wildfires. Wildfire can, in turn, result in greater exposure to airborne pollutants.Revisions improve key pollutant air quality standardsAll key pollutants listed in the 2005 guidelines were reviewed and revised.Key pollutant guidelines that were revised included: PM2.5 PM10 ozone nitrogen dioxide sulfur dioxide carbon monoxide Each pollutant received a recommended AQG level based on an average time, typically annually or over a 24-hour period. While nearly all of the recommended levels were strengthened, a few air quality guidelines from the 2005 update and later 2010 indoor air quality guidelines weren’t re-evaluated or revised.3Here’s a pollutant-by-pollutant look at the guideline changes.Particulate matterAirborne particulate matter (PM) is found in dust, soot, dirt, and smoke. Power plant combustion, vehicle combustion, and wildfires are major sources of PM.Pictured: Air quality index measurements displayed across the globe provide a visual representation of toxic airborne pollutants. Source: IQAirGuidelines for coarse and fine particulate matter, PM10 and PM2.5 respectively, were updated for annual and 24-hour averaging times. PM2.5 are particulates measuring 2.5 micrometers (µm) in diameter or less. PM10 are larger, measuring 10 micrometers in diameter or less.In 2005, the highest recommended average annual emission level for PM2.5 was 10 μg/m3. The 2021 revision halves that number, to just 5 μg/m3. The 24-hour level changed from 25 μg/m3 in 2005 to 15 μg/m3.The recommended average annual emission level for PM10 was 20 μg/m3 in 2005. The level for 2021 shifted to 15 μg/m3. The 24-hour level was updated from 50 μg/m3 in 2005 to 45 μg/m3.The WHO determined that there was not enough data to provide guidelines for other types of PM, including black carbon and elemental carbon, sand and dust storm particles, and ultrafine particles (UFPs) – aerosolized particles measuring as little as little as 0.1 micrometers in diameter or less. But the organization did create a set of best practices for managing those pollutants while recommending further study into their individual risks and mitigation methods. OzoneTropospheric ozone, or ground-level ozone, is both a pollutant and a greenhouse gas. It’s created by the interaction of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Tropospheric ozone is the primary ingredient in smog.The WHO established a recommended AQG level of 60 μg/m3 during “peak season.” The standard is new for 2021. Peak season refers to the six consecutive months with the highest running-average of ozone concentration. Within that timeframe, mean ozone concentrations are averaged over a daily maximum of 8-hours.Nitrogen dioxideMost nitrogen dioxide in the environment comes from burning fuel in vehicles and power plants. Nitrogen dioxide is a component in forming tropospheric ozone.WHO guidelines were sharply revised from 40 to just 10 μg/m3 on average annually. A new standard level of 25 μg/m3 on average per 24-hour period was also recommended.Nitrogen dioxide guidelines of 200 μg/m3 on average per hour are still valid.Sulfur dioxideNearly all sulfur dioxide emissions come from human activity and industrial activity.The WHO’s sulfur dioxide recommendations were to raise the level from 20 μg/m3 to 40 μg/m3 in a 24-hour period – the only pollutant level to ease in 2021.Sulfur dioxide guidelines of 500 μg/m3 on average for a 10-minute interval weren’t re-evaluated and remain the recommendation.Carbon monoxideCarbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas caused by incomplete combustion. The gas is poisonous; carbon monoxide poisoning can kill people.The recommended level of 4 mg/m3 averaged over a 24-hour period is new to the 2021 guidelines.Several previous carbon monoxide standards weren’t changed, including those for an 8-hour, 1-hour, and 15-minute interval (10, 35, and 100 mg/m3 respectively).Policy implicationsThe WHO air quality guidelines aren’t a legally binding standard or document. However, countries and legislative bodies regularly refer to the WHO guidelines when setting airborne pollutant control legal policy.The new air quality guidelines were determined by six systematic reviews that took over 500 papers into account.The new air quality standards will challenge governments to do much more to protect the health of their citizens.The new air quality standards will challenge governments to do much more to protect the health of their citizens. According to the 2020 World Air Quality Report, half of European cities exceeded the WHO’s target – the old, 2005 target of 10 μg/m3 – for annual PM2.5 pollution. 38 percent of U.S. cities failed to meet the air quality guidelines, and Chinese citizens faced PM2.5 exposure at three times the target recommendation.Health implicationsAir pollution, even at low concentrations, is one of the leading environmental threats to human health.PM2.5 causes as many as 7 million preventable deaths every year. The WHO projects that if the world were able to meet these new guidelines, approximately 80 percent of PM2.5-related preventable deaths could be avoided.4Nearly 80 percent of PM2.5-related preventable deaths could be avoided if the world met the new guidelines.While all pollutants pose a health threat to human beings, PM2.5 and ultrafine particles are the most dangerous. Due to their tiny size, once inhaled they can embed in the lungs, enter the bloodstream, and harm every organ.Common health problems and diseases caused by PM2.5 and UFPs include:5,6 heart and lung disease bronchitis emphysema asthma and more intense flareups early death The takeawayThe strengthened air quality guidelines are intended to curb preventable deaths. Acting on the recommendations is an urgent next step in reducing disease associated with airborne pollutants.While it’s important that policymakers quickly step up to meet or improve on the revised target levels, individuals and organizations can also act to help clean the air.To help reduce air pollutant dangers, individuals can take several steps, including: look for ways to reduce pollutant emissions, including burning less fuel telecommute, carpool, vanpool, bicycle, or walk when possible eat lower on the food chain; choose vegetables and plants over meat a day or more during the week monitor your air quality and share air quality data as a public station run a high-efficiency home air purifier or clean the air in your personal space Organizations can help too. Learn how to become a clean air facility or clean air school.","

The World Health Organization (WHO) released revised air quality guidelines on September 22, 2021, the first major update to the standards in 15 years.¹

The revised recommendations, produced from evidence-based data and information and a growing awareness that no amount of air pollution is safe for human beings, resulted in nearly all pollutant standards being strengthened in comparison to the air quality guidelines established in 2005 (published in 2006).² If target levels of pollution are implemented by governments, these new guidelines will save lives by reducing preventable airborne pollutant deaths.

If target levels of pollution are implemented by governments, the WHO’s new air quality guidelines will save lives by reducing preventable airborne pollutant deaths.

$\"Greenpeace$

The WHO noted that updating the newly updated air quality guideline (AQG) levels was motivated by a desire to save lives. The guidelines are intended to spur greater global reductions in pollution emissions.

Some of the updated key air pollutants also contribute to human-induced climate change, which can create conditions for deadlier wildfires. Wildfire can, in turn, result in greater exposure to airborne pollutants.

Revisions improve key pollutant air quality standards

All key pollutants listed in the 2005 guidelines were reviewed and revised.

Key pollutant guidelines that were revised included:

PM2.5
PM10
ozone
nitrogen dioxide
sulfur dioxide
carbon monoxide

Each pollutant received a recommended AQG level based on an average time, typically annually or over a 24-hour period. While nearly all of the recommended levels were strengthened, a few air quality guidelines from the 2005 update and later 2010 indoor air quality guidelines weren’t re-evaluated or revised.³

Here’s a pollutant-by-pollutant look at the guideline changes.

Particulate matter

Airborne particulate matter (PM) is found in dust, soot, dirt, and smoke. Power plant combustion, vehicle combustion, and wildfires are major sources of PM.

$\"global$

Pictured: Air quality index measurements displayed across the globe provide a visual representation of toxic airborne pollutants. Source: IQAir

Guidelines for coarse and fine particulate matter, PM10 and PM2.5 respectively, were updated for annual and 24-hour averaging times. PM2.5 are particulates measuring 2.5 micrometers (µm) in diameter or less. PM10 are larger, measuring 10 micrometers in diameter or less.

In 2005, the highest recommended average annual emission level for PM2.5 was 10 μg/m³. The 2021 revision halves that number, to just 5 μg/m³. The 24-hour level changed from 25 μg/m³ in 2005 to 15 μg/m³.

The recommended average annual emission level for PM10 was 20 μg/m³ in 2005. The level for 2021 shifted to 15 μg/m³. The 24-hour level was updated from 50 μg/m³ in 2005 to 45 μg/m³.

The WHO determined that there was not enough data to provide guidelines for other types of PM, including black carbon and elemental carbon, sand and dust storm particles, and ultrafine particles (UFPs) – aerosolized particles measuring as little as little as 0.1 micrometers in diameter or less. But the organization did create a set of best practices for managing those pollutants while recommending further study into their individual risks and mitigation methods.

Ozone

Tropospheric ozone, or ground-level ozone, is both a pollutant and a greenhouse gas. It’s created by the interaction of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Tropospheric ozone is the primary ingredient in smog.

The WHO established a recommended AQG level of 60 μg/m³ during “peak season.” The standard is new for 2021. Peak season refers to the six consecutive months with the highest running-average of ozone concentration. Within that timeframe, mean ozone concentrations are averaged over a daily maximum of 8-hours.

Nitrogen dioxide

Most nitrogen dioxide in the environment comes from burning fuel in vehicles and power plants. Nitrogen dioxide is a component in forming tropospheric ozone.

WHO guidelines were sharply revised from 40 to just 10 μg/m³ on average annually. A new standard level of 25 μg/m³ on average per 24-hour period was also recommended.

Nitrogen dioxide guidelines of 200 μg/m³ on average per hour are still valid.

Sulfur dioxide

Nearly all sulfur dioxide emissions come from human activity and industrial activity.

The WHO’s sulfur dioxide recommendations were to raise the level from 20 μg/m³ to 40 μg/m³ in a 24-hour period – the only pollutant level to ease in 2021.

Sulfur dioxide guidelines of 500 μg/m³ on average for a 10-minute interval weren’t re-evaluated and remain the recommendation.

Carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas caused by incomplete combustion. The gas is poisonous; carbon monoxide poisoning can kill people.

The recommended level of 4 mg/m³ averaged over a 24-hour period is new to the 2021 guidelines.

Several previous carbon monoxide standards weren’t changed, including those for an 8-hour, 1-hour, and 15-minute interval (10, 35, and 100 mg/m³ respectively).

Policy implications

The WHO air quality guidelines aren’t a legally binding standard or document. However, countries and legislative bodies regularly refer to the WHO guidelines when setting airborne pollutant control legal policy.

The new air quality guidelines were determined by six systematic reviews that took over 500 papers into account.

The new air quality standards will challenge governments to do much more to protect the health of their citizens.

The new air quality standards will challenge governments to do much more to protect the health of their citizens. According to the 2020 World Air Quality Report, half of European cities exceeded the WHO’s target – the old, 2005 target of 10 μg/m³ – for annual PM2.5 pollution. 38 percent of U.S. cities failed to meet the air quality guidelines, and Chinese citizens faced PM2.5 exposure at three times the target recommendation.

Health implications

Air pollution, even at low concentrations, is one of the leading environmental threats to human health.

PM2.5 causes as many as 7 million preventable deaths every year. The WHO projects that if the world were able to meet these new guidelines, approximately 80 percent of PM2.5-related preventable deaths could be avoided.⁴

Nearly 80 percent of PM2.5-related preventable deaths could be avoided if the world met the new guidelines.

While all pollutants pose a health threat to human beings, PM2.5 and ultrafine particles are the most dangerous. Due to their tiny size, once inhaled they can embed in the lungs, enter the bloodstream, and harm every organ.

Common health problems and diseases caused by PM2.5 and UFPs include:^5,6

heart and lung disease
bronchitis
emphysema
asthma and more intense flareups
early death

The takeaway

The strengthened air quality guidelines are intended to curb preventable deaths. Acting on the recommendations is an urgent next step in reducing disease associated with airborne pollutants.

While it’s important that policymakers quickly step up to meet or improve on the revised target levels, individuals and organizations can also act to help clean the air.

To help reduce air pollutant dangers, individuals can take several steps, including:

look for ways to reduce pollutant emissions, including burning less fuel
telecommute, carpool, vanpool, bicycle, or walk when possible
eat lower on the food chain; choose vegetables and plants over meat a day or more during the week
\nmonitor your air quality and share air quality data as a public station
run a high-efficiency home air purifier or clean the air in your personal space\n

Organizations can help too. Learn how to become a clean air facility or clean air school.

","2021-who-air-quality-guidelines","gid://shopify/Article/606889410859","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/2021-who-air-quality-guidelines","2021-12-31T20:00:00Z",[390,638,653],"New WHO air quality guidelines will save lives",{"_10":1251,"_243":1252,"_246":1253,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/406216573302","motorcyclist driving in smog","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/GreenpeacePollutionStandard_Desktop_C_856cfc91-06c3-47e7-89bf-94cde8f0e1ff.jpg?v=1751360167",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1255,"_1115":1256,"_1131":1257,"_1133":1257,"_1134":1258,"_1136":1259,"_985":1260,"_10":1261,"_1140":1262,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1263,"_577":1264,"_541":1265,"_1147":1266},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"A recent study estimated that air pollution was the major cause of 24% of deaths from coronary heart disease. Learn more.","Instinctively we know that exposure to high levels of air pollution can harm a person’s respiratory system. But there is research that air pollution increases cardiovascular problems and mortality. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution is the major cause of 24% of deaths from coronary heart disease and 25% of fatalities due to strokes.1 The Environmental Defense Fund lists air pollution as the environmental danger that is most responsible for premature deaths.2 Read on to learn how air pollution impacts heart health and what can be done to manage exposure to dangerous air pollutants. How air pollution affects heart health When inhaled, many of the particles in polluted air are so tiny they can eventually reach the circulatory system, including the heart. Their impact includes a higher risk of irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, heart attacks, and stroke. This is especially true with long-term exposure, but damage to the heart can happen even over the short-term.3 Once pollutants move into the circulatory system, they can cause inflammation, damage blood vessels, and increase arterial calcification. Research has shown that once pollutants move into the circulatory system they can cause inflammation, damage blood vessels and increase arterial calcification – all of which help account for the increased potential for cardiovascular complications.4,5 Dangers of specific pollutants Fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, and ultrafine particles infiltrate deeper into the lungs than other pollutants, which make them one the greatest dangers to heart health.6 PM2.5 are particles that are 2.5 microns or smaller in diameter, while ultrafine particles measure less than 0.1 microns in diameter. The combustion of fossil fuels leads to the creation of volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides such as nitrogen dioxide, and once they react with each other, ozone is formed. Even short-term exposure has been known to cause chest pain. Long-term exposure has been blamed for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Sulfur dioxide has been identified as having a damaging impact on the cardiovascular system. When fossil fuels that contain sulfur are burned, sulfur dioxide (SO2) is released as a byproduct. SO2 has been identified as having a damaging impact on the cardiovascular system. Another air pollutant that adds to an increased risk of heart disease is black carbon. Sources of black carbon emissions include: combustion engines (especially diesel) fireplaces and wood stoves coal and heavy oil heating systems waste burning wildfires Some are more vulnerable to air pollutants Studies have indicated that there are several groups more endangered by the harmful effects of air pollution. These groups include: children pregnant women older adults people with pre-existing heart or lung disease those living in areas with elevated levels of pollutants in the air A report from the National Toxicology Program detailed how exposure to transportation-related air pollution (TRAP) during pregnancy heightens the threat of severe changes in blood pressure, also called hypertensive disorders. Besides being known sources of pre-term births and low birth weight, these disorders are also linked to the deaths of pregnant women and their unborn children.7 Post-menopausal women were found to be at a higher risk of stroke if they were exposed daily, even in the short-term, to nitrogen oxides.8 Those that experienced greater exposure to traffic-related pollution had lower levels of HDL cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease. A group of men and women 45- to 84-years-old were part of a study looking for a connection between air pollution and the levels of HDL cholesterol, also known as the good cholesterol, in their bodies. It was discovered that those in the group that experienced greater exposure to traffic-related pollution had lower levels of HDL cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease.9 The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute is working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other organizations to help improve communication to the public about these health concerns with the goal of lowering communal exposure to air pollution. The takeaway To protect your health from the damaging, sometimes fatal effects of pollutants in the air: keep track of the outside air quality in your area via an air quality monitoring website check the inside air quality of your home and workplace with a high-grade air monitor use air filters to improve inside air quality wear a mask and limit the time spent in areas where the air quality is poor","

Instinctively we know that exposure to high levels of air pollution can harm a person’s respiratory system. But there is research that air pollution increases cardiovascular problems and mortality. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution is the major cause of 24% of deaths from coronary heart disease and 25% of fatalities due to strokes.¹

The Environmental Defense Fund lists air pollution as the environmental danger that is most responsible for premature deaths.² Read on to learn how air pollution impacts heart health and what can be done to manage exposure to dangerous air pollutants.

How air pollution affects heart health

When inhaled, many of the particles in polluted air are so tiny they can eventually reach the circulatory system, including the heart. Their impact includes a higher risk of irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, heart attacks, and stroke. This is especially true with long-term exposure, but damage to the heart can happen even over the short-term.³

Once pollutants move into the circulatory system, they can cause inflammation, damage blood vessels, and increase arterial calcification.

Research has shown that once pollutants move into the circulatory system they can cause inflammation, damage blood vessels and increase arterial calcification – all of which help account for the increased potential for cardiovascular complications.^4,5

Dangers of specific pollutants

Fine particulate matter, or PM_2.5, and ultrafine particles infiltrate deeper into the lungs than other pollutants, which make them one the greatest dangers to heart health.⁶ PM_2.5 are particles that are 2.5 microns or smaller in diameter, while ultrafine particles measure less than 0.1 microns in diameter.

The combustion of fossil fuels leads to the creation of volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides such as nitrogen dioxide, and once they react with each other, ozone is formed. Even short-term exposure has been known to cause chest pain. Long-term exposure has been blamed for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Sulfur dioxide has been identified as having a damaging impact on the cardiovascular system.

When fossil fuels that contain sulfur are burned, sulfur dioxide (SO₂) is released as a byproduct. SO₂ has been identified as having a damaging impact on the cardiovascular system.

Another air pollutant that adds to an increased risk of heart disease is black carbon. Sources of black carbon emissions include:

combustion engines (especially diesel)
fireplaces and wood stoves
coal and heavy oil heating systems
waste burning
wildfires

Some are more vulnerable to air pollutants

Studies have indicated that there are several groups more endangered by the harmful effects of air pollution. These groups include:

children
pregnant women
older adults
people with pre-existing heart or lung disease
those living in areas with elevated levels of pollutants in the air

A report from the National Toxicology Program detailed how exposure to transportation-related air pollution (TRAP) during pregnancy heightens the threat of severe changes in blood pressure, also called hypertensive disorders. Besides being known sources of pre-term births and low birth weight, these disorders are also linked to the deaths of pregnant women and their unborn children.⁷

Post-menopausal women were found to be at a higher risk of stroke if they were exposed daily, even in the short-term, to nitrogen oxides.⁸

Those that experienced greater exposure to traffic-related pollution had lower levels of HDL cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease.

A group of men and women 45- to 84-years-old were part of a study looking for a connection between air pollution and the levels of HDL cholesterol, also known as the good cholesterol, in their bodies. It was discovered that those in the group that experienced greater exposure to traffic-related pollution had lower levels of HDL cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease.⁹

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute is working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other organizations to help improve communication to the public about these health concerns with the goal of lowering communal exposure to air pollution.

The takeaway

To protect your health from the damaging, sometimes fatal effects of pollutants in the air:

keep track of the outside air quality in your area via an air quality monitoring website\n
check the inside air quality of your home and workplace with a high-grade air monitor\n
use air filters to improve inside air quality
wear a mask and limit the time spent in areas where the air quality is poor

","heart-health-and-air-pollution","gid://shopify/Article/606894194987","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/heart-health-and-air-pollution","2021-12-30T21:13:06Z",[390,653],"Heart health and air pollution",{"_10":1267,"_243":1268,"_246":1269,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/406390571382","Heart-Health_1_Web","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/Heart-Health_2_Web_45b7f529-011b-4282-942f-a46adddd20b6.jpg?v=1751980179",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1271,"_1115":1272,"_1131":1273,"_1133":1273,"_1134":1274,"_1136":1275,"_985":1276,"_10":1277,"_1140":1278,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1279,"_577":1280,"_541":1281,"_1147":1282},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Learn more about how ultrafine particles - the tiniest particles - plays a direct role in harming human health.","Ordinary HEPA material is only tested at 0.3 micron particles and larger. But airborne particulate matter can range in size from coarse, fine, and all the way down to ultrafine levels. Common household particle pollutants can vary greatly in size – and in how dangerous they are to human health. IQAir’s HyperHEPA technology filters the smallest airborne particles that exist. Ultrafine Particles (Particles 0.003 μm – 0.1 μm) | 90% of all airborne particles Ultrafine particles are airborne particles less than 0.1 microns in diameter. In sheer number, they represent more than 90% of all airborne pollutants. Ultrafine particles are inhaled and deposited directly into the lungs, where they penetrate tissue and can be absorbed directly into the bloodstream. Through the bloodstream, they can reach any organ or area of the human body. Affected Organs: Brain Lungs Throat Eyes Nose Heart Kidneys Liver Cooking on gas stoves: 0.002 nm – 10 microns Research indicates that gas cooking can produce as much as two times the amount of PM2.5 as electric heating sources.1,2 Viruses: 0.005 – 0.3 microns Like bacteria, viruses are organisms that spread airborne diseases as mild as the common cold and as serious as SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, through coughs, sneezes and improperly maintained ventilation systems. Woodsmoke: 0.006 – 10 microns Wood-burning fireplaces and wood burning stoves can result in particle emission sizes ranging from coarse, fine, and as far down as ultrafine particles. Wood-burning emissions can impact both indoor and outdoor air quality – and greater exposure to indoor emissions is particularly hazardous to human health.3,4 Tobacco Smoke: 0.01 – 1 micron Side stream smoke has higher concentrations of cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) than mainstream smoke. And, it has smaller particles than mainstream smoke, which make their way into the lungs and the body's cells more easily. Soot: 0.01 – 0.3 microns Long-term exposure to urban air pollution containing soot increases the risk of coronary heart disease, according to a major study published in New England Journal of Medicine in 2007. Fine Particles (PM2.5) | Greater than 9% of all airborne particles Fine particles (also known as PM2.5) are particulate matter that is less than or equal to 2.5 microns in diameter. Fine particles penetrate deeply into the lungs, into areas known as small airways and into the primary air exchange areas of the lungs. Fine particles come from vehicle exhaust, gas and chemical reactions, tobacco smoke, burning candles and other indoor and outdoor sources. Affected Organs: Lungs Throat Eyes Nose Candles: 0.1 – 0.8 microns Burning candles can be a leading cause of indoor source particles in non-smoking homes, second only to cooking.5,6 Pet Dander: 0.1 – 25 microns Pet dander is the old skin and fur that pets shed. Animal dander is very small and can become attached to your clothing even if you do not own a pet. Dander can be found everywhere: floors, carpets, walls, furniture, bedding, even the ceilings. Pet dander is a known allergen and asthma trigger. Dust Mites Allergens: 0.2 – 25 microns House dust mites are the most common asthma triggers and allergens worldwide. Dust mites themselves do not cause an allergic reaction, however, their dung-pellets are an irritant to sensitive people and can cause breathing difficulties. They thrive in warm, humid, dark conditions such as mattresses, carpets, sheets, pillows, and upholstery. Bacteria: 0.5 – 10 microns People spread bacteria through the air when they cough and sneeze, transmitting respiratory diseases and triggering symptoms in asthma sufferers. Bacteria can also grow inside poorly maintained ventilation systems, which spread it into the circulating air. Burning incense: 0.06 – 2 microns Though it may smell pleasant, burning incense emits particulate pollutants that can be deposited in the respiratory tract.7,8 Household Dust: 1 – 100 micron Dust may worsen hay fever. Circulating outdoor air through a house by keeping doors and windows open, or at least slightly ajar, may reduce the risk of hay fever-causing dust. In colder climates, occupants seal even the smallest air gaps, and eliminate outside fresh air circulating inside the house. So it is essential to manage dust and airflow. Coarse Particles (PM10) | Less than 1% of all airborne particles Coarse particles (also known as PM10) are those with a diameter of between 2.5 and 10 microns in diameter. Coarse particles are deposited almost exclusively in the nose and throat. They are not generally inhalable directly into the lungs. Examples of PM10 include coal dust, fly ash, some components of wood and smoke, asbestos fibers, and roadside particles from tires and brakes. This category includes dust, some pollen and mold spores. Affected organs can include: Throat Eyes Nose Mold Spores: 8 – 80 microns Mold and fungus are commonly found in most homes and may be found in the air ducts of your heating/cooling system. They tend to float throughout the house and form new colonies where they land. Fungus spores have been known to increase the chances of developing asthma. Pollen: 10 – 100 microns One of the most common allergens is pollen. It affects the nose, eyes, and mouth making it difficult to breathe. Most pollen that produces allergic reactions is from trees, grasses, and weeds.","

Ordinary HEPA material is only tested at 0.3 micron particles and larger. But airborne particulate matter can range in size from coarse, fine, and all the way down to ultrafine levels. Common household particle pollutants can vary greatly in size – and in how dangerous they are to human health.

$\"Size$

IQAir’s HyperHEPA technology filters the smallest airborne particles that exist.

Ultrafine Particles (Particles 0.003 μm – 0.1 μm) | 90% of all airborne particles

Ultrafine particles are airborne particles less than 0.1 microns in diameter. In sheer number, they represent more than 90% of all airborne pollutants. Ultrafine particles are inhaled and deposited directly into the lungs, where they penetrate tissue and can be absorbed directly into the bloodstream. Through the bloodstream, they can reach any organ or area of the human body.

Affected Organs:

Brain
Lungs
Throat
Eyes
Nose
Heart
Kidneys
Liver

Cooking on gas stoves: 0.002 nm – 10 microns

$\"cooking$

Research indicates that gas cooking can produce as much as two times the amount of PM_2.5 as electric heating sources.^1,2

Viruses: 0.005 – 0.3 microns

$\"virus$

Like bacteria, viruses are organisms that spread airborne diseases as mild as the common cold and as serious as SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, through coughs, sneezes and improperly maintained ventilation systems.

Woodsmoke: 0.006 – 10 microns

$\"Wood$

Wood-burning fireplaces and wood burning stoves can result in particle emission sizes ranging from coarse, fine, and as far down as ultrafine particles. Wood-burning emissions can impact both indoor and outdoor air quality – and greater exposure to indoor emissions is particularly hazardous to human health.^3,4

Tobacco Smoke: 0.01 – 1 micron

$\"tobacco$

Side stream smoke has higher concentrations of cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) than mainstream smoke. And, it has smaller particles than mainstream smoke, which make their way into the lungs and the body's cells more easily.

Soot: 0.01 – 0.3 microns

$\"Soot\"$

Long-term exposure to urban air pollution containing soot increases the risk of coronary heart disease, according to a major study published in New England Journal of Medicine in 2007.

