Discussing Outdoor and Indoor Quality in the Philippines

1. Air Quality Indoor
and Outdoor
Reported by:
Monica D. Blanco

2. Air
A colorless, odorless, tasteless, gaseous
mixture, mainly nitrogen (approximately
78 percent) and oxygen(approximately 21
percent) with lesser amounts of argon, ca
rbon dioxide, hydrogen, neon, helium, an
d other gases.

4. Air Quality
 the state of the air around us. Good air
quality refers to clean, clear, unpolluted
air. Clean air is essential to maintaining
the delicate balance of life on this planet
— not just for humans, but wildlife,
vegetation, water and soil.

5.  Poor air quality is a result of a number of
factors, including emissions from various
sources, both natural and “human-caused.”
Poor air quality occurs when pollutants reach
high enough concentrations to endanger
human health and/or the environment. Our
everyday choices, such as driving cars and
burning wood, can have a significant impact on
air quality.

6. Indoor Air Quality
 refers to the air quality within and
around building structures.
• According to the EPA, our indoor environment
is two to five times more toxic than our outdoor
environment, and in some cases, the air
measurements indoors have been found to be
100 times more polluted.

7. Sources of Indoor Air Pollution
 Inadequate ventilation is a primary cause of
indoor air pollution and is why pollutants rise in
homes during the winter. In highly urbanized
and industrial areas, lack of air conditioning
and high levels of humidity can increase
concentrations of pollutants inside.

8. Other causes of indoor air
pollution
Radon - is a noxious gas that arises from the soil
and bedrock beneath homes and may be in
building materials. It may contain radium or
uranium.


9.  Tobacco smoke contains 200 known poisons and 43
compounds proven to cause cancer. Second-hand smoke
causes 3000 deaths due to lung cancer, 35,000-50,000 deaths
due to cardiovascular disease, 15,000-300,000 cases of
respiratory infections in infants and worsens asthma in 1
million sufferers.
• Mold
• Mold, mildew and viruses thrive indoors and must be treated.
In the event of mold in your home, call in professionals who
use green methods to take care of the problem. This is a
serious problem and may even require you to move.

10. Household Products
The average home contains about 10 gallons of
synthetic chemical products. Indoor use of
pesticides, cleansers, paints and varnishes and air
fresheners, candles and incense distribute toxins
throughout the home.

11.  Building Materials
Asbestos still lingers in the insulation, paints and
floor tiles of many homes.

12. Outdoor Air Quality
 Outdoor air provides people with oxygen,
which is essential to human life.
The outdoor air we breathe can be polluted
with chemicals from vehicles electric power
plants, incinerators, and other sources. Air
pollution can also come from natural sources
such as forest fires, industrial sources such as
chemical plants and factories, and smaller
sources such as dry cleaners and gas stations.

13. Causes of outdoor air pollution

14. • Mobiles.
• Natural sources like smog