Healthy Kids Tip: Air Quality
Learn why air quality is important to the healthy of your children & family, and get tips and resources for improving air quality.
Health Effects of Poor Air Quality
Air quality significantly impacts people’s health. The health impacts from exposure to air pollution (indoor and outdoor) can include decreased lung function, asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and even some types of cancer. Children are particularly vulnerable to air pollution because their lungs are still developing and they breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults do.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air pollution is often 2-5 times greater than outdoor levels of air pollution (sometimes as bad as 100 times more polluted) due to a lack of air filtration and ventilation. Dirt, moisture, and warmth encourages the growth of mold and other contaminants, which can trigger allergic reactions and asthma. Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce air pollution in both your indoor and outdoor environments.
See our checklists for Eco-Healthy Homes and Eco-Healthy Child Care.
See more Eco-Healthy tip sheets.
10 Ways to Improve Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality:
1. Do not smoke on child care premises or near children. If you do smoke, wear a smoking jacket; remove it upon entering buildings.
2. Do not idle vehicles. Car exhaust releases pollutants that are harmful to health (especially to children) and the environment. Idling cars release even more pollution than moving cars.
3. Prevent mold and mildew. Reduce excess moisture by fixing leaks. Increase ventilation naturally by opening windows and using fans.
4. Clean spills promptly. For spills on carpets, clean and dry carpets ASAP to prevent mold growth.
5. Prohibit the use of scented candles and artificial air fresheners, which contain multiple chemicals, including dangerous solvents, to achieve their fragrance. See some safer scent alternatives.
6. Use biodegradable, least-toxic cleaning products certified by Green Seal or EcoLogo. Why? Many ingredients in cleaning products can make indoor air unhealthy to breathe, irritate the skin and eyes, harm the respiratory tract, as well as damage the natural environment. See green cleaning recipes and safer cleaning tips.
7. Use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) procedures to manage pests. IPM is an effective, environmentally sensitive alternative to pesticides used to control pests with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment. See our safer pest management guide.
8. Seal all solvent, adhesive, paint, and art supply containers and store in a well-ventilated area. Or, buy only as much as you need and take the rest to a hazardous waste recycling facility.
9. Use non-toxic art supplies. Make sure they are approved by the Art & Creative Materials Institute, Inc. or designated AP Non-toxic, or CP Non-toxic.
10. Remove pets with fur or feathers. Pet allergens can trigger allergic reactions and asthma.
Air Quality Resources on the Internet
* Greenseal, Ecologo and EPA's Design for the Environment are third party certifiers for biodegradable, least toxic cleaning products.
* EPA's Indoor air quality "tools for schools" resources.
* Air quality for child cares: A 48-page manual to improving air quality in your facility, from Arizona's Department of Environmental Quality.
* California Air Resources Board resources for healthier schools.
* American Lung Association air quality tips for homes and schools
* National Asthma Education and Prevention Program: How asthma-friendly is your childcare setting?