Fine Particles (PM_2.5) | Greater than 9% of all airborne particles

Fine particles (also known as PM_2.5) are particulate matter that is less than or equal to 2.5 microns in diameter. Fine particles penetrate deeply into the lungs, into areas known as small airways and into the primary air exchange areas of the lungs. Fine particles come from vehicle exhaust, gas and chemical reactions, tobacco smoke, burning candles and other indoor and outdoor sources.

Affected Organs:

Lungs
Throat
Eyes
Nose

Candles: 0.1 – 0.8 microns

$\"Burning$

Burning candles can be a leading cause of indoor source particles in non-smoking homes, second only to cooking.^5,6

Pet Dander: 0.1 – 25 microns

$\"Pet$

Pet dander is the old skin and fur that pets shed. Animal dander is very small and can become attached to your clothing even if you do not own a pet. Dander can be found everywhere: floors, carpets, walls, furniture, bedding, even the ceilings. Pet dander is a known allergen and asthma trigger.

Dust Mites Allergens: 0.2 – 25 microns

$\"Dust$

House dust mites are the most common asthma triggers and allergens worldwide. Dust mites themselves do not cause an allergic reaction, however, their dung-pellets are an irritant to sensitive people and can cause breathing difficulties. They thrive in warm, humid, dark conditions such as mattresses, carpets, sheets, pillows, and upholstery.

Bacteria: 0.5 – 10 microns

$\"Bacteria\"$

People spread bacteria through the air when they cough and sneeze, transmitting respiratory diseases and triggering symptoms in asthma sufferers. Bacteria can also grow inside poorly maintained ventilation systems, which spread it into the circulating air.

Burning incense: 0.06 – 2 microns

$\"Burning$

Though it may smell pleasant, burning incense emits particulate pollutants that can be deposited in the respiratory tract.^7,8

Household Dust: 1 – 100 micron

$\"Household$

Dust may worsen hay fever. Circulating outdoor air through a house by keeping doors and windows open, or at least slightly ajar, may reduce the risk of hay fever-causing dust. In colder climates, occupants seal even the smallest air gaps, and eliminate outside fresh air circulating inside the house. So it is essential to manage dust and airflow.

Coarse Particles (PM₁₀) | Less than 1% of all airborne particles

Coarse particles (also known as PM₁₀) are those with a diameter of between 2.5 and 10 microns in diameter. Coarse particles are deposited almost exclusively in the nose and throat. They are not generally inhalable directly into the lungs. Examples of PM₁₀ include coal dust, fly ash, some components of wood and smoke, asbestos fibers, and roadside particles from tires and brakes. This category includes dust, some pollen and mold spores.

Affected organs can include:

Throat
Eyes
Nose

Mold Spores: 8 – 80 microns

$\"Mold$

Mold and fungus are commonly found in most homes and may be found in the air ducts of your heating/cooling system. They tend to float throughout the house and form new colonies where they land. Fungus spores have been known to increase the chances of developing asthma.

Pollen: 10 – 100 microns

$\"Pollen\"$

One of the most common allergens is pollen. It affects the nose, eyes, and mouth making it difficult to breathe. Most pollen that produces allergic reactions is from trees, grasses, and weeds.

","particle-size-matters","gid://shopify/Article/606894227755","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/particle-size-matters","2021-08-24T21:24:24Z",[390,653],"Particle size matters",{"_10":1283,"_243":1284,"_246":1285,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/412936962422","Dust particles close up","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/SizeMatters_Infographic_Desktop_c_12e221e3-d98d-4146-ba5d-707aa1192423.webp?v=1772046810",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1287,"_1115":1288,"_1131":1289,"_1133":1289,"_1134":1290,"_1136":1291,"_985":1292,"_10":1293,"_1140":1294,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1295,"_577":1296,"_541":1297,"_1147":-5},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Research has found links between exposure to air pollution and weight issues, including obesity.","One of the most popular annual declarations is to implement a healthier lifestyle, particularly by reaching or maintaining a healthier weight. Achieving that goal usually requires increased exercise and improved eating habits. But potholes lurk on the road to success, and some are more hidden than others. One is air pollution. Science has established a strong link between air pollution and obesity. Breathing unhealthy air can interfere with weight loss or actively promote weight gain. Air pollution affects exercise The most obvious impact of air pollution on a healthy lifestyle is on exercise, and lack thereof, due to the negative consequences that pollutants can have on a body. Air pollution can cause a number of short-term problems when exercising including interference with oxygenation shortness of breath coughing sore throat Symptoms can be intensified by exercise, as the normal, adult respiratory rate of 12-20 breaths per minute1 could raise to as high as 40-60 breaths per minute.2 So in areas with high levels of pollution, it is not surprising that residents might lead more sedentary lifestyles. Along with these temporary health irritants, long-term exposure to pollutants can lead to chronic cardiac and respiratory illnesses and premature death. Indoor air can be even more polluted than the air outside your home or place of business. And it’s not just exercising outdoors that is of concern. Indoor air can be even more polluted than the air outside your home or workplace.3 Air pollution and obesity Besides the harmful effects pollutants have on our heart and lungs, tiny airborne pollutants like PM2.5 (particulate matter measuring 2.5 microns or under in diameter) and even smaller ultrafine particles pose a serious threat to all parts of the body. Once inhaled, they can reach the bloodstream and from there negatively impact other organs such as those in the digestive system, which then can impede healthy eating habits. A 2018 review article published in the International Journal of Obesity examined the relationship between air pollution and body weight status. Common air pollutants and environmental factors included in the reports were PM, NO2, SO2, ozone, and the overall air quality index. The studies discovered numerous correlations between air pollution and increased body weight.4 Another link to air pollution and weight gain was established through research due to the specifics that vitamin D deficiency in humans has been closely associated with obesity, and atmospheric pollutants have been associated with reducing our ability to synthesize this important nutrient from sunlight, the source for more than 90% of a body’s vitamin D.5 A 2014 study published in Environmental Health connected air pollution to internal inflammation that can disrupt the hormones and the part of your brain that governs appetite, which can lead to overeating.6 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 living in heavily-polluted areas outpaced the weights of babies surrounded by cleaner air.8 Kids born in areas with high levels of pollutants were nearly two and a half times likelier to be considered obese. Air pollution leading to obesity might even start in the womb. The atmospheric air quality that a group of women were individually exposed to while pregnant was monitored and measured, as were their resulting children during the first seven years of their lives. The kids born in areas with high levels of pollutants were nearly two and a half times likelier to be considered obese even taking into account other factors like diet and income.9 The takeaway To help decrease your exposure to air pollutants, and reach your goal of a healthier lifestyle: monitor indoor and outdoor air quality if air quality is poor indoors, a high-efficiency air purifier might be necessary choose a gym that incorporates air cleaning technology limit all outdoor activities, not just exercise, when air quality is poor if outdoor activities are unavoidable on days with poor air quality, wear a high-quality mask","

One of the most popular annual declarations is to implement a healthier lifestyle, particularly by reaching or maintaining a healthier weight. Achieving that goal usually requires increased exercise and improved eating habits. But potholes lurk on the road to success, and some are more hidden than others.

One is air pollution. Science has established a strong link between air pollution and obesity. Breathing unhealthy air can interfere with weight loss or actively promote weight gain.

Air pollution affects exercise

The most obvious impact of air pollution on a healthy lifestyle is on exercise, and lack thereof, due to the negative consequences that pollutants can have on a body.

Air pollution can cause a number of short-term problems when exercising including

interference with oxygenation
shortness of breath
coughing
sore throat

Symptoms can be intensified by exercise, as the normal, adult respiratory rate of 12-20 breaths per minute¹ could raise to as high as 40-60 breaths per minute.² So in areas with high levels of pollution, it is not surprising that residents might lead more sedentary lifestyles.

Along with these temporary health irritants, long-term exposure to pollutants can lead to chronic cardiac and respiratory illnesses and premature death.

Indoor air can be even more polluted than the air outside your home or place of business.

And it’s not just exercising outdoors that is of concern. Indoor air can be even more polluted than the air outside your home or workplace.³

Air pollution and obesity

Besides the harmful effects pollutants have on our heart and lungs, tiny airborne pollutants like PM2.5 (particulate matter measuring 2.5 microns or under in diameter) and even smaller ultrafine particles pose a serious threat to all parts of the body. Once inhaled, they can reach the bloodstream and from there negatively impact other organs such as those in the digestive system, which then can impede healthy eating habits.

A 2018 review article published in the International Journal of Obesity examined the relationship between air pollution and body weight status. Common air pollutants and environmental factors included in the reports were PM, NO₂, SO₂, ozone, and the overall air quality index. The studies discovered numerous correlations between air pollution and increased body weight.⁴

Another link to air pollution and weight gain was established through research due to the specifics that vitamin D deficiency in humans has been closely associated with obesity, and atmospheric pollutants have been associated with reducing our ability to synthesize this important nutrient from sunlight, the source for more than 90% of a body’s vitamin D.⁵

A 2014 study published in Environmental Health connected air pollution to internal inflammation that can disrupt the hormones and the part of your brain that governs appetite, which can lead to overeating.⁶

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 living in heavily-polluted areas outpaced the weights of babies surrounded by cleaner air.⁸

Kids born in areas with high levels of pollutants were nearly two and a half times likelier to be considered obese.

Air pollution leading to obesity might even start in the womb. The atmospheric air quality that a group of women were individually exposed to while pregnant was monitored and measured, as were their resulting children during the first seven years of their lives. The kids born in areas with high levels of pollutants were nearly two and a half times likelier to be considered obese even taking into account other factors like diet and income.⁹

The takeaway

To help decrease your exposure to air pollutants, and reach your goal of a healthier lifestyle:

\nmonitor indoor and outdoor air quality
if air quality is poor indoors, a high-efficiency air purifier might be necessary
choose a gym that incorporates air cleaning technology
limit all outdoor activities, not just exercise, when air quality is poor
if outdoor activities are unavoidable on days with poor air quality, wear a high-quality mask\n

","your-weight-and-air-pollution","gid://shopify/Article/606894096683","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/your-weight-and-air-pollution","2021-07-18T17:42:46Z",[390,653],"Your weight and air pollution",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1299,"_1115":1300,"_1131":1301,"_1133":1301,"_1134":1302,"_1136":1303,"_985":1304,"_10":1305,"_1140":1306,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1307,"_577":1308,"_541":1309,"_1147":1310},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"No matter how festive the holiday, fireworks can still contribute to air pollution. Learn more.","July 4th, 2021 marked the first Independence Day in the United States since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when public health guidelines, such as social distancing and mask-wearing, were largely lifted across the country. This meant that many localities were permitted to hold large public events during Independence Day celebrations for the first time in over a year. During the 2020 Independence Day, large-scale fireworks events had been mostly banned under guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).1 Air pollution from fireworks that year was mostly limited to homes and neighborhoods in major cities, such as Los Angeles, and resulted in significant but fleeting air pollution across the entire region for hours after celebrations ended. In 2021, the impact of fireworks on air pollution was drastic and noticeable in several major cities – Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington, DC – with air quality index (AQI) measurements reaching far into the “Hazardous” range in the hours following fireworks events. Pictured: Air quality in the United States following Independence Day celebrations (July 4, 2021, 11:55 p.m. PST). At nearly midnight, over half of the country experienced air quality ranging from “Moderate” to “Unhealthy”, with New York City ranking as the 3rd most polluted city in the world for several hours. Source: IQAir Los Angeles air quality At the height of the Independence Day holiday, much of Los Angeles, California experienced air quality well beyond emergency conditions across hundreds of square miles. Much of Los Angeles, California experienced air quality well beyond emergency conditions across hundreds of square miles. Just before midnight on July 4th, 2021, most public air quality stations in the Los Angeles area recorded fine particulate matter (PM2.5) measurements ranging from the low 100s (“Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” such as children, the elderly, and people with respiratory conditions) into the high 300s, emergency-level “Hazardous” air quality that can cause heart or lung damage even after short periods of exposure. Pictured: Air quality in Los Angeles, CA in the late hours of Independence Day following widespread public fireworks events (July 4, 2021, 11:55 p.m. PST). Some areas in the Los Angeles reached well into the 300+ range – deemed as emergency conditions. Source: IQAir The immediate impact of fireworks in Los Angeles is evident in these measurements, taken in the hours following fireworks shows that began as the sun set around 8:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST). Some stations in South and East L.A., including Inglewood and Huntington Park, recorded AQI measurements above 400 late into the evening. However, this impact lingered into the morning of July 5th, 2021, with hazardous levels of air pollution still visible across much of the Los Angeles region into the neighboring foothills to the north and San Bernardino County to the east. Even as PM2.5 concentrations within much of western Los Angeles had dispersed somewhat by the next morning, a combination of weather and geography trapped air pollution firmly in foothill suburbs like Pasadena, Arcadia, Monrovia, Claremont, and as far east as Fontana and Riverside. Northeast-blowing wind patterns blew much of the Independence Day PM2.5 pollution into the San Gabriel Valley. Here, the surrounding hills and mountains as well as cool air in the lower atmosphere trapped air pollution in a temperature inversion until the early afternoon of July 5th, when wind and warmer air allowed air pollution to disperse and rise. Pictured: Air quality in Los Angeles, CA (July 5, 2021, 10:02 a.m. PST). Source: IQAir San Bernardino County was similarly impacted by windblown air pollution and the geography of the Inland Empire following Independence Day celebrations. With a total population of over 4.2 million, the health impact of fireworks air pollution in the Inland Empire region ranged from “Very Unhealthy” to “Hazardous” for much of July 5th, with AQI measurements in suburban hubs like Ontario, Pomona, and Corona reaching beyond 300. Washington, D.C. air quality The hype surrounding fireworks in Washington, D.C. reached a fever pitch in the days leading up to July 4th. The presidential administration had cautiously heralded the return of public events in the nation’s capital due to success in controlling the spread of COVID-19 through vaccination, so many looked forward to resuming the public celebrations of years past. The U.S. capital city experienced dangerous levels of air pollution in the hours following July 4th fireworks shows. But like Los Angeles, the U.S. capital city experienced dangerous levels of air pollution in the hours following July 4th fireworks shows. Even in the early morning of July 5th, air quality in the metropolitan area around the D.C. Beltway ranged from “Unhealthy” to “Very Unhealthy.” Pictured: Air quality in Washington, D.C. and the surrounding metropolitan area (July 4, 2021, 2:57 a.m. EST). Source: IQAir Many suburbs of Maryland around D.C., such as Silver Spring and Chillum, recorded PM2.5 concentrations in the low to mid-200s, posing a significant health risk to all residents. Across the Potomac, cities in Virginia also experienced air pollution from fireworks shows around the DMV region, with cities like Tysons Corner, Vienna, and Falls Church measuring PM2.5 around 200 or above. In the U.S. capital itself, PM2.5 concentrations remained “Very Unhealthy” across broad swathes of the city, particularly in the far eastern regions along the Anacostia River and near RFK stadium. By the late morning of July 5th, PM2.5 concentrations had lowered considerably, with most of the DMV area only experiencing “Moderate” levels of PM2.5 between AQI measurements 50-100. However, no level of air pollution is safe – even as air pollution was dispersed on July 5th, over 6 million people in the region were still subject to heart, lung, and organ damage from long periods of exposure to air pollution. Pictured: Air quality in Washington, D.C. and the surrounding metropolitan area (July 5, 2021, 1:03 p.m. EST). Source: IQAir New York City air pollution Despite being one of the biggest cities in the U.S. with a population of over 22 million in the greater metropolitan area, New York City experiences much less severe air pollution than other major urban ports like Los Angeles. AQI measurements in New York City typically remain below 50 (considered “Good” and posing little health risk) throughout the year. For several hours on July 4th and 5th, New York City was the 3rd most polluted city in the world. But for several hours on July 4th and 5th, New York City was the 3rd most polluted city in the world – at its peak, New York City recorded AQI measurements of 168 – trailing Krasnoyarsk, Russia as the most polluted city and Johannesburg, South Africa as the second most polluted. Pictured: The most polluted major cities in the world late in the evening on July 4, 2021 – New York City ranked third. Source: IQAir For most of the evening on July 4th, New York City did not appear in the World AQI Ranking. But PM2.5 concentrations rose to dangerously high levels as fireworks continued across New York State and southeastward winds blew in additional air pollution from the city’s northern suburbs, including White Plains and as far north as Poughkeepsie and Albany. Cool marine air kept air pollution trapped in the lower atmosphere throughout the city for many hours. New York City AQI remaining well into the “Unhealthy” category until falling into the “Moderate” category around noon on July 5th. Even as air pollution from fireworks has dispersed, poor air quality lingered even into July 6th, with the hourly average AQI hovering between 70-90 beginning at midnight on July 5th and showing little sign of dispersing back to the city’s normal “Good” AQI below 50. Pictured: New York City AQI from Sunday morning, July 4, 2021, until Tuesday afternoon, July 6, 2021. The red and orange bars represent increased hourly average air pollution following July 4th evening celebrations, from about midnight on July 4 until 9:00 a.m. on July 5. Source: IQAir The takeaway July 4th, 2021 saw the return of large-scale Independence Day events for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic and, consequently, widespread fireworks air pollution that lasted for hours and spread many miles beyond their source. Fireworks shows may be brief, but the impact of residual air pollution can be felt long afterwards. Airborne pollutants associated with fireworks such as PM2.5, ultrafine particles (UFPs), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can pose a health threat to residents. The best means to protect against these threats can be to close up doors and windows, run an air purifier, and ask local officials to plan alternatives to fireworks for a safer celebration.","

July 4^th, 2021 marked the first Independence Day in the United States since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when public health guidelines, such as social distancing and mask-wearing, were largely lifted across the country. This meant that many localities were permitted to hold large public events during Independence Day celebrations for the first time in over a year.

During the 2020 Independence Day, large-scale fireworks events had been mostly banned under guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).¹ Air pollution from fireworks that year was mostly limited to homes and neighborhoods in major cities, such as Los Angeles, and resulted in significant but fleeting air pollution across the entire region for hours after celebrations ended.

In 2021, the impact of fireworks on air pollution was drastic and noticeable in several major cities – Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington, DC – with air quality index (AQI) measurements reaching far into the “Hazardous” range in the hours following fireworks events.

$\"US$

Pictured: Air quality in the United States following Independence Day celebrations (July 4, 2021, 11:55 p.m. PST). At nearly midnight, over half of the country experienced air quality ranging from “Moderate” to “Unhealthy”, with New York City ranking as the 3rd most polluted city in the world for several hours. Source: IQAir

Los Angeles air quality

At the height of the Independence Day holiday, much of Los Angeles, California experienced air quality well beyond emergency conditions across hundreds of square miles.

Much of Los Angeles, California experienced air quality well beyond emergency conditions across hundreds of square miles.

Just before midnight on July 4th, 2021, most public air quality stations in the Los Angeles area recorded fine particulate matter (PM2.5) measurements ranging from the low 100s (“Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” such as children, the elderly, and people with respiratory conditions) into the high 300s, emergency-level “Hazardous” air quality that can cause heart or lung damage even after short periods of exposure.

$\"LA$

Pictured: Air quality in Los Angeles, CA in the late hours of Independence Day following widespread public fireworks events (July 4, 2021, 11:55 p.m. PST). Some areas in the Los Angeles reached well into the 300+ range – deemed as emergency conditions. Source: IQAir

The immediate impact of fireworks in Los Angeles is evident in these measurements, taken in the hours following fireworks shows that began as the sun set around 8:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST). Some stations in South and East L.A., including Inglewood and Huntington Park, recorded AQI measurements above 400 late into the evening.

However, this impact lingered into the morning of July 5th, 2021, with hazardous levels of air pollution still visible across much of the Los Angeles region into the neighboring foothills to the north and San Bernardino County to the east.

Even as PM2.5 concentrations within much of western Los Angeles had dispersed somewhat by the next morning, a combination of weather and geography trapped air pollution firmly in foothill suburbs like Pasadena, Arcadia, Monrovia, Claremont, and as far east as Fontana and Riverside.

Northeast-blowing wind patterns blew much of the Independence Day PM2.5 pollution into the San Gabriel Valley. Here, the surrounding hills and mountains as well as cool air in the lower atmosphere trapped air pollution in a temperature inversion until the early afternoon of July 5^th, when wind and warmer air allowed air pollution to disperse and rise.

$\"LA$

Pictured: Air quality in Los Angeles, CA (July 5, 2021, 10:02 a.m. PST). Source: IQAir

San Bernardino County was similarly impacted by windblown air pollution and the geography of the Inland Empire following Independence Day celebrations. With a total population of over 4.2 million, the health impact of fireworks air pollution in the Inland Empire region ranged from “Very Unhealthy” to “Hazardous” for much of July 5th, with AQI measurements in suburban hubs like Ontario, Pomona, and Corona reaching beyond 300.

Washington, D.C. air quality

The hype surrounding fireworks in Washington, D.C. reached a fever pitch in the days leading up to July 4th. The presidential administration had cautiously heralded the return of public events in the nation’s capital due to success in controlling the spread of COVID-19 through vaccination, so many looked forward to resuming the public celebrations of years past.

The U.S. capital city experienced dangerous levels of air pollution in the hours following July 4th fireworks shows.

But like Los Angeles, the U.S. capital city experienced dangerous levels of air pollution in the hours following July 4^th fireworks shows. Even in the early morning of July 5^th, air quality in the metropolitan area around the D.C. Beltway ranged from “Unhealthy” to “Very Unhealthy.”

$\"Washington$

Pictured: Air quality in Washington, D.C. and the surrounding metropolitan area (July 4, 2021, 2:57 a.m. EST). Source: IQAir

Many suburbs of Maryland around D.C., such as Silver Spring and Chillum, recorded PM2.5 concentrations in the low to mid-200s, posing a significant health risk to all residents. Across the Potomac, cities in Virginia also experienced air pollution from fireworks shows around the DMV region, with cities like Tysons Corner, Vienna, and Falls Church measuring PM2.5 around 200 or above.

In the U.S. capital itself, PM2.5 concentrations remained “Very Unhealthy” across broad swathes of the city, particularly in the far eastern regions along the Anacostia River and near RFK stadium.

By the late morning of July 5th, PM2.5 concentrations had lowered considerably, with most of the DMV area only experiencing “Moderate” levels of PM2.5 between AQI measurements 50-100. However, no level of air pollution is safe – even as air pollution was dispersed on July 5^th, over 6 million people in the region were still subject to heart, lung, and organ damage from long periods of exposure to air pollution.

$\"Washington$

Pictured: Air quality in Washington, D.C. and the surrounding metropolitan area (July 5, 2021, 1:03 p.m. EST). Source: IQAir

New York City air pollution

Despite being one of the biggest cities in the U.S. with a population of over 22 million in the greater metropolitan area, New York City experiences much less severe air pollution than other major urban ports like Los Angeles. AQI measurements in New York City typically remain below 50 (considered “Good” and posing little health risk) throughout the year.

For several hours on July 4th and 5th, New York City was the 3rd most polluted city in the world.

But for several hours on July 4th and 5th, New York City was the 3rd most polluted city in the world – at its peak, New York City recorded AQI measurements of 168 – trailing Krasnoyarsk, Russia as the most polluted city and Johannesburg, South Africa as the second most polluted.

$\"New$

Pictured: The most polluted major cities in the world late in the evening on July 4, 2021 – New York City ranked third. Source: IQAir

For most of the evening on July 4^th, New York City did not appear in the World AQI Ranking.

But PM2.5 concentrations rose to dangerously high levels as fireworks continued across New York State and southeastward winds blew in additional air pollution from the city’s northern suburbs, including White Plains and as far north as Poughkeepsie and Albany.

Cool marine air kept air pollution trapped in the lower atmosphere throughout the city for many hours. New York City AQI remaining well into the “Unhealthy” category until falling into the “Moderate” category around noon on July 5^th.

Even as air pollution from fireworks has dispersed, poor air quality lingered even into July 6^th, with the hourly average AQI hovering between 70-90 beginning at midnight on July 5^th and showing little sign of dispersing back to the city’s normal “Good” AQI below 50.

$\"NY$

Pictured: New York City AQI from Sunday morning, July 4, 2021, until Tuesday afternoon, July 6, 2021. The red and orange bars represent increased hourly average air pollution following July 4th evening celebrations, from about midnight on July 4 until 9:00 a.m. on July 5. Source: IQAir

The takeaway

July 4th, 2021 saw the return of large-scale Independence Day events for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic and, consequently, widespread fireworks air pollution that lasted for hours and spread many miles beyond their source.

Fireworks shows may be brief, but the impact of residual air pollution can be felt long afterwards. Airborne pollutants associated with fireworks such as PM2.5, ultrafine particles (UFPs), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can pose a health threat to residents. The best means to protect against these threats can be to close up doors and windows, run an air purifier, and ask local officials to plan alternatives to fireworks for a safer celebration.

","2021-4th-july-fireworks-air-pollution","gid://shopify/Article/606890000683","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/2021-4th-july-fireworks-air-pollution","2021-05-17T12:11:55Z",[390,653],"Air pollution trails Fourth of July fireworks",{"_10":1311,"_243":1312,"_246":1313,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/406614901110","Fireworks in the sky","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/Fireworks21_Desktop_b-min_0d842975-62be-4e4c-8bcc-e6080719d692.jpg?v=1752747344",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1315,"_1115":1316,"_1131":1317,"_1133":1317,"_1134":1318,"_1136":1319,"_985":1320,"_10":1321,"_1140":1322,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1323,"_577":1324,"_541":1325,"_1147":1326},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Viruses like COVID-19 pose a threat to daily life. Find out how some air purifiers can help protect you against airborne viruses.","Global health has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, over 50 million people were exposed to the virus and over 1.5 million people died from associated respiratory complications.1Can air purifiers help protect against viruses like COVID-19? The answer here lies in knowing how how air purifiers work and how viruses, in particular COVID-19, are transmitted. Then, you can assess whether an air purifier will help protect you from viruses in the air.How mucus-based viruses are transmittedCOVID-19 is a newly emerging disease. Through scientific and medical research, we are still refining our understanding about how it spreads.2COVID-19 is a contagious infection caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). When the virus contacts mucous membranes, like those in the eyes, nose, and mouth, infection can result in illness and possibly death.Much like measles and influenza, COVID-19 is a viral infection and can be spread through aerosol transmission.3,4 However, it can be transmitted by other means.In general, mucus-based viral infections can occur through:5 Droplet spray in short range transmission: the virus can spread through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person exhales (breathes, coughs, sneezes, sings, yells, or talks). These droplets tend to be larger (>5 microns in diameter) and fall out of the air rapidly within seconds to minutes. Air purifiers are not helpful for this form of transmission. Social distancing and masks, and engineered filtration pressure differentials are helpful for preventing this form of transmission.6 Contact (direct or indirect): the virus can spread by touching an object or surface with virus present from an infected person, and then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes. Air purifiers are not helpful for this form of transmission. Good hygiene, a form of source control, is helpful for this form of transmission.7 Aerosol in long-range transmission (airborne transmission): when an infected person exhales, they produce typically small respiratory droplets (≤5 microns in diameter). Smaller, aerosolized viruses can remain in the air indefinitely and travel far from their source on air currents.8 Air purifiers and engineered filtration pressure differentials can be helpful for this form of transmission. Note that engineered filtration pressure differentials means maintaining positive or negative air pressure in a room. In a medical setting, negative pressure can be important in controlling airborne infection using an air purifier equipped with an outflow kit in order to direct airborne contaminants out of a room.9The first line of defense in protecting against viral infection is source control: hand washing, wearing masks, and maintaining social distancing. When source control practices are in place, some air purifiers can help reduce airborne viruses.How an air purifier filter worksMechanical air purifiers use filters to trap particles with a mesh filter typically woven of glass or specialty synthetic fibers.High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) and HyperHEPA filters are mechanical air purification filters. Mechanical filtration is the safest and most effective method for removal of airborne particles from the air.There are significant differences in the functionality between air filters. Mechanical filters trap big particles and let air pass through like a strainer catching food while water and dirt filter through Synthetic air filters use a charged media comprising synthetic fibers with an electrical charge to increase the “stickiness” of the filter Due to the advantages of high airflow, most HEPA filters today utilize synthetic media. But these fibers lose their charge over time, as particles “stick” to the filter and the filter becomes too “loaded.”In fact, the HEPA efficiency dramatically decreases as the filter is loaded with pollutants – ultimately, it becomes “overloaded” with particles, and the “stickiness” is reduced.Mechanical media can provide better performance over time when helping filter viruses.Since there is such a variance in long-term performance of mechanical versus synthetic filter media, mechanical media provides better performance over time when helping filter viruses in most cases.Furthermore, HEPA filter media must only be tested to capture particles down to 0.3 microns. That’s almost three times the size of the average virus.And there’s two problems with the HEPA testing requirement:10 HEPA filters aren’t tested when they’re fully “loaded.” So any efficiency test no longer applies after as little as a few weeks. The Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) test used for HEPA filters is unreliable for testing the actual efficiency of HEPA filters when they’re used in air purifiers. What is CADR in an air purifier?Theoretically, CADR measures how many particles are removed multiplied by the rate of airflow (cubic feet per minute, or cfm) through the purifier.But the way the test is done is problematic. Here’s how a CADR test is conducted:11 Air purifiers being tested are placed in a test space of 1,008 cubic feet (an 11′ x 11′ x 8′ room). Dust, pollen, and tobacco smoke pollutants are introduced into the test space. The air purifiers being tested are turned on for twenty minutes (testing for pollen ends after only ten minutes). After running for this short time, the remaining contaminants are tested and converted into the final CADR rating. The CADR rating system has flaws, including: CADR only tests performance for the first twenty minutes of operation. But the majority of HEPA air purifiers start losing efficiency after only one hour of usage, and some lose as much as 50% of their efficiency after only 8 weeks of testing. CADR does not test performance against particles smaller than 0.1 microns, which includes many viruses. CADR only tests performance for the first 20 minutes of operation and doesn’t test for particles smaller than 0.1 microns, which includes many viruses.The virion for COVID-19 and other related SARS viruses is anywhere from 0.06 to 0.14 microns.12 Way tinier than the 0.3 microns HEPA specification.Click here to see why particle size matters...Look for air purifiers that are tested and certified to filter ultrafine particles (UFPs) and have high manufacturing standards.The COVID-19 virus is anywhere from 0.06 to 0.14 microns – way tinier than the 0.3 microns that the HEPA standard tests for.The bottom line on air purifiers and virusesAir purifiers are not meant to be the first line of defense against viruses. Social distancing, wearing masks, and practicing good hygiene should be your first lines of defense. But an air purifier that can filter airborne ultrafine particles, including viruses like COVID-19, is a good part of a defense plan to help prevent virus transmission.Viruses can be captured by filters designed for tiny particles, but this doesn’t guarantee that you’re fully protected – airborne transmission is only one way that viruses are spread. Even the most efficient air purifiers are not 100% effective at preventing the spread of viruses.A common way viruses and diseases are transmitted is direct contact with someone who’s infected or carries the virus, spread in two primary ways: through the exchange of bodily fluids with an infected individual by breathing in infected respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing Any manufacturer that claims to 100% prevent virus transmission is falsely advertising. Air purifiers can help remove viruses from the air but cannot stop all modes of transmission.Any manufacturer that claims to 100% prevent virus transmission is falsely advertising. Air purifiers can help remove pollutants, including viruses, from the air but cannot stop all modes of transmission.","

Global health has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, over 50 million people were exposed to the virus and over 1.5 million people died from associated respiratory complications.¹

Can air purifiers help protect against viruses like COVID-19? The answer here lies in knowing how how air purifiers work and how viruses, in particular COVID-19, are transmitted. Then, you can assess whether an air purifier will help protect you from viruses in the air.

How mucus-based viruses are transmitted

COVID-19 is a newly emerging disease. Through scientific and medical research, we are still refining our understanding about how it spreads.²

COVID-19 is a contagious infection caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). When the virus contacts mucous membranes, like those in the eyes, nose, and mouth, infection can result in illness and possibly death.

Much like measles and influenza, COVID-19 is a viral infection and can be spread through aerosol transmission.^3,4 However, it can be transmitted by other means.

In general, mucus-based viral infections can occur through:⁵

\nDroplet spray in short range transmission: the virus can spread through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person exhales (breathes, coughs, sneezes, sings, yells, or talks). These droplets tend to be larger (>5 microns in diameter) and fall out of the air rapidly within seconds to minutes. Air purifiers are not helpful for this form of transmission. Social distancing and masks, and engineered filtration pressure differentials are helpful for preventing this form of transmission.⁶\n
\nContact (direct or indirect): the virus can spread by touching an object or surface with virus present from an infected person, and then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes. Air purifiers are not helpful for this form of transmission. Good hygiene, a form of source control, is helpful for this form of transmission.⁷\n
\nAerosol in long-range transmission (airborne transmission): when an infected person exhales, they produce typically small respiratory droplets (≤5 microns in diameter). Smaller, aerosolized viruses can remain in the air indefinitely and travel far from their source on air currents.⁸ Air purifiers and engineered filtration pressure differentials can be helpful for this form of transmission.

Note that engineered filtration pressure differentials means maintaining positive or negative air pressure in a room. In a medical setting, negative pressure can be important in controlling airborne infection using an air purifier equipped with an outflow kit in order to direct airborne contaminants out of a room.⁹

The first line of defense in protecting against viral infection is source control: hand washing, wearing masks, and maintaining social distancing. When source control practices are in place, some air purifiers can help reduce airborne viruses.

$\"mask101$

How an air purifier filter works

Mechanical air purifiers use filters to trap particles with a mesh filter typically woven of glass or specialty synthetic fibers.

High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) and HyperHEPA filters are mechanical air purification filters. Mechanical filtration is the safest and most effective method for removal of airborne particles from the air.

$\"hpp$

There are significant differences in the functionality between air filters.

Mechanical filters trap big particles and let air pass through like a strainer catching food while water and dirt filter through
Synthetic air filters use a charged media comprising synthetic fibers with an electrical charge to increase the “stickiness” of the filter

Due to the advantages of high airflow, most HEPA filters today utilize synthetic media. But these fibers lose their charge over time, as particles “stick” to the filter and the filter becomes too “loaded.”

In fact, the HEPA efficiency dramatically decreases as the filter is loaded with pollutants – ultimately, it becomes “overloaded” with particles, and the “stickiness” is reduced.

Mechanical media can provide better performance over time when helping filter viruses.

Since there is such a variance in long-term performance of mechanical versus synthetic filter media, mechanical media provides better performance over time when helping filter viruses in most cases.

Furthermore, HEPA filter media must only be tested to capture particles down to 0.3 microns. That’s almost three times the size of the average virus.

And there’s two problems with the HEPA testing requirement:¹⁰

HEPA filters aren’t tested when they’re fully “loaded.” So any efficiency test no longer applies after as little as a few weeks.
The Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) test used for HEPA filters is unreliable for testing the actual efficiency of HEPA filters when they’re used in air purifiers.

What is CADR in an air purifier?

Theoretically, CADR measures how many particles are removed multiplied by the rate of airflow (cubic feet per minute, or cfm) through the purifier.

But the way the test is done is problematic. Here’s how a CADR test is conducted:¹¹

Air purifiers being tested are placed in a test space of 1,008 cubic feet (an 11′ x 11′ x 8′ room).
\nDust, pollen, and tobacco smoke pollutants are introduced into the test space.
The air purifiers being tested are turned on for twenty minutes (testing for pollen ends after only ten minutes).
After running for this short time, the remaining contaminants are tested and converted into the final CADR rating.

The CADR rating system has flaws, including:

\nCADR only tests performance for the first twenty minutes of operation. But the majority of HEPA air purifiers start losing efficiency after only one hour of usage, and some lose as much as 50% of their efficiency after only 8 weeks of testing.
\nCADR does not test performance against particles smaller than 0.1 microns, which includes many viruses.

CADR only tests performance for the first 20 minutes of operation and doesn’t test for particles smaller than 0.1 microns, which includes many viruses.

The virion for COVID-19 and other related SARS viruses is anywhere from 0.06 to 0.14 microns.¹² Way tinier than the 0.3 microns HEPA specification.

Click here to see why particle size matters...

Look for air purifiers that are tested and certified to filter ultrafine particles (UFPs) and have high manufacturing standards.

The COVID-19 virus is anywhere from 0.06 to 0.14 microns – way tinier than the 0.3 microns that the HEPA standard tests for.

The bottom line on air purifiers and viruses

Air purifiers are not meant to be the first line of defense against viruses. Social distancing, wearing masks, and practicing good hygiene should be your first lines of defense. But an air purifier that can filter airborne ultrafine particles, including viruses like COVID-19, is a good part of a defense plan to help prevent virus transmission.

Viruses can be captured by filters designed for tiny particles, but this doesn’t guarantee that you’re fully protected – airborne transmission is only one way that viruses are spread. Even the most efficient air purifiers are not 100% effective at preventing the spread of viruses.

A common way viruses and diseases are transmitted is direct contact with someone who’s infected or carries the virus, spread in two primary ways:

through the exchange of bodily fluids with an infected individual
by breathing in infected respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing

Any manufacturer that claims to 100% prevent virus transmission is falsely advertising. Air purifiers can help remove viruses from the air but cannot stop all modes of transmission.

Any manufacturer that claims to 100% prevent virus transmission is falsely advertising. Air purifiers can help remove pollutants, including viruses, from the air but cannot stop all modes of transmission.

","do-air-purifiers-protect-against-viruses","gid://shopify/Article/606888460587","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/do-air-purifiers-protect-against-viruses","2021-04-20T13:00:00Z",[853,653],"Do air purifiers help protect against viruses like COVID-19?",{"_10":1327,"_243":1328,"_246":1329,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/406196552054","Office worker in her work station with Atem on","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/AQL_750_DoAirPurifiersProtect_A_82ba4dce-3376-425c-8098-6b6ecc91913f.jpg?v=1751285070","pageInfo",{"_1332":53,"_1333":53,"_1334":1335,"_1336":1337},"hasPreviousPage","hasNextPage","endCursor","eyJsYXN0X2lkIjo2MDY4ODg0NjA1ODcsImxhc3RfdmFsdWUiOjE2MTg5MjM2MDAwMDAsIm9mZnNldCI6OTV9","startCursor","eyJsYXN0X2lkIjo2MDY4OTQzOTE1OTUsImxhc3RfdmFsdWUiOjE2NDExNjI2MDQwMDAsIm9mZnNldCI6ODR9","selectedTag",{"_541":1340,"_983":43,"_246":987,"_988":1341},"IQAir News - Health and Wellness",{"_990":991,"_992":1342,"_12":1340,"_983":43,"_246":987},"Blog","categorizedArticles",{"_1345":1346,"_1383":1384,"_1485":1486,"_1540":1541,"_1611":1612},"featured",[1347,1366],{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1348,"_1115":1349,"_1131":1350,"_1133":1351,"_1134":1352,"_1136":1353,"_985":1354,"_10":1355,"_1140":1356,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1357,"_577":1358,"_541":1360,"_1147":1361},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"See how Cameroon’s campus-based air quality monitoring is helping students, teachers, and communities make invisible pollution visible.","

See how Cameroon’s campus-based air quality monitoring is helping students, teachers, and communities make invisible pollution visible.

","In Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, students at Franky Comprehensive Secondary School now have access to something most schools in the country have never had before: real-time air quality data from their own campus. Franky Comprehensive Secondary School is home to Cameroon’s first campus-based real-time air quality monitoring station. This is an important step in a country where public access to pollution data has long been limited. At the time of installation, the station was among a small number of sites in Cameroon providing real-time air quality data—and the first to be installed on a school campus. Why a school was the right place to begin Air pollution is often discussed at the level of cities, countries, or global health reports. But for children, it is also deeply local. It affects the air they breathe on the way to school, during outdoor activities, and throughout the school day. That local reality is one reason the project began on a campus. The installation was carried out through a partnership involving Franky Comprehensive Secondary School and Global Youth Strategy on Air Pollution and Climate Health (GYS). According to Elvis Ndikum, founder and chair of GYS, schools are one of the most effective places to build long-term public awareness around respiratory health. Discussing asthma prevalence among adolescents, he points to air pollution as an environmental hazard that is often overlooked, even though children are especially vulnerable to its effects. Turning invisible pollution into something students can see The AirVisual Outdoor monitor installed at Franky Comprehensive Secondary School provides real-time measurements of PM2.5, PM10, PM1, temperature, and humidity. The campus’s station profile data can be viewed online on IQAir’s live air quality map and mobile app, allowing students, staff, families, and the wider community to follow local air conditions throughout the day. That kind of visibility changes the role air quality plays in school and community life. When students see PM2.5 levels rise on hazy days and drop again after rainfall, air pollution stops being abstract. It becomes something observable and immediate—something that helps explain why some days feel different than others, and why health protection might need to change with conditions. For many students, this may be the first time local air quality has felt tangible. It also creates a local baseline of publicly visible air quality data—something that can support awareness now and stronger health and policy conversations over time. Filling a major monitoring gap in Cameroon Cameroon has a population of roughly 29 million people, yet public access to real-time air quality monitoring has historically been very limited. That makes it harder for communities to understand exposure risks, for researchers to build evidence, and for decision-makers to respond effectively. In that context, the new campus station is significant far beyond the school itself. It adds a new source of publicly visible data in a country where monitoring coverage remains sparse—and where limited data can make pollution risks harder to quantify and address. The project shows how local organizations and educational institutions can help close critical data gaps—not only by hosting equipment, but by making air quality part of community awareness. In doing so, the project helps build a stronger culture of attention around air quality and respiratory health. The local partnership driving the project The project’s strength lies in its core collaborative partnership. GYS helps position air pollution not just as an environmental topic, but as a youth and public-health issue. Franky Comprehensive Secondary School provides a place where monitoring can directly support awareness, learning, and daily decision-making. Together, they have created a model that shows what school-based air quality visibility can look like in practice, connecting local public-health awareness with broader efforts to expand access to air quality data. A first step with wider meaning The station at Franky Comprehensive Secondary School is an important first step, but its significance lies in what it could lead to next. As more schools gain access to monitoring, the benefits can extend outward: stronger awareness, more localized data, better public understanding, and a clearer picture of air quality over time. For Cameroon, this project shows that even a single campus installation can begin to shift how communities understand the air around them. That matters because the first step in responding to air pollution is often the same everywhere: making local conditions visible. Conclusion Cameroon’s first campus air quality monitor shows how local leadership can turn air pollution from an unseen risk into something communities can observe, understand, and respond to. The installation is part of IQAir’s Schools4Earth initiative to expand access to air quality monitoring in educational communities. Through Schools4Earth, IQAir supports school-based monitoring projects that help students and teachers understand local air quality conditions while contributing to broader public visibility. In Cameroon, that framework helped support a project already rooted in local health awareness and community engagement. At Franky Comprehensive Secondary School, students and teachers now have access to real-time air quality information in a setting where that knowledge can shape awareness early and locally. The project highlights the role schools can play not only in education, but also in building the public-health visibility that stronger air quality action requires.","

In Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, students at Franky Comprehensive Secondary School now have access to something most schools in the country have never had before: real-time air quality data from their own campus.

Franky Comprehensive Secondary School is home to Cameroon’s first campus-based real-time air quality monitoring station. This is an important step in a country where public access to pollution data has long been limited. At the time of installation, the station was among a small number of sites in Cameroon providing real-time air quality data—and the first to be installed on a school campus.

Why a school was the right place to begin

Air pollution is often discussed at the level of cities, countries, or global health reports. But for children, it is also deeply local. It affects the air they breathe on the way to school, during outdoor activities, and throughout the school day. That local reality is one reason the project began on a campus.

The installation was carried out through a partnership involving Franky Comprehensive Secondary School and Global Youth Strategy on Air Pollution and Climate Health (GYS).

According to Elvis Ndikum, founder and chair of GYS, schools are one of the most effective places to build long-term public awareness around respiratory health. Discussing asthma prevalence among adolescents, he points to air pollution as an environmental hazard that is often overlooked, even though children are especially vulnerable to its effects.

Turning invisible pollution into something students can see

The AirVisual Outdoor monitor installed at Franky Comprehensive Secondary School provides real-time measurements of PM2.5, PM10, PM1, temperature, and humidity.

The campus’s station profile data can be viewed online on IQAir’s live air quality map and mobile app, allowing students, staff, families, and the wider community to follow local air conditions throughout the day.

That kind of visibility changes the role air quality plays in school and community life. When students see PM2.5 levels rise on hazy days and drop again after rainfall, air pollution stops being abstract. It becomes something observable and immediate—something that helps explain why some days feel different than others, and why health protection might need to change with conditions.

For many students, this may be the first time local air quality has felt tangible. It also creates a local baseline of publicly visible air quality data—something that can support awareness now and stronger health and policy conversations over time.

Filling a major monitoring gap in Cameroon

Cameroon has a population of roughly 29 million people, yet public access to real-time air quality monitoring has historically been very limited. That makes it harder for communities to understand exposure risks, for researchers to build evidence, and for decision-makers to respond effectively.

In that context, the new campus station is significant far beyond the school itself. It adds a new source of publicly visible data in a country where monitoring coverage remains sparse—and where limited data can make pollution risks harder to quantify and address.

The project shows how local organizations and educational institutions can help close critical data gaps—not only by hosting equipment, but by making air quality part of community awareness. In doing so, the project helps build a stronger culture of attention around air quality and respiratory health.

The local partnership driving the project

The project’s strength lies in its core collaborative partnership. GYS helps position air pollution not just as an environmental topic, but as a youth and public-health issue. Franky Comprehensive Secondary School provides a place where monitoring can directly support awareness, learning, and daily decision-making. Together, they have created a model that shows what school-based air quality visibility can look like in practice, connecting local public-health awareness with broader efforts to expand access to air quality data.

A first step with wider meaning

The station at Franky Comprehensive Secondary School is an important first step, but its significance lies in what it could lead to next.

As more schools gain access to monitoring, the benefits can extend outward: stronger awareness, more localized data, better public understanding, and a clearer picture of air quality over time. For Cameroon, this project shows that even a single campus installation can begin to shift how communities understand the air around them.

That matters because the first step in responding to air pollution is often the same everywhere: making local conditions visible.

Conclusion

Cameroon’s first campus air quality monitor shows how local leadership can turn air pollution from an unseen risk into something communities can observe, understand, and respond to.

The installation is part of IQAir’s Schools4Earth initiative to expand access to air quality monitoring in educational communities. Through Schools4Earth, IQAir supports school-based monitoring projects that help students and teachers understand local air quality conditions while contributing to broader public visibility. In Cameroon, that framework helped support a project already rooted in local health awareness and community engagement.

At Franky Comprehensive Secondary School, students and teachers now have access to real-time air quality information in a setting where that knowledge can shape awareness early and locally. The project highlights the role schools can play not only in education, but also in building the public-health visibility that stronger air quality action requires.

","revealing-the-invisible-campus-air-quality-monitoring-cameroon","gid://shopify/Article/1000900952438","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/revealing-the-invisible-campus-air-quality-monitoring-cameroon","2026-04-22T17:38:02Z",[643,1359,648],"Featured articles","Revealing the Invisible: Campus air quality monitoring in Cameroon",{"_10":1362,"_243":-5,"_246":1363,"_248":1364,"_244":1365},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/414739464566","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/A_88a6fab2-72f4-4a7d-89e3-e1e4587baadc.jpg?v=1776879489",839,674,{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1367,"_1115":1368,"_1131":1369,"_1133":1370,"_1134":1371,"_1136":1372,"_985":1373,"_10":1374,"_1140":1375,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1376,"_577":1377,"_541":1378,"_1147":1379},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Find out whether running an air purifier all day is necessary, safe, and worth it for cleaner indoor air.","

Find out whether running an air purifier all day is necessary, safe, and worth it for cleaner indoor air.

","In most cases, yes. If your goal is to reduce all and any exposure to air pollution, running an air purifier throughout the day is the most effective approach. That’s because indoor air pollution is not a one-time event. Dust settles and gets stirred up again, cooking releases particles and gases, outdoor pollution seeps indoors, and people and pets continuously add new pollutants to the air. Running your air purifier continuously is one of the most effective ways to reduce many common airborne pollutants, including dust, allergens, smoke particles, some airborne microbes carried in droplets or aerosols, and—if the purifier includes the right gas-phase media—certain odors and VOCs. Modern air purifiers are generally designed for continuous operation. Many models also include quieter settings, automatic modes, or smart sensors that help balance air cleaning with energy use and noise. Why continuous operation is best for air quality Indoor air can contain higher concentrations of pollutants than outdoor air, due to poor ventilation, off-gassing from furniture and cleaning products, pet dander, and outdoor pollution seeping indoors. Even after you clean a room once, new pollutants keep entering and forming—so turning a purifier off for long stretches often means you’re letting the room “reload.” Unlike intermittent use, which allows pollutants to accumulate between cycles, all-day operation ensures that contaminants like PM2.5 – particulate matter measuring 2.5 microns in diameter or smaller – are constantly filtered out, providing consistent protection. This is especially true in urban areas, near busy roads, or during wildfire and high-pollution events. Energy, noise, and maintenance considerations Running an air purifier all day does use electricity, but many modern units are designed to do so efficiently—especially on lower or auto settings. In real life, operating cost depends on the model, fan speed, and how many hours per day it runs. Noise also matters. Most high-quality purifiers are quiet enough for everyday use on lower settings, which is why many people run them continuously in bedrooms, living rooms, and home offices. During smoke events or high-pollution periods, a higher fan speed may be worth the extra sound because it helps reduce particle levels more quickly. Continuous use can also mean filters load faster. That’s normal. The tradeoff is straightforward: more run time usually means cleaner air, but also more consistent maintenance. The best approach is to follow the manufacturer’s replacement guidance or filter-life indicator rather than guessing. When you might adjust your approach While all-day use is ideal, there are a few scenarios where you might adjust: Low-pollution periods: If outdoor air quality is excellent and your home is well-ventilated, you can run the purifier intermittently or use an automated mode to conserve energy. Unoccupied rooms: If a room is rarely used, you can turn the purifier off or set it to a lower fan speed. Budget constraints: If energy use is a concern, prioritize the rooms where you spend the most time—especially bedrooms and main living spaces—and use lower or automatic settings when pollution levels are lower. Best practices for all-day air purifier use For best results, place your air purifier where air can move freely around it and avoid blocking it with furniture or walls. In bedrooms, many people prefer to place the unit a few feet from the bed, so the airflow isn’t directed straight at them. If your air purifier has an automatic or smart mode, use it. These settings can raise fan speed when pollution increases and lower it when air is cleaner, helping balance performance, noise, and energy use. During wildfire smoke or heavy outdoor pollution, keep windows and doors closed so you’re not constantly pulling new contaminants into the room. And to maintain performance over time, replace filters according to the manufacturer’s guidance or the system’s filter-life indicator. Frequently Asked Questions Is it safe to run an air purifier all day?Yes, most modern filtration-based air purifiers are designed for continuous operation. Choose a model that does not intentionally generate ozone, keep airflow unobstructed, and follow routine maintenance guidance to keep performance steady. Will running an air purifier all day increase my electricity bill?The impact is usually minimal. Energy-efficient air purifiers often cost only a few dollars per month to run continuously, and automatic or smart modes can further reduce energy use by lowering fan speed as needed. Can I run an air purifier in my bedroom overnight?Yes. Many people run air purifiers overnight, often on a lower or quieter setting. Place the unit a few feet from the bed to avoid direct airflow and minimize noise disruption. Do I need to run an air purifier if I have good ventilation?Even with good ventilation, indoor air can still contain pollutants from cooking, cleaning, pets, and outdoor sources. An air purifier adds an extra layer of protection, especially in urban or high-traffic areas. Conclusion If you want your indoor air to stay cleaner, it usually makes sense to leave your air purifier on throughout the day. Indoor pollution is constantly entering, forming, and being stirred back into the air—even when a room looks clean. For most households, the best strategy is simple: run the purifier consistently, place it well, maintain the filters, and increase fan speed during smoke, traffic, or other high-pollution periods. Clean air is easiest to maintain when you treat it as an ongoing condition—not a one-time fix.","

In most cases, yes. If your goal is to reduce all and any exposure to air pollution, running an air purifier throughout the day is the most effective approach.

That’s because indoor air pollution is not a one-time event. Dust settles and gets stirred up again, cooking releases particles and gases, outdoor pollution seeps indoors, and people and pets continuously add new pollutants to the air. Running your air purifier continuously is one of the most effective ways to reduce many common airborne pollutants, including dust, allergens, smoke particles, some airborne microbes carried in droplets or aerosols, and—if the purifier includes the right gas-phase media—certain odors and VOCs.

Modern air purifiers are generally designed for continuous operation. Many models also include quieter settings, automatic modes, or smart sensors that help balance air cleaning with energy use and noise.

Why continuous operation is best for air quality

Indoor air can contain higher concentrations of pollutants than outdoor air, due to poor ventilation, off-gassing from furniture and cleaning products, pet dander, and outdoor pollution seeping indoors. Even after you clean a room once, new pollutants keep entering and forming—so turning a purifier off for long stretches often means you’re letting the room “reload.”

Unlike intermittent use, which allows pollutants to accumulate between cycles, all-day operation ensures that contaminants like PM2.5 – particulate matter measuring 2.5 microns in diameter or smaller – are constantly filtered out, providing consistent protection. This is especially true in urban areas, near busy roads, or during wildfire and high-pollution events.

Energy, noise, and maintenance considerations

Running an air purifier all day does use electricity, but many modern units are designed to do so efficiently—especially on lower or auto settings. In real life, operating cost depends on the model, fan speed, and how many hours per day it runs.

Noise also matters. Most high-quality purifiers are quiet enough for everyday use on lower settings, which is why many people run them continuously in bedrooms, living rooms, and home offices. During smoke events or high-pollution periods, a higher fan speed may be worth the extra sound because it helps reduce particle levels more quickly.

Continuous use can also mean filters load faster. That’s normal. The tradeoff is straightforward: more run time usually means cleaner air, but also more consistent maintenance. The best approach is to follow the manufacturer’s replacement guidance or filter-life indicator rather than guessing.

When you might adjust your approach

While all-day use is ideal, there are a few scenarios where you might adjust:

\nLow-pollution periods: If outdoor air quality is excellent and your home is well-ventilated, you can run the purifier intermittently or use an automated mode to conserve energy.
\nUnoccupied rooms: If a room is rarely used, you can turn the purifier off or set it to a lower fan speed.
\nBudget constraints: If energy use is a concern, prioritize the rooms where you spend the most time—especially bedrooms and main living spaces—and use lower or automatic settings when pollution levels are lower.
\n

Best practices for all-day air purifier use

For best results, place your air purifier where air can move freely around it and avoid blocking it with furniture or walls. In bedrooms, many people prefer to place the unit a few feet from the bed, so the airflow isn’t directed straight at them.

If your air purifier has an automatic or smart mode, use it. These settings can raise fan speed when pollution increases and lower it when air is cleaner, helping balance performance, noise, and energy use.

During wildfire smoke or heavy outdoor pollution, keep windows and doors closed so you’re not constantly pulling new contaminants into the room. And to maintain performance over time, replace filters according to the manufacturer’s guidance or the system’s filter-life indicator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to run an air purifier all day?
Yes, most modern filtration-based air purifiers are designed for continuous operation. Choose a model that does not intentionally generate ozone, keep airflow unobstructed, and follow routine maintenance guidance to keep performance steady.

Will running an air purifier all day increase my electricity bill?
The impact is usually minimal. Energy-efficient air purifiers often cost only a few dollars per month to run continuously, and automatic or smart modes can further reduce energy use by lowering fan speed as needed.

Can I run an air purifier in my bedroom overnight?
Yes. Many people run air purifiers overnight, often on a lower or quieter setting. Place the unit a few feet from the bed to avoid direct airflow and minimize noise disruption.

Do I need to run an air purifier if I have good ventilation?
Even with good ventilation, indoor air can still contain pollutants from cooking, cleaning, pets, and outdoor sources. An air purifier adds an extra layer of protection, especially in urban or high-traffic areas.

Conclusion

If you want your indoor air to stay cleaner, it usually makes sense to leave your air purifier on throughout the day. Indoor pollution is constantly entering, forming, and being stirred back into the air—even when a room looks clean.

For most households, the best strategy is simple: run the purifier consistently, place it well, maintain the filters, and increase fan speed during smoke, traffic, or other high-pollution periods. Clean air is easiest to maintain when you treat it as an ongoing condition—not a one-time fix.

","should-you-leave-an-air-purifier-on-all-day","gid://shopify/Article/1000802746742","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/should-you-leave-an-air-purifier-on-all-day","2026-04-21T06:00:00Z",[853,1359],"Should you leave an air purifier on all day?",{"_10":1380,"_243":1381,"_246":1382,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/414733304182","Air purifer in living room","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/ShouldYouLeaveAirPurifierOn_Desk_3056c115-415f-48a5-a861-e48d89427895.jpg?v=1776870059","latest",[1385,1402,1419,1436,1452,1468],{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1386,"_1115":1387,"_1131":1388,"_1133":1389,"_1134":1390,"_1136":1391,"_985":1392,"_10":1393,"_1140":1394,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1395,"_577":1396,"_541":1398,"_1147":1399},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Fast-spreading wildfires in northern Japan’s Iwate region have forced mass evacuations and strained firefighting efforts. Click here to learn more.","

Fast-spreading wildfires in northern Japan’s Iwate region have forced mass evacuations and strained firefighting efforts. Click here to learn more.

","What is the name and location of the wildfire? As of April 25, 2026, multiple wildfires are burning across Iwate Prefecture in northern Japan. The blazes are affecting forested and rural areas, where dry conditions and strong winds have accelerated fire spread. Firefighters are battling flames across several fronts, with aerial and ground operations deployed to contain the fires (1). Fire map of northern Japan as of April 25, 2026. Source: IQAir. Which cities or areas are affected by the Iwate Fires? The Iwate wildfires are affecting several areas in northern Japan, including: Ichinoseki Iwate Prefecture forest regions Oshu Rural communities across southern Iwate These areas have experienced wildfire threats, smoke impacts, and emergency response activity as fires continue to spread across forested landscapes (2). What is the current containment status of the Iwate Fires? As of April 25, 2026, the wildfires in Iwate Prefecture remain largely uncontained. Firefighters are struggling to control the blazes due to strong winds, dry vegetation, and challenging terrain. Hundreds of personnel, along with helicopters, have been deployed, but officials report that containment efforts remain ongoing as fire activity continues across multiple areas (3). Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place? Authorities have issued evacuation orders affecting more than 3,000 residents across impacted areas in Iwate Prefecture. Evacuation shelters have been established, and residents have been urged to leave immediately due to the fast-moving fires. Emergency alerts remain in place as officials continue to monitor fire behavior and warn that conditions could worsen with shifting winds (4). How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke? Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke. Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts. Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode. Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke. Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data. Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.","

What is the name and location of the wildfire?

As of April 25, 2026, multiple wildfires are burning across Iwate Prefecture in northern Japan. The blazes are affecting forested and rural areas, where dry conditions and strong winds have accelerated fire spread. Firefighters are battling flames across several fronts, with aerial and ground operations deployed to contain the fires (1).

$\"\"$ Fire map of northern Japan as of April 25, 2026. Source: IQAir.

Which cities or areas are affected by the Iwate Fires?

The Iwate wildfires are affecting several areas in northern Japan, including:

Ichinoseki
Iwate Prefecture forest regions
Oshu
Rural communities across southern Iwate

These areas have experienced wildfire threats, smoke impacts, and emergency response activity as fires continue to spread across forested landscapes (2).

What is the current containment status of the Iwate Fires?

As of April 25, 2026, the wildfires in Iwate Prefecture remain largely uncontained. Firefighters are struggling to control the blazes due to strong winds, dry vegetation, and challenging terrain.

Hundreds of personnel, along with helicopters, have been deployed, but officials report that containment efforts remain ongoing as fire activity continues across multiple areas (3).

Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place?

Authorities have issued evacuation orders affecting more than 3,000 residents across impacted areas in Iwate Prefecture. Evacuation shelters have been established, and residents have been urged to leave immediately due to the fast-moving fires.

Emergency alerts remain in place as officials continue to monitor fire behavior and warn that conditions could worsen with shifting winds (4).

How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke?

Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke.

\nGet a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke.
Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.\n

","wildfire-map-spotlight-iwate-fires-japan","gid://shopify/Article/1001202188662","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/wildfire-map-spotlight-iwate-fires-japan","2026-04-25T10:48:12Z",[390,638,1397],"Wildfires","Wildfire Map Spotlight: Iwate Fires, Japan",{"_10":1400,"_243":-5,"_246":1401,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/414830625142","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/Wildfire7Desktop_738dbffe-3308-4f51-a029-a9ba9b9aed22.jpg?v=1777114099",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1403,"_1115":1404,"_1131":1405,"_1133":1406,"_1134":1407,"_1136":1408,"_985":1409,"_10":1410,"_1140":1411,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1412,"_577":1413,"_541":1414,"_1147":1415},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Find out more about the Pressey Fire burning near Oconto in central Nebraska, including affected areas, containment efforts, and emergency updates.","

Find out more about the Pressey Fire burning near Oconto in central Nebraska, including affected areas, containment efforts, and emergency updates.

","What is the name and location of the wildfire? As of April 25, 2026, the Pressey Fire is active in Pressey Park near Oconto in Custer County, Nebraska. The fire is located north of Oconto along Highway 21 in central Nebraska and has impacted areas surrounding Pressey Park. Emergency crews remain focused on protecting nearby communities, property, and critical infrastructure as firefighting operations continue (1). Which cities or areas are affected by the wildfire? The cities and areas affected by the Pressey Fire include: Custer County Oconto Pressey Park Surrounding areas along Highway 21 What is the current containment status of the Pressey Fire? As of April 25, 2026, the Pressey Fire remains at 45% containment and has burned 9,141 acres. More than 130 personnel are actively working around the clock to contain the fire, with additional resources continuing to arrive. Support efforts include two Nebraska Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters conducting bucket drops, along with a National Guard hand crew assisting firefighters on the ground (2). Officials also reported that one home and several outbuildings have been destroyed, while the cause of the wildfire remains under investigation (3). Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place? No evacuation orders have been issued, but officials are strongly urging residents and visitors to avoid the Pressey Park area near Oconto to allow emergency responders to safely continue firefighting operations. How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke? Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke. Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts. Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode. Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke. Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data. Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask. As of April 25, 2026, this fire is 45% contained.","

What is the name and location of the wildfire?

As of April 25, 2026, the Pressey Fire is active in Pressey Park near Oconto in Custer County, Nebraska. The fire is located north of Oconto along Highway 21 in central Nebraska and has impacted areas surrounding Pressey Park.

Emergency crews remain focused on protecting nearby communities, property, and critical infrastructure as firefighting operations continue (1).

Which cities or areas are affected by the wildfire?

The cities and areas affected by the Pressey Fire include:

Custer County
Oconto
Pressey Park
Surrounding areas along Highway 21

What is the current containment status of the Pressey Fire?

As of April 25, 2026, the Pressey Fire remains at 45% containment and has burned 9,141 acres.

More than 130 personnel are actively working around the clock to contain the fire, with additional resources continuing to arrive. Support efforts include two Nebraska Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters conducting bucket drops, along with a National Guard hand crew assisting firefighters on the ground (2).

Officials also reported that one home and several outbuildings have been destroyed, while the cause of the wildfire remains under investigation (3).

Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place?

No evacuation orders have been issued, but officials are strongly urging residents and visitors to avoid the Pressey Park area near Oconto to allow emergency responders to safely continue firefighting operations.

How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke?

Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke.

\nGet a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke.
Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.\n

As of April 25, 2026, this fire is 45% contained.

","wildfire-map-spotlight-pressey-fire-central-nebraska","gid://shopify/Article/1001196618102","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/wildfire-map-spotlight-pressey-fire-central-nebraska","2026-04-25T09:50:18Z",[390,638,663,1397],"Wildfire Map Spotlight: Pressey Fire, Central Nebraska",{"_10":1416,"_243":1417,"_246":1418,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/414829871478","massive wildfire spreading through a forest","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/Wildfire1Desktop_82448b6a-9901-44bc-9346-350414e5f95e.jpg?v=1777110626",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1420,"_1115":1421,"_1131":1422,"_1133":1423,"_1134":1424,"_1136":1425,"_985":1426,"_10":1427,"_1140":1428,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1429,"_577":1430,"_541":1431,"_1147":1432},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Find out more about the Pineland Road Fire and its impact on communities in southern Georgia.","

Find out more about the Pineland Road Fire and its impact on communities in southern Georgia.

","What is the name and location of the wildfire? As of April 25, 2026, the Pineland Road Fire is burning in southern Georgia across Clinch and Echols counties. The fire is located approximately 5 miles west of Colon Road and Mud Camp Pineland Road, near Highway 441 and close to the Suwannee River at the boundary between the two counties (1). Which cities or areas are affected by the wildfire? The cities and areas affected by the Pineland Road Fire include: Colon Echols County Fargo Highway area Needmore Fruitland Regions near Headlight Road Regions near Tiger Lake Road Regions near Will Rewis Road and Barnes Road What is the current containment status of the Pineland Road Fire? As of April 25, 2026, the Pineland Road Fire has burned approximately 31,000 acres and is 10% contained. Firefighting crews continue suppression efforts under challenging conditions, including severe drought, low humidity, strong winds, and difficult swampy terrain. Full containment is not expected until late May (2). Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place? A mandatory evacuation order is in effect for all of Fruitland in Echols County. Residents are urged to leave immediately, taking essentials, pets, and medications, and to follow official routes and instructions. Evacuation alerts remain in place for residents near Highway 441 between Headlight Road and Tiger Lake Road, as well as areas east of Will Rewis Road and Barnes Road. Officials advise residents not to return to evacuated areas until authorities declare it safe. Evacuation shelters have been opened, including Venture of Faith Camp in Lake Park and Camp Rock in Valdosta (3). How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke? Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke. Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts. Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode. Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke. Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data. Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask. As of April 25, 2026, this fire is 10% contained.","

What is the name and location of the wildfire?

As of April 25, 2026, the Pineland Road Fire is burning in southern Georgia across Clinch and Echols counties.

The fire is located approximately 5 miles west of Colon Road and Mud Camp Pineland Road, near Highway 441 and close to the Suwannee River at the boundary between the two counties (1).

Which cities or areas are affected by the wildfire?

The cities and areas affected by the Pineland Road Fire include:

Colon
Echols County
Fargo Highway area
Needmore
Fruitland
Regions near Headlight Road
Regions near Tiger Lake Road
Regions near Will Rewis Road and Barnes Road

What is the current containment status of the Pineland Road Fire?

As of April 25, 2026, the Pineland Road Fire has burned approximately 31,000 acres and is 10% contained.

Firefighting crews continue suppression efforts under challenging conditions, including severe drought, low humidity, strong winds, and difficult swampy terrain. Full containment is not expected until late May (2).

Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place?

A mandatory evacuation order is in effect for all of Fruitland in Echols County. Residents are urged to leave immediately, taking essentials, pets, and medications, and to follow official routes and instructions.

Evacuation alerts remain in place for residents near Highway 441 between Headlight Road and Tiger Lake Road, as well as areas east of Will Rewis Road and Barnes Road. Officials advise residents not to return to evacuated areas until authorities declare it safe.

Evacuation shelters have been opened, including Venture of Faith Camp in Lake Park and Camp Rock in Valdosta (3).

How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke?

Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke.

\nGet a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke.
Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.\n

As of April 25, 2026, this fire is 10% contained.

","wildfire-map-spotlight-pineland-road-fire-georgia","gid://shopify/Article/1001134391670","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/wildfire-map-spotlight-pineland-road-fire-georgia","2026-04-25T09:45:47Z",[390,638,663,1397],"Wildfire Map Spotlight: Pineland Road Fire, Georgia",{"_10":1433,"_243":1434,"_246":1435,"_248":1364,"_244":1365},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/414829805942","Wildfire engulfs a dense forest","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/Wildfire9Desktop_6929ed32-c2d7-4727-bdf6-cbf27970dfa2.jpg?v=1777110353",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1437,"_1115":1438,"_1131":1439,"_1133":1440,"_1134":1441,"_1136":1442,"_985":1443,"_10":1444,"_1140":1445,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1446,"_577":1447,"_541":1448,"_1147":1449},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Wildfires spread across Brantley County in Georgia, burning structures and causing road closures. Learn more about what is causing the Georgia wildfires.","

Wildfires spread across Brantley County in Georgia, burning structures and causing road closures. Learn more about what is causing the Georgia wildfires.

","What is the name and location of the wildfire? On April 24, 2026, the Brantley Highway 82 Fire is burning in southeastern region of Georgia, neighboring the northern Florida border. The fire is located just off U.S. Highway 82 near the Brantley County line, bordering Glynn County and spreading into Camden County (1)(2). Which cities or areas are affected by the wildfire? The Brantley Highway 82 wildfire has spread across multiple highways, neighborhoods, and communities, including (3)(4): Atkinson Waynesville Happy Hollow U.S. Highway 82 area, from Nahunta to Post Road Highway 110 West, near Camden County line Highway 259, near Camden County line What is the current containment status of the Brantley Highway 82 Fire? On April 24, 2026, the Brantley Highway 82 Fires has burned approximately 7,567 acres and is about 15% contained. Brantley County, Glynn County, and Effingham County Fire Rescue teams have been working together to contain the wildfire and stop the spread to neighboring communities. Glynn County issued a temporary outdoor burn ban, prohibiting outdoor fires ignited by residents such as fireworks and bonfire pits, to prevent additional wildfires (5)(6). Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place? Mandatory evacuation orders for several neighborhoods and communities have been issued all throughout Brantley County, including Happy Hollow, Hawks Landing, and Drury Court. Those needing to evacuate are directed to use Highway 32 for safety. Various neighboring cities are on wildfire watch as winds continue to carry smoke throughout the state. On April 22, 2026, all Brantley County schools were closed due to the wildfire breaching containment. Shelters are open to the public through various churches in the Nahunta and Hortense region, providing food and water to locals in need. Residents in neighboring cities on wildfire watch alert are advised to stay indoors, keep windows closed, and monitor fire updates and alerts (7). How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke? Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke. Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts. Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode. Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke. Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data. Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask. On April 24, 2026, this fire is 15% contained.","

What is the name and location of the wildfire?

On April 24, 2026, the Brantley Highway 82 Fire is burning in southeastern region of Georgia, neighboring the northern Florida border.

The fire is located just off U.S. Highway 82 near the Brantley County line, bordering Glynn County and spreading into Camden County (1)(2).

Which cities or areas are affected by the wildfire?

The Brantley Highway 82 wildfire has spread across multiple highways, neighborhoods, and communities, including (3)(4):

Atkinson
Waynesville
Happy Hollow
U.S. Highway 82 area, from Nahunta to Post Road
Highway 110 West, near Camden County line
Highway 259, near Camden County line

What is the current containment status of the Brantley Highway 82 Fire?

On April 24, 2026, the Brantley Highway 82 Fires has burned approximately 7,567 acres and is about 15% contained.

Brantley County, Glynn County, and Effingham County Fire Rescue teams have been working together to contain the wildfire and stop the spread to neighboring communities. Glynn County issued a temporary outdoor burn ban, prohibiting outdoor fires ignited by residents such as fireworks and bonfire pits, to prevent additional wildfires (5)(6).

Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place?

Mandatory evacuation orders for several neighborhoods and communities have been issued all throughout Brantley County, including Happy Hollow, Hawks Landing, and Drury Court. Those needing to evacuate are directed to use Highway 32 for safety. Various neighboring cities are on wildfire watch as winds continue to carry smoke throughout the state.

On April 22, 2026, all Brantley County schools were closed due to the wildfire breaching containment. Shelters are open to the public through various churches in the Nahunta and Hortense region, providing food and water to locals in need. Residents in neighboring cities on wildfire watch alert are advised to stay indoors, keep windows closed, and monitor fire updates and alerts (7).

How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke?

Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke.

\nGet a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke.
Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.\n

On April 24, 2026, this fire is 15% contained.

","wildfire-map-spotlight-brantley-highway-82-fire-georgia","gid://shopify/Article/1001165488502","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/wildfire-map-spotlight-brantley-highway-82-fire-georgia","2026-04-24T14:30:39Z",[390,638,1397],"Wildfire Map Spotlight: Brantley Highway 82 Fire, Georgia",{"_10":1450,"_243":-5,"_246":1451,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/414818664822","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/Wildfire2Desktop_a1a81ad2-9e56-4c3c-bae2-aa589175f7ed.jpg?v=1777041247",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1453,"_1115":1454,"_1131":1455,"_1133":1456,"_1134":1457,"_1136":1458,"_985":1459,"_10":1460,"_1140":1461,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1462,"_577":1463,"_541":1464,"_1147":1465},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Southeast Asia grapples with unhealthy air pollution, affecting major cities and public health. Learn more about the impacted regions, underlying causes, and expected improvements.","

Southeast Asia grapples with unhealthy air pollution, affecting major cities and public health. Learn more about the impacted regions, underlying causes, and expected improvements.

","Is the air quality good in Southeast Asia? On April 24, 2026, air quality across Southeast Asia remains poor, with some of the major cities experiencing air quality in the \"unhealthy\" range and high PM2.5 concentrations, posing serious health risks to residents, especially children and the elderly. By 5:00 PM (local time, UTC+7), several urban centers have recorded AQI readings between 100 and 200, prompting health warnings. Residents are advised to limit outdoor activity, keep windows closed, wear masks when outside, and use air purifiers indoors. While conditions remain variable, Southeast Asia’s average PM2.5 levels in 2025 continued to exceed WHO guidelines across the region. Indonesia recorded around 30 µg/m³, about six times the guideline, while Vietnam reached 29.7 µg/m³, or 5.9 times higher. Myanmar and Laos measured 4.7 and 4.5 times the limit, respectively, while Thailand and Cambodia were each about 3.6 times above, underscoring persistent regional air quality challenges. Air quality map of Southeast Asia and neighboring countries as of 5:00 PM (local time) on April 24, 2026. Source: IQAir. When will the air quality improve in Southeast Asia? As of April 24, 2026, several major cities across Southeast Asia are reporting poor air quality. Some of the affected cities include: Chiang Mai, Thailand Chiang Rai, Thailand Lampang, Thailand Luang Prabang, Laos Phitsanulok, Thailand Air quality conditions can change rapidly throughout the day. For a complete, real-time overview of pollution levels nationwide, see Southeast Asia air quality map. Chiang Mai ranked among the most polluted major cities globally, as of 5:00 PM (local time) on April 24, 2026. Source: IQAir. When will air quality improve in Southeast Asia? Conditions usually begin to improve in late April as weather patterns shift and the rainy season approaches, with rainfall and increased atmospheric mixing helping to disperse smoke particles and reduce PM2.5 concentrations. By Songkran in mid-April, air quality in northern Thailand typically clears, though the pattern of \"fine one day, hazardous the next\" persists until monsoon rains provide more sustained relief. For maritime Southeast Asia, the dry season runs through October, meaning improvement there depends on the onset of the northeast monsoon. Lasting regional progress requires coordinated cross-border emission controls and a transition away from open burning practices (1). What is causing poor air quality in Southeast Asia? Southeast Asia experiences two distinct burning seasons each year, with mainland countries including Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam affected from November through May, while more equatorial maritime nations including Indonesia and Malaysia face peak fire activity from June through October (2).; Biomass burning accounts for approximately 48% of annual average PM2.5 concentrations across mainland Southeast Asia, with forest fires, shrubland fires, and crop residue burning peaking in March when monthly average PM2.5 reaches 45 µg/m³. Indonesia is the major contributor to transboundary haze across the region, as combustion of biomass and organic peat soil generates large volumes of carbonaceous fine particles that are carried by prevailing winds into Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, and neighboring countries. Urban sources including vehicle emissions, coal-fired power generation, and industrial activity add to the pollution burden year-round (3). How can I protect myself from poor air quality? Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts. Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode. Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data. Stay indoors when air quality is poor; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask. Run a high-performance air purifier to filter particles, gases, and other pollutants.","

Is the air quality good in Southeast Asia?

On April 24, 2026, air quality across Southeast Asia remains poor, with some of the major cities experiencing air quality in the \"unhealthy\" range and high PM2.5 concentrations, posing serious health risks to residents, especially children and the elderly.

By 5:00 PM (local time, UTC+7), several urban centers have recorded AQI readings between 100 and 200, prompting health warnings. Residents are advised to limit outdoor activity, keep windows closed, wear masks when outside, and use air purifiers indoors.

While conditions remain variable, Southeast Asia’s average PM2.5 levels in 2025 continued to exceed WHO guidelines across the region. Indonesia recorded around 30 µg/m³, about six times the guideline, while Vietnam reached 29.7 µg/m³, or 5.9 times higher. Myanmar and Laos measured 4.7 and 4.5 times the limit, respectively, while Thailand and Cambodia were each about 3.6 times above, underscoring persistent regional air quality challenges.

$\"\"$ Air quality map of Southeast Asia and neighboring countries as of 5:00 PM (local time) on April 24, 2026. Source: IQAir.

When will the air quality improve in Southeast Asia?

As of April 24, 2026, several major cities across Southeast Asia are reporting poor air quality. Some of the affected cities include:

\nChiang Mai, Thailand
\nChiang Rai, Thailand
\nLampang, Thailand
\nLuang Prabang, Laos
\nPhitsanulok, Thailand

Air quality conditions can change rapidly throughout the day. For a complete, real-time overview of pollution levels nationwide, see Southeast Asia air quality map.

$\"\"$ Chiang Mai ranked among the most polluted major cities globally, as of 5:00 PM (local time) on April 24, 2026. Source: IQAir.

When will air quality improve in Southeast Asia?

Conditions usually begin to improve in late April as weather patterns shift and the rainy season approaches, with rainfall and increased atmospheric mixing helping to disperse smoke particles and reduce PM2.5 concentrations.

By Songkran in mid-April, air quality in northern Thailand typically clears, though the pattern of \"fine one day, hazardous the next\" persists until monsoon rains provide more sustained relief.

For maritime Southeast Asia, the dry season runs through October, meaning improvement there depends on the onset of the northeast monsoon. Lasting regional progress requires coordinated cross-border emission controls and a transition away from open burning practices (1).

What is causing poor air quality in Southeast Asia?

Southeast Asia experiences two distinct burning seasons each year, with mainland countries including Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam affected from November through May, while more equatorial maritime nations including Indonesia and Malaysia face peak fire activity from June through October (2).;

Biomass burning accounts for approximately 48% of annual average PM2.5 concentrations across mainland Southeast Asia, with forest fires, shrubland fires, and crop residue burning peaking in March when monthly average PM2.5 reaches 45 µg/m³.

Indonesia is the major contributor to transboundary haze across the region, as combustion of biomass and organic peat soil generates large volumes of carbonaceous fine particles that are carried by prevailing winds into Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, and neighboring countries. Urban sources including vehicle emissions, coal-fired power generation, and industrial activity add to the pollution burden year-round (3).

How can I protect myself from poor air quality?

\nGet a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
Stay indoors when air quality is poor; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.\n
Run a high-performance air purifier to filter particles, gases, and other pollutants.

","southeast-asia-air-quality-alert","gid://shopify/Article/1001100673398","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/southeast-asia-air-quality-alert","2026-04-24T10:11:45Z",[390,638],"Southeast Asia Air Quality Alert",{"_10":1466,"_243":-5,"_246":1467,"_248":1364,"_244":1365},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/414805197174","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/SoutheastAsia_Fire_Desk_3c24b03f-de67-4da2-9cc3-c86e58b2da6c.jpg?v=1777025511",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1469,"_1115":1470,"_1131":1471,"_1133":1472,"_1134":1473,"_1136":1474,"_985":1475,"_10":1476,"_1140":1477,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1478,"_577":1479,"_541":1480,"_1147":1481},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Find out more about the extreme heatwave affecting multiple regions across India as temperatures continue to rise across the country.","

Find out more about the extreme heatwave affecting multiple regions across India as temperatures continue to rise across the country.

","Why is there a heatwave in India? As of April 23, 2026, India is experiencing widespread extreme heat across northern, central, and eastern regions, with Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi reporting dangerously high temperatures (1). According to recent reports, 19 of the world’s 20 hottest cities are currently located in India. Among the hardest-hit locations are Bhagalpur in Bihar, Talcher in Odisha, Asansol in West Bengal, and Medinipur in West Bengal. The current heatwave is being fueled by a combination of weather and climate factors. Strong pre-monsoon solar heating is rapidly warming land surfaces. Cloudless skies are also allowing prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. Reduced winter snowfall across the Himalayas and parts of Eurasia has also contributed to higher temperatures by reducing natural cooling effects. At the same time, hot and dry northwesterly winds are suppressing rainfall across large parts of the country. Shifting Pacific Ocean patterns and ENSO-neutral conditions are further weakening cooling weather systems, allowing extreme temperatures to persist for longer periods. Areas near the Himalayan region are also experiencing abnormal warming due to reduced snow cover, while eastern plains near Nepal’s Lumbini region are facing similar extreme heat conditions (2). How long will the heatwave last? The current heat event began intensifying after April 20, 2026, as temperatures rose sharply across multiple regions. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heatwave conditions are expected to continue through at least April 26 to April 27 in several states. Some areas may not experience meaningful relief until later in the month as pre-monsoon weather activity increases. Heatwave conditions are expected to persist across: Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana through April 24–25 West Uttar Pradesh through April 23–25 East Uttar Pradesh through April 22–26 Rajasthan through April 24–26 Madhya Pradesh through April 23–26 Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh through April 24–27 Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal through April 22–23 Southern coastal regions, including Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and coastal Karnataka, are also expected to experience prolonged hot and humid weather conditions (3). Are there any alerts in place? The India Meteorological Department has issued multiple heat-related alerts across affected regions as temperatures continue to rise. Yellow alerts remain in place in several states where heat exposure poses moderate health risks, particularly for children, older adults, and individuals with existing medical conditions. Orange alerts have also been issued in areas facing a higher risk of heat-related illness due to prolonged exposure. Delhi remains under a yellow alert through April 24, while severe heat advisories continue across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and parts of eastern India. At this time, no evacuation orders or emergency shelters have been reported in connection with the heatwave. Health officials are advising residents to take precautions, including staying hydrated, limiting outdoor activity during peak afternoon hours, wearing lightweight clothing, and recognizing signs of heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Officials have also warned about unusually warm nighttime temperatures in Delhi, Haryana, Odisha, and Konkan. These warmer nights may increase health risks by limiting the body’s ability to recover from prolonged daytime heat exposure (4).","

Why is there a heatwave in India?

As of April 23, 2026, India is experiencing widespread extreme heat across northern, central, and eastern regions, with Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi reporting dangerously high temperatures (1).

According to recent reports, 19 of the world’s 20 hottest cities are currently located in India. Among the hardest-hit locations are Bhagalpur in Bihar, Talcher in Odisha, Asansol in West Bengal, and Medinipur in West Bengal.

The current heatwave is being fueled by a combination of weather and climate factors. Strong pre-monsoon solar heating is rapidly warming land surfaces. Cloudless skies are also allowing prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.

Reduced winter snowfall across the Himalayas and parts of Eurasia has also contributed to higher temperatures by reducing natural cooling effects. At the same time, hot and dry northwesterly winds are suppressing rainfall across large parts of the country.

Shifting Pacific Ocean patterns and ENSO-neutral conditions are further weakening cooling weather systems, allowing extreme temperatures to persist for longer periods.

Areas near the Himalayan region are also experiencing abnormal warming due to reduced snow cover, while eastern plains near Nepal’s Lumbini region are facing similar extreme heat conditions (2).

How long will the heatwave last?

The current heat event began intensifying after April 20, 2026, as temperatures rose sharply across multiple regions.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heatwave conditions are expected to continue through at least April 26 to April 27 in several states. Some areas may not experience meaningful relief until later in the month as pre-monsoon weather activity increases.

Heatwave conditions are expected to persist across:

\nDelhi, Punjab, and Haryana through April 24–25
West Uttar Pradesh through April 23–25
East Uttar Pradesh through April 22–26
\nRajasthan through April 24–26
\nMadhya Pradesh through April 23–26
Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh through April 24–27
\nBihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal through April 22–23

Southern coastal regions, including Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and coastal Karnataka, are also expected to experience prolonged hot and humid weather conditions (3).

Are there any alerts in place?

The India Meteorological Department has issued multiple heat-related alerts across affected regions as temperatures continue to rise.

Yellow alerts remain in place in several states where heat exposure poses moderate health risks, particularly for children, older adults, and individuals with existing medical conditions.

Orange alerts have also been issued in areas facing a higher risk of heat-related illness due to prolonged exposure.

Delhi remains under a yellow alert through April 24, while severe heat advisories continue across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and parts of eastern India.

At this time, no evacuation orders or emergency shelters have been reported in connection with the heatwave.

Health officials are advising residents to take precautions, including staying hydrated, limiting outdoor activity during peak afternoon hours, wearing lightweight clothing, and recognizing signs of heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

Officials have also warned about unusually warm nighttime temperatures in Delhi, Haryana, Odisha, and Konkan. These warmer nights may increase health risks by limiting the body’s ability to recover from prolonged daytime heat exposure (4).

","heatwave-map-spotlight-northern-central-and-eastern-india","gid://shopify/Article/1001168863606","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/heatwave-map-spotlight-northern-central-and-eastern-india","2026-04-23T09:16:54Z",[390,638],"Heatwave Map Spotlight: Northern, Central, and Eastern India",{"_10":1482,"_243":1483,"_246":1484,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/414755193206","A man wipes sweat from his face under the scorching sun.","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/Heatwave2Desktop_201f1ef3-3ac0-4fcd-86f6-216c4a5b07b3.jpg?v=1776936733","popular",[1487,1503,1508,1524],{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1488,"_1115":1489,"_1131":1490,"_1133":1490,"_1134":1491,"_1136":1492,"_985":1493,"_10":1494,"_1140":1495,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1496,"_577":1497,"_541":1498,"_1147":1499},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Learn why wildfire smoke poses a health risk to people living far downwind and what you can do to help protect yourself.","When considering the dangers of wildfires, thoughts of fleeing your home while a raging wildfire rapidly approaches can easily consume your imagination. However, the number one cause of death from fires is smoke inhalation. The primary cause of death from wildfires is smoke inhalation. 50 to 80 percent of fire deaths are from smoke inhalation. Inhaling smoke damages your body in one or both of the following ways: by robbing it of oxygen through particulate matter irritation Smoke inhalation is particularly dangerous because you may not show symptoms until 24 to 48 hours after exposure. 50–80 percent of fire deaths are from smoke inhalation.1 Read on to learn how to help protect the health of yourself and your loved ones, and learn some wildfire smoke safety tips to rest assured that you’ve taken the necessary wildfire safety precautions to reduce the consequences of toxic wildfire smoke. What’s in wildfire smoke? Wildfire smoke is a mixture of thousands of individual compounds, including harmful particles and gases that pose a severe health risk to anyone (including pets) nearby and downwind from a fire. Wildfire smoke often contains: water vapor particulate matter trace minerals carbon dioxide carbon monoxide nitrogen oxides hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide compounds that contribute to elevated ozone (O3) levels volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including acrolein and formaldehyde (potent respiratory irritants) Wildfire smoke often contains fine (PM2.5) and ultrafine particles that can be absorbed directly into your blood stream and reach any organ or area of your body. Pictured: The typical contents of wildfire smoke, including ultrafine particles (≤ 0.3 microns), PM2.5 (2.5-10 microns), acrolein, PM10 (> 10 microns), formaldehyde, carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons. Source: IQAir Wildfire smoke composition depends upon multiple factors, including: the types of wood and vegetation burning the moisture content the fire temperature wind conditions other weather-related influences The primary pollutant threatening the health of those nearby and downwind of a wildfire is particulate matter. Wildfire smoke often contains fine (or PM2.5) and ultrafine particles. These tiny airborne particles are the most dangerous to your health. Fine particles (smaller than 2.5 microns) penetrate deeply into your lungs. The most dangerous are ultrafine particles (smaller than 0.1 microns), which represent 90% of all airborne particles. These particles are tiny and can be absorbed directly into your bloodstream. Once in your blood, they can reach any organ or area of your body. Clean the air with high-performance air filtration Learn more about our wildfire smoke air purifiers Click here Wildfire smoke and at-risk populations Most healthy adults will recover from smoke exposure. However, certain individuals are more at risk for severe health consequences, including:2 Young children. Children whose lungs are still developing are considered more vulnerable, regardless of whether they have a pre-existing condition. Pregnant women. Wildfire smoke inhalation puts pregnant women and their unborn children at a higher risk than the general population. Older adults. This population is at-risk due to an increased rate of pre-existing heart and lung disease. Anyone with a respiratory disease. Individuals with emphysema, chronic bronchitis, COPD, asthma, or another respiratory disease are at-risk. Individuals with heart disease. Circulatory diseases include high blood pressure, vascular diseases, heart failure, and cerebrovascular conditions. These conditions make sufferers susceptible to heart attacks, transient chest pain, heart failure, stroke, and sudden death from cardiac arrhythmia. Young children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with respiratory and cardiovascular pre-existing conditions may find that they experience more severe symptoms and find it harder to breathe.3 The full impact of wildfire smoke is not yet fully understood. A 2017 review in Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology found that there are still important study opportunities for exploring the long-term health implications of smoke exposure, smoke exposure recovery, and additional smoke inhalation health impacts for children.4 Exposure to smoke can be dangerous simply due to the microorganisms within the smoke. A 2020 study in Science magazine noted that microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungal spores, comprise some of the particulate matter found in smoke.5 The study theorizes that infectious disease may be spread as bacteria and fungi become part of smoke’s particulate composition. Microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungal spores, comprise some of the particulate matter found in smoke, and infectious disease may be spread as they become part of the smoke’s particulate composition. How wildfire smoke behaves Many factors affect wildfire smoke behavior, such as: weather geographical terrain the stage of the fire wind Use the live, interactive air quality map below to see how weather, wind, and location can impact the behavior of wildfire smoke near you. Windy conditions generally cause smoke to mix with larger volumes of air to lower smoke concentrations. However, strong winds also can spread fires more quickly, causing larger fires with greater impact. Regional weather can be the dominant determinant in how a fire behaves as well as how smoke affects surrounding areas. However, regional weather systems can spread fires quickly and result in larger fires with more smoke generated, creating the potential for even greater impacts. Strong regional weather systems can also dominate a fire’s behavior for days and be the determining factor of where and how smoke will affect an area. Smoke can travel for miles beyond its source. In 2020, smoke from wildfires in the Western United States drifted for nearly 5,000 miles, eventually being detected in Europe. Smoke can travel for miles beyond its source. In 2020, smoke from wildfires in the western United States drifted for nearly 5,000 miles, eventually being detected in Europe.6 Wildfire safety tips Wildfire smoke events can occur seemingly without warning. But there are steps you can take to prepare yourself using appropriate safety precautions for wildfires. Keep the air clean in your home. Keep windows and doors closed closed and seal off any openings to the outside, including vents, to help prevent outdoor smoke from getting in. When using an air conditioner, be sure to set it to re-circulate and close the fresh-air intake. Filter the air when ventilating the space. An air purifier for wildfire smoke, will help remove smoke particles of all sizes down to 0.003 microns from the indoor air and help control ozone levels. This is critical if you live in an urban area downwind (even remotely) from wildfires. Stay indoors as much as possible. This tactic is most useful in buildings that effectively stop outdoor air from getting inside. If you need to travel by car to leave or evacuate an area affected by wildfire smoke, use a car air purifier to help keep your vehicle interior air clean as you pass through smoky or polluted areas. You can also use a portable, personal air purifier to access clean air where other air filtration systems are not available. Wear a mask outdoors. Only use an air pollution mask with an N95, KN95, N100, or FFP2 rating to help. Avoid activities that further pollute the indoor air. Avoid burning candles, using the fireplace, or even vacuuming unless you own a high-performance HEPA vacuum cleaner. All of these activities can otherwise become additional sources of indoor air pollutants. Monitor your indoor air quality. Use an air quality monitor to track levels of indoor pollutants like PM2.5 and CO2 from smoke and other indoor pollution sources. Take action if indoor air pollutants rise to dangerous levels by running an air purifier, circulating fresh air through your HVAC system, or leaving your home temporarily if indoor air becomes unsafe to breathe or your home is threatened by wildfire. Use an air quality monitoring app to keep track of pollutants in your environment. The AirVisual app displays real-time hyperlocal data from over 80,000 sensors around the world. The app also tracks up to six key wildfire pollutants, such as PM2.5, CO2, and NO2, so that you have the best picture of your local air quality during a wildfire and can take action to help protect your health. Wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity. Wildfire smoke can negatively affect your health, even if you’re far away from the actual fire. Learn to protect the health of yourself and your family, and rest assured that you’ve taken the necessary precautions. During a wildfire, it’s also important to monitor your local air quality to see how wildfire smoke will affect your outdoor air. The takeaway Wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity. Wildfire smoke can negatively affect your health, even if you’re far away from the actual fire. And while wildfire smoke may be a warning sign of imminent fires, smoke also delivers its own set of risks for people living miles beyond the source. Though smoke pollutants carried on the wind may be invisible, their impacts are felt by those most at risk. Smoke pollutants pose health threats that range from irritation and cough to more serious respiratory and cardiac risks. By helping control smoke pollutants that threaten our indoor air quality through monitoring and air purification, it's possible to help manage wildfire smoke health risks.","

When considering the dangers of wildfires, thoughts of fleeing your home while a raging wildfire rapidly approaches can easily consume your imagination. However, the number one cause of death from fires is smoke inhalation.

The primary cause of death from wildfires is smoke inhalation. 50 to 80 percent of fire deaths are from smoke inhalation.

Inhaling smoke damages your body in one or both of the following ways:

by robbing it of oxygen
through particulate matter irritation

Smoke inhalation is particularly dangerous because you may not show symptoms until 24 to 48 hours after exposure. 50–80 percent of fire deaths are from smoke inhalation.¹

Read on to learn how to help protect the health of yourself and your loved ones, and learn some wildfire smoke safety tips to rest assured that you’ve taken the necessary wildfire safety precautions to reduce the consequences of toxic wildfire smoke.

What’s in wildfire smoke?

Wildfire smoke is a mixture of thousands of individual compounds, including harmful particles and gases that pose a severe health risk to anyone (including pets) nearby and downwind from a fire.

Wildfire smoke often contains:

\n
water vapor
\n
\n
particulate matter
\n
\n
trace minerals
\n
\n
carbon dioxide
\n
\n
carbon monoxide
\n
\n
nitrogen oxides
\n
\n
hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide compounds that contribute to elevated ozone (O₃) levels
\n
\n
volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including acrolein and formaldehyde (potent respiratory irritants)
\n

Wildfire smoke often contains fine (PM2.5) and ultrafine particles that can be absorbed directly into your blood stream and reach any organ or area of your body.

$\"What's$

Pictured: The typical contents of wildfire smoke, including ultrafine particles (≤ 0.3 microns), PM2.5 (2.5-10 microns), acrolein, PM10 (> 10 microns), formaldehyde, carbon dioxide (CO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons. Source: IQAir

Wildfire smoke composition depends upon multiple factors, including:

\n
the types of wood and vegetation burning
\n

\n
the moisture content
\n
\n
the fire temperature
\n
\n
wind conditions
\n
\n
other weather-related influences
\n

The primary pollutant threatening the health of those nearby and downwind of a wildfire is particulate matter. Wildfire smoke often contains fine (or PM2.5) and ultrafine particles. These tiny airborne particles are the most dangerous to your health.

Fine particles (smaller than 2.5 microns) penetrate deeply into your lungs.

The most dangerous are ultrafine particles (smaller than 0.1 microns), which represent 90% of all airborne particles. These particles are tiny and can be absorbed directly into your bloodstream. Once in your blood, they can reach any organ or area of your body.

\n \n

\n\n

Clean the air with high-performance air filtration
Learn more about our wildfire smoke air purifiers

\n\n

Click here

Wildfire smoke and at-risk populations

Most healthy adults will recover from smoke exposure. However, certain individuals are more at risk for severe health consequences, including:²

\n
Young children. Children whose lungs are still developing are considered more vulnerable, regardless of whether they have a pre-existing condition.
\n
\n
Pregnant women. Wildfire smoke inhalation puts pregnant women and their unborn children at a higher risk than the general population.
\n
\n
Older adults. This population is at-risk due to an increased rate of pre-existing heart and lung disease.
\n
\n
Anyone with a respiratory disease. Individuals with emphysema, chronic bronchitis, COPD, asthma, or another respiratory disease are at-risk.
\n
\n
Individuals with heart disease. Circulatory diseases include high blood pressure, vascular diseases, heart failure, and cerebrovascular conditions. These conditions make sufferers susceptible to heart attacks, transient chest pain, heart failure, stroke, and sudden death from cardiac arrhythmia.
\n

Young children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with respiratory and cardiovascular pre-existing conditions may find that they experience more severe symptoms and find it harder to breathe.³

The full impact of wildfire smoke is not yet fully understood. A 2017 review in Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology found that there are still important study opportunities for exploring the long-term health implications of smoke exposure, smoke exposure recovery, and additional smoke inhalation health impacts for children.⁴

Exposure to smoke can be dangerous simply due to the microorganisms within the smoke. A 2020 study in Science magazine noted that microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungal spores, comprise some of the particulate matter found in smoke.⁵ The study theorizes that infectious disease may be spread as bacteria and fungi become part of smoke’s particulate composition.

 Microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungal spores, comprise some of the particulate matter found in smoke, and infectious disease may be spread as they become part of the smoke’s particulate composition.

How wildfire smoke behaves

Many factors affect wildfire smoke behavior, such as:

\n
weather
\n
\n
geographical terrain
\n
\n
the stage of the fire
\n
\n
wind
\n

Use the live, interactive air quality map below to see how weather, wind, and location can impact the behavior of wildfire smoke near you.

$\"placeholder$

Windy conditions generally cause smoke to mix with larger volumes of air to lower smoke concentrations. However, strong winds also can spread fires more quickly, causing larger fires with greater impact.

Regional weather can be the dominant determinant in how a fire behaves as well as how smoke affects surrounding areas. However, regional weather systems can spread fires quickly and result in larger fires with more smoke generated, creating the potential for even greater impacts.

Strong regional weather systems can also dominate a fire’s behavior for days and be the determining factor of where and how smoke will affect an area.

Smoke can travel for miles beyond its source. In 2020, smoke from wildfires in the Western United States drifted for nearly 5,000 miles, eventually being detected in Europe.

Smoke can travel for miles beyond its source. In 2020, smoke from wildfires in the western United States drifted for nearly 5,000 miles, eventually being detected in Europe.⁶

Wildfire safety tips

Wildfire smoke events can occur seemingly without warning. But there are steps you can take to prepare yourself using appropriate safety precautions for wildfires.

\n
Keep the air clean in your home. Keep windows and doors closed closed and seal off any openings to the outside, including vents, to help prevent outdoor smoke from getting in. When using an air conditioner, be sure to set it to re-circulate and close the fresh-air intake. Filter the air when ventilating the space. An air purifier for wildfire smoke, will help remove smoke particles of all sizes down to 0.003 microns from the indoor air and help control ozone levels. This is critical if you live in an urban area downwind (even remotely) from wildfires.
\n
\n
Stay indoors as much as possible. This tactic is most useful in buildings that effectively stop outdoor air from getting inside. If you need to travel by car to leave or evacuate an area affected by wildfire smoke, use a car air purifier to help keep your vehicle interior air clean as you pass through smoky or polluted areas. You can also use a portable, personal air purifier to access clean air where other air filtration systems are not available.
\n
\n
Wear a mask outdoors. Only use an air pollution mask with an N95, KN95, N100, or FFP2 rating to help.
\n
\n
Avoid activities that further pollute the indoor air. Avoid burning candles, using the fireplace, or even vacuuming unless you own a high-performance HEPA vacuum cleaner. All of these activities can otherwise become additional sources of indoor air pollutants.
\n
\n
Monitor your indoor air quality. Use an air quality monitor to track levels of indoor pollutants like PM2.5 and CO₂ from smoke and other indoor pollution sources. Take action if indoor air pollutants rise to dangerous levels by running an air purifier, circulating fresh air through your HVAC system, or leaving your home temporarily if indoor air becomes unsafe to breathe or your home is threatened by wildfire.
\n
\n
Use an air quality monitoring app to keep track of pollutants in your environment. The AirVisual app displays real-time hyperlocal data from over 80,000 sensors around the world. The app also tracks up to six key wildfire pollutants, such as PM2.5, CO₂, and NO₂, so that you have the best picture of your local air quality during a wildfire and can take action to help protect your health.
\n

$\"Google$ $\"App$ $\"Android\"$

Wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity. Wildfire smoke can negatively affect your health, even if you’re far away from the actual fire. Learn to protect the health of yourself and your family, and rest assured that you’ve taken the necessary precautions.

During a wildfire, it’s also important to monitor your local air quality to see how wildfire smoke will affect your outdoor air.

The takeaway

Wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity. Wildfire smoke can negatively affect your health, even if you’re far away from the actual fire. And while wildfire smoke may be a warning sign of imminent fires, smoke also delivers its own set of risks for people living miles beyond the source.

Though smoke pollutants carried on the wind may be invisible, their impacts are felt by those most at risk. Smoke pollutants pose health threats that range from irritation and cough to more serious respiratory and cardiac risks.

By helping control smoke pollutants that threaten our indoor air quality through monitoring and air purification, it's possible to help manage wildfire smoke health risks.

","how-to-protect-yourself-from-wildfire-smoke","gid://shopify/Article/606869291307","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/how-to-protect-yourself-from-wildfire-smoke","2025-07-01T20:46:00Z",[390,638,1181,1397],"How to protect yourself from wildfire smoke",{"_10":1500,"_243":1501,"_246":1502,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/406601138550","Wildfire at night in hills","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/AQL_21_WildfireDesktop_a_790d6d55-874f-4c95-bff8-11655661a476.jpg?v=1752702197",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1504,"_1115":1505,"_1131":1173,"_1133":1173,"_1134":1174,"_1136":1175,"_985":1176,"_10":1177,"_1140":1178,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1179,"_577":1506,"_541":1182,"_1147":1507},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},[853,653,1181],{"_10":1184,"_243":1185,"_246":1186,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1509,"_1115":1510,"_1131":1511,"_1133":1511,"_1134":1512,"_1136":1513,"_985":1514,"_10":1515,"_1140":1516,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1517,"_577":1518,"_541":1519,"_1147":1520},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"They look great on your nightstand, but are they worth their salt as air purifiers? Learn more.","Himalayan salt lamps DO NOT purify indoor air.These trendy little lamps consist of a light bulb placed inside a chunk of pink Himalayan salt. They’re easily recognized by their hand-carved, often stylized shapes and dim, pinkish glow they emit when light shines through them.They’ve been gaining popularity for years, mostly because their distinct color and unique appearance make them attractive objects for interior decoration, and their glow can add a pleasing atmosphere to a room.But their recent rise in popularity as “natural” air purifiers should trouble you.A host of (often misleading) studies supporting the use of salt in treating respiratory conditions have escalated demand for these little pink things, especially within the well-primed alternative medicine market, full of people who may already be seeking home remedies for all sorts of health conditions and indoor environmental issues when modern medicine hasn’t seemed to help.And you shouldn’t buy a Himalayan salt lamp to purify your air for one major reason: they’re negative ionizers, and negative ionization is one of the most absurd air purification myths ever devised.Why are Himalayan salt lamps bad for air quality?Again, two words: negative ionization.If you ever hear the words “ionization” (in one form or another) and “air purification” in the same sentence, you should run in the opposite direction.In the context of air purification, negative ionization happens when negatively charged particles attach themselves, or “charge,” pollutant particles in the air, effectively removing them from ambient air by causing them to stick to nearby surfaces.This phenomenon also occurs in nature – know that distinct smell in the air after a thunderstorm? That’s the result of “atmospheric space charge” as air ions are generated by the electric fields of storms.1 Many air purifiers and purification devices sold in stores, including Himalayan salt lamps and a variety of “air ionizers,” artificially produce high voltage to achieve this same effect.The problem with negative ionization, though, is that it doesn’t actually remove pollutants from your indoor air – it just causes the particles to adhere themselves to nearby surfaces, where they’re easily stirred up by indoor activities like dusting, vacuuming, and ventilation.Charged particles can also stick to your respiratory tract, where charged particles can settle in your windpipe and lungs and cause even more harm that if they’d just remained in the air. Studies show that these particles can penetrate deep into your respiratory system and cause both heart and lung conditions.2The average, nightstand-sized Himalayan salt lamp generates only a small number of negative ions into the air, so you may not notice any tangible change in your air quality or health, at least immediately. But these lamps can be huge: you can buy salt lamps that weight up to 300 pounds for thousands of dollars, and their ionization effects may have a more noticeable effect on your air, especially if you live in an airtight, energy-efficient home in which indoor pollutants have a much harder time getting out.And negative ionizers have another dark secret: they can also create indoor ozone (O3).There are two main types of ozone: Stratospheric ozone: Alayer of ozone occurs naturally several miles up in the atmosphere, where it protects the surface of the earth (and people’s skin) from ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Tropospheric ozone: Also called ground-level ozone or smog, ground-level ozone tends to develop when heat from sunlight reacts with chemicals near the ground, many of which are produced by emissions from vehicle exhaust and factory smoke. Negative ionization can generate tropospheric ozone indoors. While stratospheric ozone has no interaction with us in the lower atmosphere, ground-level ozone is far more harmful when it builds up to high levels. And perhaps one of the starkest examples of ground-level ozone is one that millions of us know very well – the smog that forms in major cities during rush hour.If you live near a freeway, dense urban center, or even at a high elevation where you can see the area around an urban area. A few hours or less after rush hour begins and the sun begins to rise, you’ll start to notice a visible layer of haze build up. This is ground-level ozone, and even though it’s a typical feature of modern life, extensive research shows that it causes a plethora of immediate symptoms, including: Coughing Wheezing Trouble breathing Stuffy nose Dizziness Tingling in arms and legs Fever3,4 Further research suggests that ozone is also responsible for long-term health problems, such as asthma, heart disease, and lung disease. Emerging studies on rats also suggest that ozone could cause seizures and blindness.So even though you may not get rush-hour levels of ozone in your home from a salt lamp, indoor ozone buildup can indeed cause some disruptive health effects if you don’t follow best practices for good Indoor Air Quality.So what’s so special about Himalayan salt?So how did someone come up with the idea that Himalayan salt lamps have any health effects at all?The story stretches back millennia. Truly authentic Himalayan salt comes from the Khewra salt reserves in the Punjab region of Pakistan. Salt mined here is thought to be millions of years old and contain numerous minerals.Salt lamps have been proposed for use in treatments for conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) because of their purported therapeutic effects on your respiratory system. This treatment even has a clinical term: halotherapy, based on an ages-old respiratory treatment technique known as speleotherapy. First used in Eastern Europe, speleotherapy consists of spending time in a salt cave, where four environmental conditions are thought to help reduce symptoms of respiratory illness:5 Stable air temperature Moderate to high humidity Presence of aerosol elements, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium Lack of airborne pollutants Halotherapy takes the notion that salt cave environments are good for respiratory health by having people inhale small amounts of salt particles that are released into the ambient air of a controlled room to “reproduce” a salt cave’s microclimate. But there’s no conclusive evidence that either speleotherapy or halotherapy actually relieve respiratory symptoms.6Take the claims with a grain of...well, saltSo here’s the takeaway: We’re not saying you shouldn’t get a Himalayan salt lamp. Their dim glow can be quite soothing at night when you’re trying to fall asleep.But they don’t purify air. And “air purifiers” that emits ions and ozone may make your indoor air quality worse, introduce new health problems, and exacerbate existing ones.You can take many precautions to monitorand keep your indoor air clean, but buying a salt lamp isn’t one of them. Try these proven methods instead: Be aware of your indoor air quality. The AirVisual Series consists of portable air quality monitors that use cutting-edge laser technology to give you real-time measurements of key pollutants, including particulate matter. AirVisual Series also provides 72-hour historical and forecast data so that you can know exactly when and why your indoor air quality changes. Control sources of poor indoor air quality. If you’re thinking about buying a salt lamp to purify your air, chances are that you do have air quality issues that you may be able to do something about. The first step to improving your indoor indoor air quality is source control.This means eliminating individual sources of pollution or reducing their emissions. Regularly clean your HVAC system ducts. Install a whole-house air purifier into your HVAC system to reduce indoor pollutants by up to 95%. Replace water-damaged areas of your home to prevent mold and dust mites. Keep paints, solvents, and other chemicals in well-ventilated areas. Ventilate your home. Let in fresh air regularly to lower the concentrations of indoor air pollutants. This is especially important if you live in an airtight, energy-efficient home in which indoor pollutants have nowhere to go and thus build up to dangerous levels. Open doors and windows when outdoor air quality is good. Use a range hood for your stove to capture gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from cooking. Use an air purifier with HyperHEPA technology. The IQAir HealthPro Plusis the best air purifier for even the smallest pollutant particles, removing up to 99.5% of particulates down to 0.003 microns, like viruses and ultrafine particles from vehicle exhaust. The Atempersonal air purifier can also provide pure, pollutant-free air directly into your personal breathing zone. Sure, a salt lamp can be a nice accessory and bring some calm into your home. But there’s plenty you can do to actually keep your indoor air clean and bring yourself some peace of mind knowing that your home is a clean air sanctuary.","

Himalayan salt lamps DO NOT purify indoor air.

These trendy little lamps consist of a light bulb placed inside a chunk of pink Himalayan salt. They’re easily recognized by their hand-carved, often stylized shapes and dim, pinkish glow they emit when light shines through them.

They’ve been gaining popularity for years, mostly because their distinct color and unique appearance make them attractive objects for interior decoration, and their glow can add a pleasing atmosphere to a room.

But their recent rise in popularity as “natural” air purifiers should trouble you.

A host of (often misleading) studies supporting the use of salt in treating respiratory conditions have escalated demand for these little pink things, especially within the well-primed alternative medicine market, full of people who may already be seeking home remedies for all sorts of health conditions and indoor environmental issues when modern medicine hasn’t seemed to help.

And you shouldn’t buy a Himalayan salt lamp to purify your air for one major reason: they’re negative ionizers, and negative ionization is one of the most absurd air purification myths ever devised.

Why are Himalayan salt lamps bad for air quality?

Again, two words: negative ionization.

If you ever hear the words “ionization” (in one form or another) and “air purification” in the same sentence, you should run in the opposite direction.

In the context of air purification, negative ionization happens when negatively charged particles attach themselves, or “charge,” pollutant particles in the air, effectively removing them from ambient air by causing them to stick to nearby surfaces.

This phenomenon also occurs in nature – know that distinct smell in the air after a thunderstorm? That’s the result of “atmospheric space charge” as air ions are generated by the electric fields of storms.¹ Many air purifiers and purification devices sold in stores, including Himalayan salt lamps and a variety of “air ionizers,” artificially produce high voltage to achieve this same effect.

The problem with negative ionization, though, is that it doesn’t actually remove pollutants from your indoor air – it just causes the particles to adhere themselves to nearby surfaces, where they’re easily stirred up by indoor activities like dusting, vacuuming, and ventilation.

Charged particles can also stick to your respiratory tract, where charged particles can settle in your windpipe and lungs and cause even more harm that if they’d just remained in the air. Studies show that these particles can penetrate deep into your respiratory system and cause both heart and lung conditions.²

The average, nightstand-sized Himalayan salt lamp generates only a small number of negative ions into the air, so you may not notice any tangible change in your air quality or health, at least immediately. But these lamps can be huge: you can buy salt lamps that weight up to 300 pounds for thousands of dollars, and their ionization effects may have a more noticeable effect on your air, especially if you live in an airtight, energy-efficient home in which indoor pollutants have a much harder time getting out.

And negative ionizers have another dark secret: they can also create indoor ozone (O₃).

There are two main types of ozone:

\nStratospheric ozone: Alayer of ozone occurs naturally several miles up in the atmosphere, where it protects the surface of the earth (and people’s skin) from ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.
\nTropospheric ozone: Also called ground-level ozone or smog, ground-level ozone tends to develop when heat from sunlight reacts with chemicals near the ground, many of which are produced by emissions from vehicle exhaust and factory smoke.

Negative ionization can generate tropospheric ozone indoors. While stratospheric ozone has no interaction with us in the lower atmosphere, ground-level ozone is far more harmful when it builds up to high levels. And perhaps one of the starkest examples of ground-level ozone is one that millions of us know very well – the smog that forms in major cities during rush hour.

If you live near a freeway, dense urban center, or even at a high elevation where you can see the area around an urban area. A few hours or less after rush hour begins and the sun begins to rise, you’ll start to notice a visible layer of haze build up. This is ground-level ozone, and even though it’s a typical feature of modern life, extensive research shows that it causes a plethora of immediate symptoms, including:

Coughing
Wheezing
Trouble breathing
Stuffy nose
Dizziness
Tingling in arms and legs
Fever^3,4\n

Further research suggests that ozone is also responsible for long-term health problems, such as asthma, heart disease, and lung disease. Emerging studies on rats also suggest that ozone could cause seizures and blindness.

So even though you may not get rush-hour levels of ozone in your home from a salt lamp, indoor ozone buildup can indeed cause some disruptive health effects if you don’t follow best practices for good Indoor Air Quality.

So what’s so special about Himalayan salt?

So how did someone come up with the idea that Himalayan salt lamps have any health effects at all?

The story stretches back millennia. Truly authentic Himalayan salt comes from the Khewra salt reserves in the Punjab region of Pakistan. Salt mined here is thought to be millions of years old and contain numerous minerals.

Salt lamps have been proposed for use in treatments for conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) because of their purported therapeutic effects on your respiratory system. This treatment even has a clinical term: halotherapy, based on an ages-old respiratory treatment technique known as speleotherapy. First used in Eastern Europe, speleotherapy consists of spending time in a salt cave, where four environmental conditions are thought to help reduce symptoms of respiratory illness:⁵

Stable air temperature
Moderate to high humidity
Presence of aerosol elements, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium
Lack of airborne pollutants

Halotherapy takes the notion that salt cave environments are good for respiratory health by having people inhale small amounts of salt particles that are released into the ambient air of a controlled room to “reproduce” a salt cave’s microclimate. But there’s no conclusive evidence that either speleotherapy or halotherapy actually relieve respiratory symptoms.⁶

Take the claims with a grain of...well, salt

So here’s the takeaway: We’re not saying you shouldn’t get a Himalayan salt lamp. Their dim glow can be quite soothing at night when you’re trying to fall asleep.

But they don’t purify air. And “air purifiers” that emits ions and ozone may make your indoor air quality worse, introduce new health problems, and exacerbate existing ones.

You can take many precautions to monitorand keep your indoor air clean, but buying a salt lamp isn’t one of them. Try these proven methods instead:

\nBe aware of your indoor air quality. The AirVisual Series consists of portable air quality monitors that use cutting-edge laser technology to give you real-time measurements of key pollutants, including particulate matter. AirVisual Series also provides 72-hour historical and forecast data so that you can know exactly when and why your indoor air quality changes.
\nControl sources of poor indoor air quality. If you’re thinking about buying a salt lamp to purify your air, chances are that you do have air quality issues that you may be able to do something about. The first step to improving your indoor indoor air quality is source control.This means eliminating individual sources of pollution or reducing their emissions.\n\n\t
- Regularly clean your HVAC system ducts. Install a whole-house air purifier into your HVAC system to reduce indoor pollutants by up to 95%.
- Replace water-damaged areas of your home to prevent mold and dust mites.
- Keep paints, solvents, and other chemicals in well-ventilated areas.
\n\n\t
\nVentilate your home. Let in fresh air regularly to lower the concentrations of indoor air pollutants. This is especially important if you live in an airtight, energy-efficient home in which indoor pollutants have nowhere to go and thus build up to dangerous levels.\n\n\t
- Open doors and windows when outdoor air quality is good.
- Use a range hood for your stove to capture gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from cooking.
\n\n\t
\nUse an air purifier with HyperHEPA technology. The IQAir HealthPro Plusis the best air purifier for even the smallest pollutant particles, removing up to 99.5% of particulates down to 0.003 microns, like viruses and ultrafine particles from vehicle exhaust. The Atempersonal air purifier can also provide pure, pollutant-free air directly into your personal breathing zone.

Sure, a salt lamp can be a nice accessory and bring some calm into your home. But there’s plenty you can do to actually keep your indoor air clean and bring yourself some peace of mind knowing that your home is a clean air sanctuary.
\n\n

","himalayan-salt-lamp-debunked","gid://shopify/Article/606869356843","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/himalayan-salt-lamp-debunked","2019-06-17T13:49:29Z",[390,653,1181],"Himalayan salt lamps: Worth their salt?",{"_10":1521,"_243":1522,"_246":1523,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/406288400758","Why are Himalayan salt lamps bad for air quality?","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/AQL_HimalayanSalt_061419_750_ebdb5244-3cb4-49a7-b887-47de5134ba96.jpg?v=1751543557",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1525,"_1115":1526,"_1131":1527,"_1133":1527,"_1134":1528,"_1136":1529,"_985":1530,"_10":1531,"_1140":1532,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1533,"_577":1534,"_541":1535,"_1147":1536},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Learn more how scented candles release harmful chemicals into the air — even when unlit — and can harm your health.","Are scented candles bad for you?Burning a scented candle is a popular way to create a pleasant ambiance at home. Scents such aslavender, jasmine, and sandalwood can be relaxing and invigorating. During the holidays, many people find the warm glow and aroma of pine, gingerbread, or cinnamon makes a room feel more festive.Unfortunately, most mass-produced scented candles can have a negative impact on indoor air quality. From the wax to the wick to the fragrance itself, the average scented candle can release harmful chemicals into the air — even when unlit.From the wax to the wick to the fragrance itself, the average scented candle can release harmful chemicals into the air — even when unlit.So while you and your family may enjoy the fragrance of scented candles in your home, they may be harmful to your health. Read on to learn why some candles are bad for you.Paraffin waxAre paraffin wax candles safe? In what way can wax be harmful?According to a 2017 study in the International Journal of Tropical Disease and Health, paraffin candles emit pollutants that can threaten human health and shouldn’t be burned in enclosed areas (1).Most candles are made from paraffin, a petroleum byproduct. To create paraffin wax candles, petroleum waste is chemically bleached, deodorized, and made into wax. When burned, paraffin wax can release toxicvolatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, including known carcinogens like: alkenes acetone benzene toluene These are the same chemicals found in diesel fuel emissions and are known to cause allergies, asthma attacks, and skin problems.A 2005 study published by the University of South Florida showed that candles made of paraffin wax emit low levels of benzene even when they are not lit (2).Is burning candles bad for you?In addition to releasing toxic chemicals, burning paraffin wax produces soot composed of particulate matter such as, PM2.5 and ultrafine particles that can remain suspended in the air for hours. According to the University of South Florida study, ultrafine soot particles are similar to diesel exhaust in both their size and composition. They penetrate deeply into the lungs and are absorbed into the blood stream (3).A 2000 study conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency showed that soot emissions from candles are significantly higher after wax breakthrough occurs and when a candle is smoldering (4).Ultrafine particles are associated with severe health issues, including: allergies asthma COPD (5) respiratory tract infections heart attacks strokes cancer So, are candles bad for your health? Not all candles produce the same amount of air pollutants. A 2002 study published in theJournal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society found that soywax, much like beeswax candles, burned at a significantly lower rate and resulted in less soot than paraffin candles (6).Chemical fragrancesAnother problem with scented candles is that the chemicals they use to create a pleasing aroma are generally far from wholesome.Most scented candles use synthetic fragrances and dyes that give off dangerous VOCs even at room temperature.Most scented candles use synthetic fragrances and dyes that give off dangerous VOCs even at room temperature. Commonly emitted VOCs related to the scent in candles include (7): formaldehyde petroleum distillates limonene alcohol esters These harmful chemicals can cause health problems, such as: headaches dizziness allergy symptoms asthma attacks respiratory tract infections cancer Cored wicksMany candles have cored wicks made from cotton that are wrapped around a metal support. The design helps keep the wick from falling over into the wax. This is especially useful for scented candles because the fragrance oils soften the wax and allow non-cored wicks to go limp.Are candles toxic? If they have lead in them, possibly. Lead was once commonly used in cored candlewicks — especially in candles imported from overseas. However, after determining that these wicks could present a lead poisoning hazard to young children, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the manufacture and sale of all candles with lead-core wicks in 2003 (8). Zinc and tin have been used as a substitute since the ban.All metal-core wicks release trace amounts of heavy metals into the air when they are burned.However, all metal-core wicks release trace amounts of heavy metals into the air when they are burned. Wicks with zinc and tin cores can still release small amounts of lead particles (9,10).Safer alternativesTo limit soot stains and poor air quality in your home, you should avoid or restrict the use of candles (11).If you still crave the pleasant ambiance and aroma of scented candles, here are safer ways to scent the air: Use essential oils for fragrance.Essential oils can be placed in a diffuser or in bathwater to create a desired aroma. Simmer spices.Place spices such as cinnamon sticks, cloves, and nutmeg in a pot of water and let it simmer on the stove. Create potpourri.Dried items such as flowers, berries, fruit rinds, wood chips, and spices can be placed in bowls or fabric bags and placed around your home. The takeawayLighting scented candles may seem like a relaxing way to enjoy your home. But burning scented candles releases VOC pollutants and worsens your home’s indoor air quality. Although fragrances from safer alternatives like essential oils can be pleasant, trulyclean air smells like nothing at all.","

Are scented candles bad for you?

Burning a scented candle is a popular way to create a pleasant ambiance at home. Scents such aslavender, jasmine, and sandalwood can be relaxing and invigorating. During the holidays, many people find the warm glow and aroma of pine, gingerbread, or cinnamon makes a room feel more festive.

Unfortunately, most mass-produced scented candles can have a negative impact on indoor air quality. From the wax to the wick to the fragrance itself, the average scented candle can release harmful chemicals into the air — even when unlit.

From the wax to the wick to the fragrance itself, the average scented candle can release harmful chemicals into the air — even when unlit.

So while you and your family may enjoy the fragrance of scented candles in your home, they may be harmful to your health. Read on to learn why some candles are bad for you.

Paraffin wax

Are paraffin wax candles safe? In what way can wax be harmful?

According to a 2017 study in the International Journal of Tropical Disease and Health, paraffin candles emit pollutants that can threaten human health and shouldn’t be burned in enclosed areas (1).

Most candles are made from paraffin, a petroleum byproduct. To create paraffin wax candles, petroleum waste is chemically bleached, deodorized, and made into wax. When burned, paraffin wax can release toxicvolatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, including known carcinogens like:

alkenes
acetone
benzene
toluene

These are the same chemicals found in diesel fuel emissions and are known to cause allergies, asthma attacks, and skin problems.

A 2005 study published by the University of South Florida showed that candles made of paraffin wax emit low levels of benzene even when they are not lit (2).

Is burning candles bad for you?

In addition to releasing toxic chemicals, burning paraffin wax produces soot composed of particulate matter such as, PM2.5 and ultrafine particles that can remain suspended in the air for hours. According to the University of South Florida study, ultrafine soot particles are similar to diesel exhaust in both their size and composition. They penetrate deeply into the lungs and are absorbed into the blood stream (3).

A 2000 study conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency showed that soot emissions from candles are significantly higher after wax breakthrough occurs and when a candle is smoldering (4).

Ultrafine particles are associated with severe health issues, including:

allergies
asthma
COPD (5)
respiratory tract infections
heart attacks
strokes
cancer

So, are candles bad for your health? Not all candles produce the same amount of air pollutants. A 2002 study published in theJournal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society found that soywax, much like beeswax candles, burned at a significantly lower rate and resulted in less soot than paraffin candles (6).

Chemical fragrances

Another problem with scented candles is that the chemicals they use to create a pleasing aroma are generally far from wholesome.

Most scented candles use synthetic fragrances and dyes that give off dangerous VOCs even at room temperature.

Most scented candles use synthetic fragrances and dyes that give off dangerous VOCs even at room temperature. Commonly emitted VOCs related to the scent in candles include (7):

formaldehyde
petroleum distillates
limonene
alcohol
esters

These harmful chemicals can cause health problems, such as:

headaches
dizziness
allergy symptoms
asthma attacks
respiratory tract infections
cancer
\n\n\t

Cored wicks

Many candles have cored wicks made from cotton that are wrapped around a metal support. The design helps keep the wick from falling over into the wax. This is especially useful for scented candles because the fragrance oils soften the wax and allow non-cored wicks to go limp.

Are candles toxic? If they have lead in them, possibly. Lead was once commonly used in cored candlewicks — especially in candles imported from overseas. However, after determining that these wicks could present a lead poisoning hazard to young children, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the manufacture and sale of all candles with lead-core wicks in 2003 (8). Zinc and tin have been used as a substitute since the ban.

All metal-core wicks release trace amounts of heavy metals into the air when they are burned.

However, all metal-core wicks release trace amounts of heavy metals into the air when they are burned. Wicks with zinc and tin cores can still release small amounts of lead particles (9,10).

Safer alternatives

To limit soot stains and poor air quality in your home, you should avoid or restrict the use of candles (11).

If you still crave the pleasant ambiance and aroma of scented candles, here are safer ways to scent the air:

\nUse essential oils for fragrance.Essential oils can be placed in a diffuser or in bathwater to create a desired aroma.
\nSimmer spices.Place spices such as cinnamon sticks, cloves, and nutmeg in a pot of water and let it simmer on the stove.
\nCreate potpourri.Dried items such as flowers, berries, fruit rinds, wood chips, and spices can be placed in bowls or fabric bags and placed around your home.

The takeaway

Lighting scented candles may seem like a relaxing way to enjoy your home. But burning scented candles releases VOC pollutants and worsens your home’s indoor air quality. Although fragrances from safer alternatives like essential oils can be pleasant, trulyclean air smells like nothing at all.

","hidden-dangers-scented-candles","gid://shopify/Article/606869127467","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/hidden-dangers-scented-candles","2016-12-04T22:35:53Z",[653,1181],"The hidden dangers of scented candles",{"_10":1537,"_243":1538,"_246":1539,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/405721284982","Two lit candles","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/49_scented_desktop_RE_3518d342-9492-4308-82e5-ee4111074a17.jpg?v=1749633010","successStories",[1542,1559,1576,1591],{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1543,"_1115":1544,"_1131":1545,"_1133":1546,"_1134":1547,"_1136":1548,"_985":1549,"_10":1550,"_1140":1551,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1552,"_577":1553,"_541":1554,"_1147":1555},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Discover how Tedy Mwendwa's air quality monitoring project in Nairobi is bridging critical gaps in Africa's air quality data. Learn more.","

Discover how Tedy Mwendwa's air quality monitoring project in Nairobi is bridging critical gaps in Africa's air quality data. Learn more.

","“Every day, I witness the severe impact of poor air quality on my community,” Tedy Mwendwa explained. “Using my expertise in electrical engineering, I felt compelled to create change.” In the heart of Africa, amidst bustling cities and vibrant rural landscapes, Mwendwa is pioneering a movement for cleaner air in Kenya. With a professional foundation in electrical engineering and a passion for environmental stewardship, Mwendwa's deployment of a low-cost air quality sensor in Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, marks a pivotal step in revealing and addressing pollution and bridging critical gaps in Africa’s air quality data. Nairobi's leap towards cleaner air In late 2021, Mwendwa established an air quality station. Set up along one of Nairobi’s busy thoroughfares, the station gathers data on pollutants from sources like vehicular exhaust and biomass burning. \"It's about leveraging technology to unveil the hidden dangers of pollution.” “It's about leveraging technology to unveil the hidden dangers of pollution,” Mwendwa said. “Empowering our community with this data is crucial for driving action and advocating for sustainable solutions. Without data, we remain in the dark.” Local expertise, global resources drive innovation Building on the foundation of community-driven air monitoring, the project has taken a step forward. It now hosts East Africa’s first Monster Aerosol System (a platform that houses advanced aerosol analyzers), featuring a Time-of-Flight Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (TOF-ACSM). This technology provides real-time, high-resolution data on airborne particles—including nitrates, ammonium, and chlorides—uncovering the chemical fingerprints of pollution with unprecedented precision. Paired with a black carbon monitor, the system offers a comprehensive view of airborne composition and sources. These reference-grade instruments build on the project’s original IQAir AirVisual Outdoor monitor—pairing community-level, real-time data with laboratory-grade chemical insight. The TOF-ACSM will help identify pollution sources—from mineral dust kicked up by unpaved roads and construction to organic aerosols tied to biomass burning and traffic emissions. It will also track seasonal and daily shifts in air quality, influenced by weather patterns and human activity. The initiative is expanding further with the deployment of GRIMM EDM 180 reference monitors across Nairobi, replacing older equipment to deliver faster, more accurate readings with minimal maintenance. In collaboration with the Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA), these monitors will be placed along major highways and construction zones, ensuring data reflects the realities of urban life. These advancements are part of the NBO-CHEM Project (Nairobi Aerosol Chemistry and Monitoring Initiative), an effort funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and led by Prof. Daniel M. Westervelt, Dr. Godwin Opinde, and Tedy Mwendwa. By combining local expertise with state-of-the-art scientific resources, the project aims to transform how we understand air pollution in East Africa. The challenge of air quality monitoring in Africa The new additions to the project are heartening developments towards advancing air quality understanding in East Africa. Yet, despite the increasing efforts to monitor air quality globally, Africa remains one of the most underrepresented continents in terms of air quality data. According to the 2024 World Air Quality Report, there is only one monitoring station for every 3.7 million people. While coverage has expanded to include more African countries in recent years, there are still vast areas without sufficient data. For example, countries like Niger and Sudan remain without publicly available monitoring data.Air pollution is a major health threat, causing an estimated seven million premature deaths worldwide each year. Without accurate data, it is challenging to address the sources and impacts of air pollution effectively. Grassroots efforts like Mwendwa's are crucial in filling these data gaps, providing models for further projects and inspiring broader initiatives. Harnessing technology for a healthier tomorrow Utilizing an AirVisual Outdoor air quality monitor, Mwendwa’s station gathers critical real-time data. “The AirVisual sensor was easy to deploy and requires little maintenance, even in our somewhat extreme conditions with limited resources,” he said.The project, though small, is already making a difference in the community. “By sharing a link to the AirVisual Platform and using the app, we can easily get our data to students nationwide, enabling them to conduct their own research on pollution,” he said. The data has also been used to inform parents with small children of the effects of poor air quality. \"They need to understand that this data can help give them a better life,\" Mwendwa said. Cultivating environmental consciousness Mwendwa envisions a future where air quality stations span Africa, fostering a culture of environmental awareness and proactive health management. “The data my station is gathering empowers students to conduct community research, highlighting pollution's impact and fostering greater understanding,” he said. “This awareness can significantly influence the general population.\"Mwendwa plans further collaborations with local governments, communities, and international bodies, with this initial project laying a foundation for sustainable environmental policies and practices. “Our goal is to illuminate the unseen threats of pollution through technology,” he said. “Providing our community, and beyond, with this data, equips them to advocate for sustainable solutions essential for a healthier future. Without data, we are navigating blindly.” “Providing our community with this data equips them to advocate for sustainable solutions essential for a healthier future.” Conclusion From a low-cost sensor to a full NBO-CHEM reference hybrid network, Mwendwa’s project shows how local leadership and modern tools can accelerate Kenya’s clean-air progress. The project is an invitation to communities and policymakers to engage in a similar quest for healthier environments.Mwendwa's efforts symbolize more than geographic growth—they embody the momentum of a global movement dedicated to clean air. His work exemplifies uniting technology, data, and collective engagement to tackle one of our era's most pressing challenges.Achieving cleaner air is a communal endeavor, demanding innovation and cooperation. Mwendwa's project is a rallying cry to all, inviting participation in crafting a healthier, sustainable future for generations to come.","

“Every day, I witness the severe impact of poor air quality on my community,” Tedy Mwendwa explained. “Using my expertise in electrical engineering, I felt compelled to create change.”

In the heart of Africa, amidst bustling cities and vibrant rural landscapes, Mwendwa is pioneering a movement for cleaner air in Kenya. With a professional foundation in electrical engineering and a passion for environmental stewardship, Mwendwa's deployment of a low-cost air quality sensor in Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, marks a pivotal step in revealing and addressing pollution and bridging critical gaps in Africa’s air quality data.

Nairobi's leap towards cleaner air

In late 2021, Mwendwa established an air quality station. Set up along one of Nairobi’s busy thoroughfares, the station gathers data on pollutants from sources like vehicular exhaust and biomass burning.

\"It's about leveraging technology to unveil the hidden dangers of pollution.”

“It's about leveraging technology to unveil the hidden dangers of pollution,” Mwendwa said. “Empowering our community with this data is crucial for driving action and advocating for sustainable solutions. Without data, we remain in the dark.”

Local expertise, global resources drive innovation

Building on the foundation of community-driven air monitoring, the project has taken a step forward. It now hosts East Africa’s first Monster Aerosol System (a platform that houses advanced aerosol analyzers), featuring a Time-of-Flight Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (TOF-ACSM). This technology provides real-time, high-resolution data on airborne particles—including nitrates, ammonium, and chlorides—uncovering the chemical fingerprints of pollution with unprecedented precision. Paired with a black carbon monitor, the system offers a comprehensive view of airborne composition and sources. These reference-grade instruments build on the project’s original IQAir AirVisual Outdoor monitor—pairing community-level, real-time data with laboratory-grade chemical insight.

The TOF-ACSM will help identify pollution sources—from mineral dust kicked up by unpaved roads and construction to organic aerosols tied to biomass burning and traffic emissions. It will also track seasonal and daily shifts in air quality, influenced by weather patterns and human activity.

The initiative is expanding further with the deployment of GRIMM EDM 180 reference monitors across Nairobi, replacing older equipment to deliver faster, more accurate readings with minimal maintenance. In collaboration with the Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA), these monitors will be placed along major highways and construction zones, ensuring data reflects the realities of urban life.

These advancements are part of the NBO-CHEM Project (Nairobi Aerosol Chemistry and Monitoring Initiative), an effort funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and led by Prof. Daniel M. Westervelt, Dr. Godwin Opinde, and Tedy Mwendwa.

By combining local expertise with state-of-the-art scientific resources, the project aims to transform how we understand air pollution in East Africa.

The challenge of air quality monitoring in Africa

The new additions to the project are heartening developments towards advancing air quality understanding in East Africa. Yet, despite the increasing efforts to monitor air quality globally, Africa remains one of the most underrepresented continents in terms of air quality data. According to the 2024 World Air Quality Report , there is only one monitoring station for every 3.7 million people.

While coverage has expanded to include more African countries in recent years, there are still vast areas without sufficient data. For example, countries like Niger and Sudan remain without publicly available monitoring data.

Air pollution is a major health threat, causing an estimated seven million premature deaths worldwide each year. Without accurate data, it is challenging to address the sources and impacts of air pollution effectively. Grassroots efforts like Mwendwa's are crucial in filling these data gaps, providing models for further projects and inspiring broader initiatives.

Harnessing technology for a healthier tomorrow

Utilizing an AirVisual Outdoor air quality monitor, Mwendwa’s station gathers critical real-time data. “The AirVisual sensor was easy to deploy and requires little maintenance, even in our somewhat extreme conditions with limited resources,” he said.

The project, though small, is already making a difference in the community. “By sharing a link to the AirVisual Platform and using the app, we can easily get our data to students nationwide, enabling them to conduct their own research on pollution,” he said. The data has also been used to inform parents with small children of the effects of poor air quality. \"They need to understand that this data can help give them a better life,\" Mwendwa said.

Cultivating environmental consciousness

Mwendwa envisions a future where air quality stations span Africa, fostering a culture of environmental awareness and proactive health management. “The data my station is gathering empowers students to conduct community research, highlighting pollution's impact and fostering greater understanding,” he said. “This awareness can significantly influence the general population.\"

Mwendwa plans further collaborations with local governments, communities, and international bodies, with this initial project laying a foundation for sustainable environmental policies and practices. “Our goal is to illuminate the unseen threats of pollution through technology,” he said. “Providing our community, and beyond, with this data, equips them to advocate for sustainable solutions essential for a healthier future. Without data, we are navigating blindly.”

“Providing our community with this data equips them to advocate for sustainable solutions essential for a healthier future.”

Conclusion

From a low-cost sensor to a full NBO-CHEM reference hybrid network, Mwendwa’s project shows how local leadership and modern tools can accelerate Kenya’s clean-air progress. The project is an invitation to communities and policymakers to engage in a similar quest for healthier environments.

Mwendwa's efforts symbolize more than geographic growth—they embody the momentum of a global movement dedicated to clean air. His work exemplifies uniting technology, data, and collective engagement to tackle one of our era's most pressing challenges.

Achieving cleaner air is a communal endeavor, demanding innovation and cooperation. Mwendwa's project is a rallying cry to all, inviting participation in crafting a healthier, sustainable future for generations to come.

","revealing-the-invisible-kenya","gid://shopify/Article/607976751403","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/revealing-the-invisible-kenya","2025-12-01T04:00:00Z",[648,838],"Revealing the Invisible: Boosting air quality awareness in Kenya",{"_10":1556,"_243":1557,"_246":1558,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/411421278582","Nairobi-city-smog","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/AQL_Revamp_Kenya_Clean_Air_Desktop_4f1dd00b-baa3-4e27-9eed-3acd42f2faae.jpg?v=1767630558",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1560,"_1115":1561,"_1131":1562,"_1133":1563,"_1134":1564,"_1136":1565,"_985":1566,"_10":1567,"_1140":1568,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1569,"_577":1570,"_541":1571,"_1147":1572},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"WWF Pakistan is tackling air pollution with IQAir. Learn how real-time data is driving change across the country.","

WWF Pakistan is tackling air pollution with IQAir. Learn how real-time data is driving change across the country.

","In Pakistan, severe air pollution silently impacts public health and well-being nationwide. Yet, due to a dire lack of air quality data, air quality monitors, and public awareness, the scale of the threat remains largely unseen. In 2024, Pakistan was the third most polluted country in the world, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 73.7 μg/m3 and exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommended annual guideline of 5 μg/m3 by 14.7 times. Numerous cities experienced poor air quality, with high average PM2.5 concentrations measured for Islamabad (52.4 μg/m3), Rawalpindi (65.8 μg/m3), Faisalabad (88.8 μg/m3), Peshawar (91.0 μg/m3), and Lahore (102.1 μg/m3) – all exceeding the WHO recommended guideline by ten times or more. Recognizing the urgency of this crisis, WWF-Pakistan has taken significant steps to address air pollution using IQAir’s air quality monitoring technology. WWF-Pakistan has successfully deployed stations across Pakistan and published data to IQAir’s AirVisual platform, establishing the country’s largest air quality monitoring network. With this initiative, WWF-Pakistan is transforming how the country understands and confronts this invisible threat. \"We have successfully reached the goal of installing AirVisual Outdoor sensors in 15 of our offices across Pakistan,\" said WWF-Pakistan’s Research Officer, Muhammad Huzaifa who led this initiative in Pakistan. As of now, WWF-Pakistan has air monitoring stations located in key regions like Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Multan, and Peshawar. They provide real-time data that is accessible to both policymakers and the public. \"We are excited to say that we’ve published the data from these stations to IQAir’s platform, where communities can see their local air quality in real-time.” Why Pakistan Needs Reliable Air Quality Data Pakistan's urban centers, such as Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi, frequently grapple with thick layers of smog. While this is a visible reminder of air pollution, the more dangerous pollutants often remain unseen and unmonitored. One of the greatest challenges in Pakistan has been the need for more reliable, public air quality data. \"Our air quality network provides crucial air quality data in some of Pakistan’s most polluted regions and are often ranked among the top 10 most polluted cities in the world\" Huzaifa explained. WWF-Pakistan, the nation’s largest environmental organization, has been addressing critical environmental issues since 1970. Originally focused on protecting wildlife and ecosystems, the organization’s scope has broadened to include tackling climate change, protecting vulnerable habitats, and securing vital resources like freshwater. Now, through their air quality monitoring initiative, they are addressing one of the most pressing health and environmental crises facing Pakistan. “Unfortunately, there is little public air quality data available,” Huzaifa noted. “This information vacuum has left policymakers and citizens unprepared to tackle the pollution crisis.” WWF-Pakistan’s initiative helps fill this gap, ensuring the public has access to real-time, localized air quality data. With real-time data now available, citizens, governments, and policymakers can work together to implement solutions, reduce pollution and improve health outcomes across the country. Building Pakistan's National Air Quality Network WWF-Pakistan’s initiative, which involves installing air quality sensors in key cities across the country, marks a critical step in Pakistan’s battle against air pollution. By coordinating 15 monitoring stations under one national initiative, WWF-Pakistan now operates the country’s largest organized air quality monitoring network, making real-time data accessible to both citizens and policymakers. Partnering with IQAir adds both credibility and precision to the project. \"IQAir's AirVisual air quality monitors are globally recognized for their accuracy and ability to track even the smallest fluctuations in air quality,\" said Huzaifa. \"IQAir's technology is built to withstand all sorts of weather and having it in place ensures that people will trust the data.\" This transparency is essential for mobilizing both community efforts and policy interventions, as reliable information is crucial to driving meaningful change. Using Air Quality Data to Combat Pollution in Pakistan With the sensors online and data flowing into the IQAir platform, WWF-Pakistan's live contributor profile showcases the impact of their work, allowing anyone to monitor air quality in real-time. This transparency empowers citizens and policymakers alike to take informed action, using reliable data to drive meaningful change across the country. Explore WWF-Pakistan’s profile to see the live data from their monitoring stations across Pakistan. \"Data isn’t just a tool for awareness—it’s the foundation for meaningful action,\" Nazifa Butt, Director Climate Action and Sustainability WWF-Pakistan emphasized. “Now that we have the data, we have something to report and base our decisions on.” Nazifa emphasized the importance of storytelling. “We’re going to have to tell two parts of the story,” she explained, pointing out how data can not only expose alarming trends but also inspire communities to push for change—through policies, advocacy, and local initiatives. With 18,800 followers across its national network, WWF-Pakistan is sharing that data every day with citizens who urgently need real-time air quality information to help protect themselves from pollution. Pakistan's Long-Term Pollution Solutions WWF-Pakistan envisions a future where every region of the country has access to real-time, accurate air quality data. \"Each sensor we deploy is a step closer to a healthier, more sustainable Pakistan,\" Nazifa explained. By providing access to this data, WWF-Pakistan aims to foster a culture of proactive health management, where individuals and communities can take the steps necessary to protect themselves from pollution. The air quality data being gathered is more than just numbers—it’s a lifeline for communities struggling with the dangers of polluted air. “Our initiative is laying the foundation for a National Clean Air Research Centre,\" Huzaifa said. \"This will be a hub for research and data-driven policies, enabling us to tackle pollution with innovative strategies.\" “Each sensor we deploy is a step closer to a healthier, more sustainable Pakistan.” In October 2024, WWF-Pakistan warned that Lahore’s air quality posed a terrible threat to public health, recommending a number of changes to government policy including helping farmers manage crop waste, expanding mass transit, and improving zoning laws to reduce industrial pollution away from residents. It also noted that low-cost air quality monitoring systems could be used to uncover air pollution hotspots along traffic routes. Armed with that information, governments could restrict heavy transport vehicles or develop alternate routes to avoid congestion (1). Beyond their air quality monitoring project, the WWF-Pakistan team oversees more than 60 active environmental protection initiatives in FY 2025 across the country, ranging from clean water access and forest preservation to sustainable infrastructure development. These efforts, working in tandem with the air quality monitoring network, are all part of WWF's broader mission to protect the planet's natural environment and create a future where both people and nature can thrive in harmony. Conclusion WWF-Pakistan's initiative is a testament to the transformative power of air quality data, technology, and collective will in addressing one of today’s most pressing challenges. And by increasing the footprint of air quality monitors across the country, innovative solutions to persistent pollution problems can be put into play. As this vital work advances, it invites everyone to contribute to the cause—because in the fight for clean air, every voice and every action matters. “This initiative,” Nazifa said, “lays the foundation for what we envision as Pakistan’s future air quality innovation hub. It will serve as a hub for developing strategies and methods to tackle air pollution, aligning efforts across governmental and non-governmental sectors, both locally and internationally, in the fight against climate change.”","

In Pakistan, severe air pollution silently impacts public health and well-being nationwide. Yet, due to a dire lack of air quality data, air quality monitors, and public awareness, the scale of the threat remains largely unseen.

In 2024, Pakistan was the third most polluted country in the world, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 73.7 μg/m3 and exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommended annual guideline of 5 μg/m3 by 14.7 times. Numerous cities experienced poor air quality, with high average PM2.5 concentrations measured for Islamabad (52.4 μg/m3), Rawalpindi (65.8 μg/m3), Faisalabad (88.8 μg/m3), Peshawar (91.0 μg/m3), and Lahore (102.1 μg/m3) – all exceeding the WHO recommended guideline by ten times or more.

Recognizing the urgency of this crisis, WWF-Pakistan has taken significant steps to address air pollution using IQAir’s air quality monitoring technology. WWF-Pakistan has successfully deployed stations across Pakistan and published data to IQAir’s AirVisual platform, establishing the country’s largest air quality monitoring network. With this initiative, WWF-Pakistan is transforming how the country understands and confronts this invisible threat.

\"We have successfully reached the goal of installing AirVisual Outdoor sensors in 15 of our offices across Pakistan,\" said WWF-Pakistan’s Research Officer, Muhammad Huzaifa who led this initiative in Pakistan.

As of now, WWF-Pakistan has air monitoring stations located in key regions like Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Multan, and Peshawar. They provide real-time data that is accessible to both policymakers and the public. \"We are excited to say that we’ve published the data from these stations to IQAir’s platform, where communities can see their local air quality in real-time.”

Why Pakistan Needs Reliable Air Quality Data

Pakistan's urban centers, such as Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi, frequently grapple with thick layers of smog. While this is a visible reminder of air pollution, the more dangerous pollutants often remain unseen and unmonitored. One of the greatest challenges in Pakistan has been the need for more reliable, public air quality data.

\"Our air quality network provides crucial air quality data in some of Pakistan’s most polluted regions and are often ranked among the top 10 most polluted cities in the world\" Huzaifa explained.

WWF-Pakistan, the nation’s largest environmental organization, has been addressing critical environmental issues since 1970. Originally focused on protecting wildlife and ecosystems, the organization’s scope has broadened to include tackling climate change, protecting vulnerable habitats, and securing vital resources like freshwater. Now, through their air quality monitoring initiative, they are addressing one of the most pressing health and environmental crises facing Pakistan.

“Unfortunately, there is little public air quality data available,” Huzaifa noted. “This information vacuum has left policymakers and citizens unprepared to tackle the pollution crisis.” WWF-Pakistan’s initiative helps fill this gap, ensuring the public has access to real-time, localized air quality data.

With real-time data now available, citizens, governments, and policymakers can work together to implement solutions, reduce pollution and improve health outcomes across the country.

Building Pakistan's National Air Quality Network

WWF-Pakistan’s initiative, which involves installing air quality sensors in key cities across the country, marks a critical step in Pakistan’s battle against air pollution. By coordinating 15 monitoring stations under one national initiative, WWF-Pakistan now operates the country’s largest organized air quality monitoring network, making real-time data accessible to both citizens and policymakers.

Partnering with IQAir adds both credibility and precision to the project. \"IQAir's AirVisual air quality monitors are globally recognized for their accuracy and ability to track even the smallest fluctuations in air quality,\" said Huzaifa. \"IQAir's technology is built to withstand all sorts of weather and having it in place ensures that people will trust the data.\" This transparency is essential for mobilizing both community efforts and policy interventions, as reliable information is crucial to driving meaningful change.

Using Air Quality Data to Combat Pollution in Pakistan

With the sensors online and data flowing into the IQAir platform, WWF-Pakistan's live contributor profile showcases the impact of their work, allowing anyone to monitor air quality in real-time. This transparency empowers citizens and policymakers alike to take informed action, using reliable data to drive meaningful change across the country. Explore WWF-Pakistan’s profile to see the live data from their monitoring stations across Pakistan.

\"Data isn’t just a tool for awareness—it’s the foundation for meaningful action,\" Nazifa Butt, Director Climate Action and Sustainability WWF-Pakistan emphasized. “Now that we have the data, we have something to report and base our decisions on.”

Nazifa emphasized the importance of storytelling. “We’re going to have to tell two parts of the story,” she explained, pointing out how data can not only expose alarming trends but also inspire communities to push for change—through policies, advocacy, and local initiatives.

With 18,800 followers across its national network, WWF-Pakistan is sharing that data every day with citizens who urgently need real-time air quality information to help protect themselves from pollution.

Pakistan's Long-Term Pollution Solutions

WWF-Pakistan envisions a future where every region of the country has access to real-time, accurate air quality data.

\"Each sensor we deploy is a step closer to a healthier, more sustainable Pakistan,\" Nazifa explained. By providing access to this data, WWF-Pakistan aims to foster a culture of proactive health management, where individuals and communities can take the steps necessary to protect themselves from pollution.

The air quality data being gathered is more than just numbers—it’s a lifeline for communities struggling with the dangers of polluted air. “Our initiative is laying the foundation for a National Clean Air Research Centre,\" Huzaifa said. \"This will be a hub for research and data-driven policies, enabling us to tackle pollution with innovative strategies.\"

“Each sensor we deploy is a step closer to a healthier, more sustainable Pakistan.”

In October 2024, WWF-Pakistan warned that Lahore’s air quality posed a terrible threat to public health, recommending a number of changes to government policy including helping farmers manage crop waste, expanding mass transit, and improving zoning laws to reduce industrial pollution away from residents.

It also noted that low-cost air quality monitoring systems could be used to uncover air pollution hotspots along traffic routes. Armed with that information, governments could restrict heavy transport vehicles or develop alternate routes to avoid congestion (1).

Beyond their air quality monitoring project, the WWF-Pakistan team oversees more than 60 active environmental protection initiatives in FY 2025 across the country, ranging from clean water access and forest preservation to sustainable infrastructure development. These efforts, working in tandem with the air quality monitoring network, are all part of WWF's broader mission to protect the planet's natural environment and create a future where both people and nature can thrive in harmony.

Conclusion

WWF-Pakistan's initiative is a testament to the transformative power of air quality data, technology, and collective will in addressing one of today’s most pressing challenges. And by increasing the footprint of air quality monitors across the country, innovative solutions to persistent pollution problems can be put into play.

As this vital work advances, it invites everyone to contribute to the cause—because in the fight for clean air, every voice and every action matters.

“This initiative,” Nazifa said, “lays the foundation for what we envision as Pakistan’s future air quality innovation hub. It will serve as a hub for developing strategies and methods to tackle air pollution, aligning efforts across governmental and non-governmental sectors, both locally and internationally, in the fight against climate change.”

","revealing-the-invisible-wwf-pakistan","gid://shopify/Article/997495079286","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/revealing-the-invisible-wwf-pakistan","2025-11-12T17:43:03Z",[643,648,838],"Revealing the Invisible: WWF-Pakistan’s mission for clean air",{"_10":1573,"_243":1574,"_246":1575,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/410126352758","WWF Team standing Next to Solar Panel","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/AQL_PakistanContributor_Desk_A_a18d7b5d-29f7-4e70-ad5d-e0c4f15aebc6.jpg?v=1762969386",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1577,"_1115":1578,"_1131":43,"_1133":43,"_1134":1579,"_1136":1580,"_985":1581,"_10":1582,"_1140":1583,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1584,"_577":1585,"_541":1586,"_1147":1587},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"In the slender West African nation of Gambia, Dr. Sunkaru Touray of Permian Health Lung Institute is leading an unprecedented initiative to illuminate the invisible dangers of air pollution through the strategic deployment of low-cost air quality monitors. A vision born from necessity Dr. Touray, a pulmonologist and critical care physician originally from Kartong, The Gambia, was profoundly affected by the respiratory issues he encountered while practicing in New Mexico. These issues, often linked to hydrocarbon exposure and environmental pollutants, spurred him to address similar problems in Gambia, where air quality data is scarce. \"There's a significant data gap in Africa when it comes to understanding our air,\" Dr. Touray noted. Recognizing the parallels between New Mexico and Gambia, Dr. Touray envisioned the Permian Health Clean Air Initiative. This initiative aims not only to collect data but to empower Gambians with knowledge, enabling them to make informed decisions about their health and advocate for cleaner air. “There’s a significant data gap in Africa when it comes to understanding our air.” –Dr. Sunkaru Touray, Founder, Permian Health The journey of Permian Health Permian Health's mission is clear: to democratize access to air quality data in Gambia by installing low-cost air quality monitors throughout the country. The team selected IQAir’s AirVisual outdoor monitors for this critical work. “These devices are proven to be reliable, user-friendly, and can operate on solar power,” Dr. Touray said. “They also have 4G LTE connectivity,” which make the monitors ideally suited for Gambia's diverse environments—from the bustling streets of Banjul to the rural countryside. \"The goal,\" Dr. Touray explained, \"is not just to collect data but to empower our communities with knowledge so they can make informed decisions about their health and advocate for cleaner air.\" Highlighting areas of concern: Brikama’s air quality Brikama stands as a poignant example of the challenges faced across Gambia. Known for its bustling markets and as a hub for both commerce and community life, the town also grapples with air quality issues that pose risks to its residents. By placing monitors in strategic locations, including the busy highway through Brikama, Permian Health is mapping pollution levels and raising awareness among the local population about the air they breathe daily—while simultaneously acting as a testament to the potential of grassroots air monitoring networks in challenging regions. Dr. Touray said, \"As we look to the future, the lessons learned from Brikama will inform our expansion strategies to other regions facing similar challenges. Our success in achieving nationwide coverage, with Brikama as a keystone in our network, exemplifies the scalable model of Permian Health Clean Air Initiative.” “The goal is not to just collect the data but to empower our communities with knowledge so they can make informed decisions about their health.” Local feedback has been largely positive. According to Dr. Touray, real-time access to air quality monitor information has improved local understanding of the dangers of poor air quality, especially during the dry, dusty Harmattan season typically experienced from November to March. Permian Health has collaborated with local groups such as the Brikama Nema Diaspora Group (BRIND) and Karamie’s Health clinic to install sensors in key areas, allowing residents and medical professionals to access real-time air quality data. Pioneering work on the ground To date, the Permian Health air quality network has grown to 14 sensors, achieving nationwide coverage with an air quality sensor in all regions of The Gambia—proof of the project's rapid scalability and success. The project has successfully installed air quality monitors in various locations, including urban areas and industrial sites. These monitors provide real-time data on pollutants like PM2.5, which pose the greatest threat to human health, offering invaluable insights into the air pollution across different regions of Gambia. \"We have sensors in the most densely populated areas,” Dr. Touray said. \"Through the process of collecting PM 2.5 data in Gambia and identifying pollution hotspots, we educate the public about air quality and its impact on public health—and also communicate the importance of installing air quality sensors as a means to make a change.\" This foundational work sets the stage for enhanced accuracy and credibility in air quality monitoring, as underscored by a pivotal development in the project's journey. “The recent addition of a reference-grade monitor donated by MetOne marks a significant leap in our capacity for precision and validation of the data collected by our existing sensor network,” Dr. Touray said. However, maintaining and expanding the network can be impeded by dust accumulation on solar panels during the Harmattan season, unreliable power supplies, and other issues. ‘While we have made significant progress in addressing some of these challenges, connectivity and maintenance in remote areas remain ongoing hurdles in our efforts to maintain and expand the sensor network efficiently,’ Dr. Touray explained. Uniting minds and garnering accolades To raise awareness about their work, Permian Health has created a promotional video which serves as a powerful tool to inform and engage the public about their project. A key milestone for the project was the establishment of the first air quality conference in Gambia, bringing together stakeholders from the government, academia, and civil society to discuss the findings and implications of the collected data. \"This conference was a pivotal moment for us, marking the beginning of a national conversation on air quality,\" reflects Dr. Touray. This national conversation is already making a policy impact. The Ministry of Health has issued public health advisories several times since the air quality sensors were deployed, raising air quality awareness in communities around the country. Dr. Touray emphasizes the importance of partnering with the Gambian government to leverage their data for national air quality standards and planning. \"Working closely with governmental bodies is crucial for our success,\" Dr. Touray notes, highlighting his strong connections within the National Environment Agency, which have been supportive of their endeavors. With the NEA, Permian Health was able to release their first air quality report based on initial installations. This sets the table for future updates from newly installed sensors. Additionally, the project's recent recognition by the Energy Policy Institute of the University of Chicago with an Air Quality Award underscores the global acknowledgment of their impactful work. This prestigious award will enable Permian Health to scale their network further. Currently, there are 22 low-cost sensors deployed, and Gambia will, for the first time ever, have a reference monitor to assist in enhancing air quality monitoring and assessment. Hopes for the Future Thanks to their recent Air Quality award, Permian Health acquired an additional 10 sensors, bringing the total to 26 sensors across The Gambia. Six new sensors have been deployed to NEA headquarters, two major health centers with support from the Ministry of Health, and in housing developments in partnership with Gambia’s largest real estate company, TAF Africa Global. The remaining sensors will be deployed to the National Stadium, Gambia International Airport, the Seaport in Banjul, and a major intersection as soon as final government approvals are processed. Dr. Touray envisions a future where every Gambian has access to air quality information, enabling them to protect themselves and their families from air pollution. Furthermore, he hopes to leverage the data collected to advocate for stronger environmental policies and regulations in Gambia. “We’re not just collecting data for the sake of it. We want to drive change.” \"We're not just collecting data for the sake of it. We want to drive change,\" says Dr. Touray. \"Our ultimate goal is for Gambia to set national air quality standards, informed by the comprehensive data we've gathered.\" A key step toward this goal is the second Clean Air Conference, which Permian Health is organizing in partnership with the NEA. The event will bring together stakeholders, including officials from the ministries of Health, Environment, Transport, and Education, to develop a national air quality work plan. According to Dr. Touray, Permian Health is conducting an inventory assessment to determine the key sources of pollution, such as waste burning, reliance on charcoal and firewood for cooking, and transport-related emissions. \"Looking ahead, we aim to strengthen our collaboration with the NEA and the Ministry of Health, to expand and maintain our sensor network.\" \"We plan to enhance public awareness campaigns, especially during high-risk periods, to better inform the community about air quality concerns. We would also like to engage more with local TV stations for them to display air quality and weather information from our network. Conclusion Dr. Sunkaru Touray's work with Permian Health exemplifies innovative activism. The project not only addresses air quality data gaps but also empowers communities to tackle air pollution—an issue that transcends borders. Dr. Touray's mission goes beyond air quality monitoring; it's about transforming the quality of public health around the world.","

In the slender West African nation of Gambia, Dr. Sunkaru Touray of Permian Health Lung Institute is leading an unprecedented initiative to illuminate the invisible dangers of air pollution through the strategic deployment of low-cost air quality monitors.

A vision born from necessity

Dr. Touray, a pulmonologist and critical care physician originally from Kartong, The Gambia, was profoundly affected by the respiratory issues he encountered while practicing in New Mexico. These issues, often linked to hydrocarbon exposure and environmental pollutants, spurred him to address similar problems in Gambia, where air quality data is scarce. \"There's a significant data gap in Africa when it comes to understanding our air,\" Dr. Touray noted.

Recognizing the parallels between New Mexico and Gambia, Dr. Touray envisioned the Permian Health Clean Air Initiative. This initiative aims not only to collect data but to empower Gambians with knowledge, enabling them to make informed decisions about their health and advocate for cleaner air.

\n
“There’s a significant data gap in Africa when it comes to understanding our air.”
\n
–Dr. Sunkaru Touray, Founder, Permian Health
\n

The journey of Permian Health

Permian Health's mission is clear: to democratize access to air quality data in Gambia by installing low-cost air quality monitors throughout the country. The team selected IQAir’s AirVisual outdoor monitors for this critical work. “These devices are proven to be reliable, user-friendly, and can operate on solar power,” Dr. Touray said. “They also have 4G LTE connectivity,” which make the monitors ideally suited for Gambia's diverse environments—from the bustling streets of Banjul to the rural countryside.

\"The goal,\" Dr. Touray explained, \"is not just to collect data but to empower our communities with knowledge so they can make informed decisions about their health and advocate for cleaner air.\"

Highlighting areas of concern: Brikama’s air quality

Brikama stands as a poignant example of the challenges faced across Gambia. Known for its bustling markets and as a hub for both commerce and community life, the town also grapples with air quality issues that pose risks to its residents. By placing monitors in strategic locations, including the busy highway through Brikama, Permian Health is mapping pollution levels and raising awareness among the local population about the air they breathe daily—while simultaneously acting as a testament to the potential of grassroots air monitoring networks in challenging regions.

$\"\"$

Dr. Touray said, \"As we look to the future, the lessons learned from Brikama will inform our expansion strategies to other regions facing similar challenges. Our success in achieving nationwide coverage, with Brikama as a keystone in our network, exemplifies the scalable model of Permian Health Clean Air Initiative.”

\n
“The goal is not to just collect the data but to empower our communities with knowledge so they can make informed decisions about their health.”
\n

Local feedback has been largely positive. According to Dr. Touray, real-time access to air quality monitor information has improved local understanding of the dangers of poor air quality, especially during the dry, dusty Harmattan season typically experienced from November to March.

Permian Health has collaborated with local groups such as the Brikama Nema Diaspora Group (BRIND) and Karamie’s Health clinic to install sensors in key areas, allowing residents and medical professionals to access real-time air quality data.

Pioneering work on the ground

To date, the Permian Health air quality network has grown to 14 sensors, achieving nationwide coverage with an air quality sensor in all regions of The Gambia—proof of the project's rapid scalability and success. The project has successfully installed air quality monitors in various locations, including urban areas and industrial sites. These monitors provide real-time data on pollutants like PM2.5, which pose the greatest threat to human health, offering invaluable insights into the air pollution across different regions of Gambia. \"We have sensors in the most densely populated areas,” Dr. Touray said. \"Through the process of collecting PM 2.5 data in Gambia and identifying pollution hotspots, we educate the public about air quality and its impact on public health—and also communicate the importance of installing air quality sensors as a means to make a change.\"

This foundational work sets the stage for enhanced accuracy and credibility in air quality monitoring, as underscored by a pivotal development in the project's journey. “The recent addition of a reference-grade monitor donated by MetOne marks a significant leap in our capacity for precision and validation of the data collected by our existing sensor network,” Dr. Touray said.

However, maintaining and expanding the network can be impeded by dust accumulation on solar panels during the Harmattan season, unreliable power supplies, and other issues.

‘While we have made significant progress in addressing some of these challenges, connectivity and maintenance in remote areas remain ongoing hurdles in our efforts to maintain and expand the sensor network efficiently,’ Dr. Touray explained.

Uniting minds and garnering accolades

To raise awareness about their work, Permian Health has created a promotional video which serves as a powerful tool to inform and engage the public about their project.

A key milestone for the project was the establishment of the first air quality conference in Gambia, bringing together stakeholders from the government, academia, and civil society to discuss the findings and implications of the collected data.

\"This conference was a pivotal moment for us, marking the beginning of a national conversation on air quality,\" reflects Dr. Touray.

This national conversation is already making a policy impact. The Ministry of Health has issued public health advisories several times since the air quality sensors were deployed, raising air quality awareness in communities around the country.

Dr. Touray emphasizes the importance of partnering with the Gambian government to leverage their data for national air quality standards and planning. \"Working closely with governmental bodies is crucial for our success,\" Dr. Touray notes, highlighting his strong connections within the National Environment Agency, which have been supportive of their endeavors.

With the NEA, Permian Health was able to release their first air quality report based on initial installations. This sets the table for future updates from newly installed sensors.

Additionally, the project's recent recognition by the Energy Policy Institute of the University of Chicago with an Air Quality Award underscores the global acknowledgment of their impactful work. This prestigious award will enable Permian Health to scale their network further.

Currently, there are 22 low-cost sensors deployed, and Gambia will, for the first time ever, have a reference monitor to assist in enhancing air quality monitoring and assessment.

Hopes for the Future

Thanks to their recent Air Quality award, Permian Health acquired an additional 10 sensors, bringing the total to 26 sensors across The Gambia.

$\"\"$

Six new sensors have been deployed to NEA headquarters, two major health centers with support from the Ministry of Health, and in housing developments in partnership with Gambia’s largest real estate company, TAF Africa Global. The remaining sensors will be deployed to the National Stadium, Gambia International Airport, the Seaport in Banjul, and a major intersection as soon as final government approvals are processed.

Dr. Touray envisions a future where every Gambian has access to air quality information, enabling them to protect themselves and their families from air pollution. Furthermore, he hopes to leverage the data collected to advocate for stronger environmental policies and regulations in Gambia.

\n
“We’re not just collecting data for the sake of it. We want to drive change.”
\n

\"We're not just collecting data for the sake of it. We want to drive change,\" says Dr. Touray. \"Our ultimate goal is for Gambia to set national air quality standards, informed by the comprehensive data we've gathered.\"

A key step toward this goal is the second Clean Air Conference, which Permian Health is organizing in partnership with the NEA. The event will bring together stakeholders, including officials from the ministries of Health, Environment, Transport, and Education, to develop a national air quality work plan.

According to Dr. Touray, Permian Health is conducting an inventory assessment to determine the key sources of pollution, such as waste burning, reliance on charcoal and firewood for cooking, and transport-related emissions. \"Looking ahead, we aim to strengthen our collaboration with the NEA and the Ministry of Health, to expand and maintain our sensor network.\"

\"We plan to enhance public awareness campaigns, especially during high-risk periods, to better inform the community about air quality concerns. We would also like to engage more with local TV stations for them to display air quality and weather information from our network.

Conclusion

Dr. Sunkaru Touray's work with Permian Health exemplifies innovative activism. The project not only addresses air quality data gaps but also empowers communities to tackle air pollution—an issue that transcends borders.

Dr. Touray's mission goes beyond air quality monitoring; it's about transforming the quality of public health around the world.

","permian-health-air-quality-crusade-in-gambia","gid://shopify/Article/998083264886","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/permian-health-air-quality-crusade-in-gambia","2025-03-24T10:03:00Z",[643,648,838],"Revealing the Invisible: Permian Health’s air quality crusade in Gambia",{"_10":1588,"_243":1589,"_246":1590,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/407094034806","Man working on pole","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/PermianHealth_Desk_A_82dc4964-aaa3-4053-96ec-1d5218eb3bd9.jpg?v=1754470616",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1592,"_1115":1593,"_1131":1594,"_1133":1595,"_1134":1596,"_1136":1597,"_985":1598,"_10":1599,"_1140":1600,"_1142":-5,"_1143":1601,"_577":1602,"_541":1604,"_1147":1605},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"A kitten rescue in Ontario needed a powerful clean air solution fast – and found it. Learn more about the essential role of clean air in shelters.","

A kitten rescue in Ontario needed a powerful clean air solution fast – and found it. Learn more about the essential role of clean air in shelters.

","Nestled in a small town near Cornwall, Canada, Tiny but Mighty Kitten Rescue serves as a lifeline for abandoned and vulnerable kittens (1). For nearly eight years, rescue founder Mellissa has worked tirelessly to save and nurture the most fragile feline lives in the region. Yet despite Mellissa’s dedication to maintaining a clean environment for those in her care, animal rescues must always contend with a formidable health challenge. Poor air quality impacts both kittens and the humans who care for them. Thanks to advanced air purification technology, the rescue now breathes easier—literally and figuratively. Mission built on compassion Mellissa’s journey to creating Tiny but Mighty began with heartbreak. As a volunteer at her local animal shelter, she learned of the euthanasia of kittens deemed too young to care for. Unwilling to accept this outcome, she founded her own kitten-focused rescue in 2017. “I had so many dreams about saving these kittens. Something told me to just do it myself—start my own rescue.” “I had so many dreams about saving these kittens. They wouldn’t let up,” Mellissa shared. “Something told me to just do it myself—start my own rescue.” Mellissa provides a safe space for kittens to grow and thrive until they find their carefully screened forever homes. Today, the rescue operates solely on donations and community support. “It’s such an incredible community. People do come through to support what I’m doing, so it’s incredible.” But running a rescue isn’t without its challenges, and one significant one she uncovered was air quality. Nova the kitten enjoying toys at the Tiny but Mighty Kitten Rescue. Good air quality: Essential in animal rescues Caring for kittens in any enclosed environment presents unique challenges. Despite her meticulous cleaning habits, Mellissa found air quality to be a problem. “The dust is crazy. The kittens will go in their litter box and sneeze.” There would still be dust, odors, and allergens in the space “even though I use 99% dust-free litter.” Mellissa explained. “It’s great compared to some I’ve tried, but the dust is crazy. The kittens will go in their litter box and make little sneezes.” This poor air quality not only affected visitors but also had potential health implications for the kittens and Mellissa herself. Dust mites, microscopic creatures that feed on animal’s dead skin, can cause year-round allergic reactions in both cats and humans, including sneezing, runny and itchy noses, watery eyes, and even rashes. Components of pet dander can also act as an allergen, triggering similar reactions. Determined to find a solution to her dust problem, she began her search for an air purifier that could meet the rescue’s unique needs. Life changing air cleaning solution Determined to tackle the persistent dust and allergens, Mellissa sought an air purifier that could truly meet the unique demands of her rescue. After years of frustration with a previous model, she knew she needed a solution that could handle constant activity, fine dust particles, and odors effectively. Mellissa recalled, “The dust was still spreading throughout the house, and I thought, ‘this is just not enough.’” That’s when Mellissa’s father suggested looking into IQAir’s HealthPro Plus XE. Intrigued by its reputation for advanced filtration capabilities, Mellissa decided to give it a try—and the results were immediate and noticeable. The HealthPro Plus XE is equipped with HyperHEPA filtration, capable of capturing particles as small as 0.003 microns—100 times smaller than most air purifiers can filter. This efficiency, proven to remove particles far smaller than bacteria or viruses, combined with gas-phase filtration to eliminate odors, made it an ideal solution for the rescue’s air quality challenges. “The kittens aren’t sneezing anymore. The air purifier has had a huge impact,” Mellissa shared. The HealthPro Plus XE at work next to Leia the cat. Not only did she see a dramatic improvement in the air quality for the kittens, but visitors also noticed the difference. The previously lingering food and litter odors were gone. “I definitely don’t smell that anymore,” Mellissa said. “I’m really impressed.” “The kittens aren’t sneezing anymore. The air purifier has had a huge impact.” When it comes to daily use, Mellissa has found a setup that works perfectly for the rescue’s needs. During cleaning, she runs the fan at its highest setting, ensuring dust and particles are quickly filtered out. For everyday operation, she adjusts the fan to levels 2 or 3, which run quietly enough not to disturb the kittens at night. Looking ahead For Mellissa, clean air ensures a brighter future for Tiny but Mighty Kitten Rescue. She intends to continue providing even more kittens with a safe haven before transitioning to loving homes. The cleaner air and lack of odor in the rescue has already improved adoption visits, a critical step in finding forever homes for the kittens. Mellissa emphasizes her desire to address the root cause of ownerless kittens—unspayed and neutered animals in the population. She hopes to get the word out to more pet owners about the crucial role of spaying and neutering their animals. As she warns, “the cat overpopulation is so crazy here. Spay and neuter your cats, spay and neuter your dogs to help lower those populations.” Conclusion Tiny but Mighty Kitten Rescue’s story underscores the profound difference clean air technology can make in transforming lives—both human and animal. For Mellissa, investing in air purification wasn’t just about solving a nuisance; it was about creating a healthier, more inviting space where kittens could thrive and visitors could feel comfortable. By addressing the often-overlooked issue of air quality, she has set a powerful example for other rescues, shelters, and even individual pet owners facing similar challenges.","

Nestled in a small town near Cornwall, Canada, Tiny but Mighty Kitten Rescue serves as a lifeline for abandoned and vulnerable kittens (1). For nearly eight years, rescue founder Mellissa has worked tirelessly to save and nurture the most fragile feline lives in the region.

Yet despite Mellissa’s dedication to maintaining a clean environment for those in her care, animal rescues must always contend with a formidable health challenge. Poor air quality impacts both kittens and the humans who care for them.

Thanks to advanced air purification technology, the rescue now breathes easier—literally and figuratively.

Mission built on compassion

Mellissa’s journey to creating Tiny but Mighty began with heartbreak. As a volunteer at her local animal shelter, she learned of the euthanasia of kittens deemed too young to care for. Unwilling to accept this outcome, she founded her own kitten-focused rescue in 2017.

“I had so many dreams about saving these kittens. Something told me to just do it myself—start my own rescue.”

“I had so many dreams about saving these kittens. They wouldn’t let up,” Mellissa shared. “Something told me to just do it myself—start my own rescue.”

Mellissa provides a safe space for kittens to grow and thrive until they find their carefully screened forever homes. Today, the rescue operates solely on donations and community support. “It’s such an incredible community. People do come through to support what I’m doing, so it’s incredible.”

But running a rescue isn’t without its challenges, and one significant one she uncovered was air quality.

Nova the kitten enjoying toys at the Tiny but Mighty Kitten Rescue.

Good air quality: Essential in animal rescues

Caring for kittens in any enclosed environment presents unique challenges. Despite her meticulous cleaning habits, Mellissa found air quality to be a problem.

“The dust is crazy. The kittens will go in their litter box and sneeze.”

There would still be dust, odors, and allergens in the space “even though I use 99% dust-free litter.” Mellissa explained. “It’s great compared to some I’ve tried, but the dust is crazy. The kittens will go in their litter box and make little sneezes.”

This poor air quality not only affected visitors but also had potential health implications for the kittens and Mellissa herself. Dust mites, microscopic creatures that feed on animal’s dead skin, can cause year-round allergic reactions in both cats and humans, including sneezing, runny and itchy noses, watery eyes, and even rashes.

Components of pet dander can also act as an allergen, triggering similar reactions.

Determined to find a solution to her dust problem, she began her search for an air purifier that could meet the rescue’s unique needs.

Life changing air cleaning solution

Determined to tackle the persistent dust and allergens, Mellissa sought an air purifier that could truly meet the unique demands of her rescue. After years of frustration with a previous model, she knew she needed a solution that could handle constant activity, fine dust particles, and odors effectively.

Mellissa recalled, “The dust was still spreading throughout the house, and I thought, ‘this is just not enough.’”

That’s when Mellissa’s father suggested looking into IQAir’s HealthPro Plus XE. Intrigued by its reputation for advanced filtration capabilities, Mellissa decided to give it a try—and the results were immediate and noticeable.

The HealthPro Plus XE is equipped with HyperHEPA filtration, capable of capturing particles as small as 0.003 microns—100 times smaller than most air purifiers can filter. This efficiency, proven to remove particles far smaller than bacteria or viruses, combined with gas-phase filtration to eliminate odors, made it an ideal solution for the rescue’s air quality challenges.

“The kittens aren’t sneezing anymore. The air purifier has had a huge impact,” Mellissa shared.

$\"\"$

The HealthPro Plus XE at work next to Leia the cat.

Not only did she see a dramatic improvement in the air quality for the kittens, but visitors also noticed the difference. The previously lingering food and litter odors were gone. “I definitely don’t smell that anymore,” Mellissa said. “I’m really impressed.”

“The kittens aren’t sneezing anymore. The air purifier has had a huge impact.”

When it comes to daily use, Mellissa has found a setup that works perfectly for the rescue’s needs. During cleaning, she runs the fan at its highest setting, ensuring dust and particles are quickly filtered out. For everyday operation, she adjusts the fan to levels 2 or 3, which run quietly enough not to disturb the kittens at night.

Looking ahead

For Mellissa, clean air ensures a brighter future for Tiny but Mighty Kitten Rescue. She intends to continue providing even more kittens with a safe haven before transitioning to loving homes.

The cleaner air and lack of odor in the rescue has already improved adoption visits, a critical step in finding forever homes for the kittens.

Mellissa emphasizes her desire to address the root cause of ownerless kittens—unspayed and neutered animals in the population. She hopes to get the word out to more pet owners about the crucial role of spaying and neutering their animals. As she warns, “the cat overpopulation is so crazy here. Spay and neuter your cats, spay and neuter your dogs to help lower those populations.”

Conclusion

Tiny but Mighty Kitten Rescue’s story underscores the profound difference clean air technology can make in transforming lives—both human and animal.

For Mellissa, investing in air purification wasn’t just about solving a nuisance; it was about creating a healthier, more inviting space where kittens could thrive and visitors could feel comfortable. By addressing the often-overlooked issue of air quality, she has set a powerful example for other rescues, shelters, and even individual pet owners facing similar challenges.

","cleaner-air-healthier-kittens-iqair-supports-tiny-but-mighty-rescue","gid://shopify/Article/997882986870","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/cleaner-air-healthier-kittens-iqair-supports-tiny-but-mighty-rescue","2025-01-27T04:00:00Z",[1603,838],"Pets","Cleaner air, healthier kittens: Tiny but Mighty Kitten Rescue",{"_10":1606,"_243":1607,"_246":1608,"_248":1609,"_244":1610},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/396322505078","Cat resting next to air purifier.","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/KittenRescue_Desk_520x500_b51e6557-89fd-41e0-a21b-816616233043.jpg?v=1739826680",520,271,"geoSpotlight",{"_1613":1614,"_2110":2111},"spotlightItems",[1615,1972,2101],{"_12":1616,"_1617":1618,"_1619":1620,"_29":1621,"_1622":1623,"_1626":1627,"_1130":1628,"_10":1633,"_985":1634,"_1635":1636},"Ben Avon AQI Alert","range",75,"markerIconUrl","https://cdn.airvisual.net/assets/marker-images/generic.png","autoGenCustomMarker","location",[1624,1625],-80.0821377,40.5051586,"timestamp","2026-03-23T06:04:25.107Z",{"_246":1629,"_541":1630,"_1631":1632},"https://www.iqair.com/us/newsroom/unhealthy-for-sensitive-groups","Ben Avon has \"Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups\" air quality. See the map and health recommendations.","thumbnail","https://www.iqair.com/dl/app/notifications/Notification_Daily_AQI_Face_03_Orange@3x.png","autoGenCustomMarker:city-5bc822e841fdcdf1939e7d23","unhealthy-for-sensitive-groups","article",{"_541":1637,"_985":1634,"_1131":1638,"_1134":1639,"_1136":1640,"_1143":1641,"_577":1642,"_1126":1643,"_1147":1644,"_980":1648,"_1651":-5,"_1652":-5,"_1653":1654,"_1657":-5,"_1658":-5,"_1659":1660},"When air quality is \"Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups\"","Learn about the risks of this AQI range and protect the vulnerable from potential hazards.","Understanding the \"Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups\" AQI Range An Air Quality Index (AQI) between 101-150 is deemed \"Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups.\" Sensitive groups include: Children The Elderly Pregnant People People with cardiac and pulmonary diseases .recommendations-container { border: 1px solid #e5e7eb; border-radius: 12px; background-color: #f9fafb; padding: 24px; color: #111827; font-family: sans-serif; } .recommendations-table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; text-align: center; } .recommendations-table th, .recommendations-table td { border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 16px; vertical-align: middle; } .recommendations-title { color: #499fbc; font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.5em; } .recommendation-subheading { font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 10px 0; } .recommendation-block { display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; gap: 8px; justify-content: center; padding: 16px 0; } .recommendation-block img { max-width: 50px; height: auto; } .recommendation-text { font-size: 18px; text-align: center; } /* Responsive styling */ @media (max-width: 768px) { .recommendations-table, .recommendations-table thead, .recommendations-table tbody, .recommendations-table tr, .recommendations-table td, .recommendations-table th { display: block; width: 100%; } .recommendations-table tr { margin-bottom: 20px; } .recommendations-table td, .recommendations-table th { text-align: center; border: none; border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; } .recommendation-block { flex-direction: column; align-items: center; } .recommendation-text { font-size: 16px; } .recommendation-block img { max-width: 40px; } } HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS How to protect from Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups pollution Wear a mask outdoors and indoorsGET A MASK Run an air purifierGET AN AIR PURIFIER Close your windows to avoid dirty outdoor airGET A MONITOR Reduce outdoor exercise Protective Measures for Sensitive Groups When air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups, everyone is at risk for eye, skin, and throat irritation, as well as respiratory problems. The public should greatly reduce outdoor exertion. While the broader population might still be largely unaffected, sensitive groups are at much greater health risk and should be very cautious. They should avoid all outdoor activity. How can I protect myself when air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups? Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts and consistently monitor your air quality. Help increase the amount of ground-level monitors by becoming an air quality contributor. Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data. Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode. Sensitive groups should stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask. Run a high-performance air purifier to filter pollutants, particles, gases, and other contaminants","

Understanding the \"Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups\" AQI Range

An Air Quality Index (AQI) between 101-150 is deemed \"Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups.\" Sensitive groups include:

Children
The Elderly
Pregnant People
People with cardiac and pulmonary diseases

\n\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS
How to protect from Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups pollution
\n \n $\"Mask$ \n Wear a mask outdoors and indoors GET A MASK\n \n \n	\n \n $\"Air$ \n Run an air purifier GET AN AIR PURIFIER\n \n \n
\n \n $\"Monitor$ \n Close your windows to avoid dirty outdoor air GET A MONITOR\n \n \n	\n \n $\"Exercise$ \n Reduce outdoor exercise \n \n

Protective Measures for Sensitive Groups

When air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups, everyone is at risk for eye, skin, and throat irritation, as well as respiratory problems. The public should greatly reduce outdoor exertion.

While the broader population might still be largely unaffected, sensitive groups are at much greater health risk and should be very cautious. They should avoid all outdoor activity.

How can I protect myself when air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups?

Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts and consistently monitor your air quality.
Help increase the amount of ground-level monitors by becoming an air quality contributor. Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
Sensitive groups should stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.
Run a high-performance air purifier to filter pollutants, particles, gases, and other contaminants

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See the map and health recommendations.","https://www.iqair.com/dl/app/notifications/Notification_Daily_AQI_Face_06_Maroon@3x.png","autoGenCustomMarker:city-656d711bb9a8cf89b45f3946","hazardous-air-quality",{"_541":1985,"_985":1983,"_1131":1986,"_1134":1987,"_1136":1988,"_1143":1989,"_577":1990,"_1126":1991,"_1147":1992,"_980":1996,"_1651":-5,"_1652":-5,"_1653":1998,"_1657":-5,"_1658":-5,"_1659":1999},"When air quality is \"Hazardous\"","When the AQI enters the hazardous range, it's time to take serious precautions.","Grasping the Severity of Hazardous AQI An Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeding 300 is termed \"Hazardous.\" At this extreme, there's a health warning of emergency conditions. The entire population is likely to be severely affected. .recommendations-container { border: 1px solid #e5e7eb; border-radius: 12px; background-color: #f9fafb; padding: 24px; color: #111827; font-family: sans-serif; } .recommendations-table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; text-align: center; } .recommendations-table th, .recommendations-table td { border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 16px; vertical-align: middle; } .recommendations-title { color: #499fbc; font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.5em; } .recommendation-subheading { font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 10px 0; } .recommendation-block { display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; gap: 8px; justify-content: center; padding: 16px 0; } .recommendation-block img { max-width: 50px; height: auto; } .recommendation-text { font-size: 18px; text-align: center; } /* Responsive styling */ @media (max-width: 768px) { .recommendations-table, .recommendations-table thead, .recommendations-table tbody, .recommendations-table tr, .recommendations-table td, .recommendations-table th { display: block; width: 100%; } .recommendations-table tr { margin-bottom: 20px; } .recommendations-table td, .recommendations-table th { text-align: center; border: none; border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; } .recommendation-block { flex-direction: column; align-items: center; } .recommendation-text { font-size: 16px; } .recommendation-block img { max-width: 40px; } } HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS How to protect from Hazardous pollution Wear a mask outdoors and indoorsGET A MASK Run an air purifierGET AN AIR PURIFIER Close your windows to avoid dirty outdoor airGET A MONITOR Avoid outdoor exercise Protective Measures for Hazardous Air Quality When air quality is hazardous, everyone is at high risk of experiencing strong irritation and negative health effects that could trigger respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. Avoid exercise and remain indoors. Avoid outdoor exercise. It is advisable to wear a pollution mask outdoors and indoors as well. Air purifiers should be turned on. Heed every local health advisory, and ensure homes are sealed effectively against the polluted air. Join the movement! Get a monitor and contribute to air quality data in your city BECOME A CONTRIBUTOR How can I protect myself when air quality is hazardous? Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts and consistently monitor your air quality. Help increase the amount of ground-level monitors by becoming an air quality contributor. Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data. Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode. Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask. Note that “Hazardous” pollution levels require a mask even when indoors.Run a high-performance air purifier to filter pollutants, particles, gases, and other contaminants. How to best protect from air pollution? Reduce your air pollution exposure Face Mask Air Purifier Air quality monitors /* Ensure full-width container */ .container { width: 100%; } /* Responsive styles */ @media (max-width: 768px) { /* Stack images vertically on smaller screens */ table { width: 100%; display: block; } table tr { display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; } table td { width: 100%; padding: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 20px; } table td img { max-width: 100%; height: auto; } /* Adjust h3 and p for smaller screens */ h3 { font-size: 1.5em; } p { font-size: 1.1em; } }","

Grasping the Severity of Hazardous AQI

An Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeding 300 is termed \"Hazardous.\" At this extreme, there's a health warning of emergency conditions. The entire population is likely to be severely affected.

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HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS
How to protect from Hazardous pollution
\n \n $\"Mask$ \n Wear a mask outdoors and indoors GET A MASK\n \n \n	\n \n $\"Air$ \n Run an air purifier GET AN AIR PURIFIER\n \n \n
\n \n $\"Monitor$ \n Close your windows to avoid dirty outdoor air GET A MONITOR\n \n \n	\n \n $\"Exercise$ \n Avoid outdoor exercise \n \n

\n

Protective Measures for Hazardous Air Quality

When air quality is hazardous, everyone is at high risk of experiencing strong irritation and negative health effects that could trigger respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.

Avoid exercise and remain indoors. Avoid outdoor exercise. It is advisable to wear a pollution mask outdoors and indoors as well. Air purifiers should be turned on. Heed every local health advisory, and ensure homes are sealed effectively against the polluted air.

Join the movement!

Get a monitor and contribute to air quality data in your city

BECOME A CONTRIBUTOR

How can I protect myself when air quality is hazardous?

\nGet a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts and consistently monitor your air quality.
Help increase the amount of ground-level monitors by becoming an air quality contributor. Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask. Note that “Hazardous” pollution levels require a mask even when indoors.Run a high-performance air purifier to filter pollutants, particles, gases, and other contaminants.

How to best protect from air pollution?

Reduce your air pollution exposure

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\n $\"Mask\"$ \n

Face Mask

\n $\"HPP\"$ \n

Air Purifier

\n $\"AV$ \n

Air quality monitors

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