Indoor Air Pollution Puts Children’s Health at Risk

BEIJING -- As health scares like HIV/AIDS,
SARS, mad cow disease and the newly feared bird flu follow hot on each other's heels, people are becoming accustomed to finding danger lurking in every corner.
But, while most threats are fairly easy to protect against, the latest danger, indoor air pollution, might prove harder to avoid.
With people spending around 90 per cent of their time indoors, health experts are warning how dangerous this invisible threat can be, fearing it could even prove fatal for some children.
Nearly 77 per cent of schools in Beijing tested in a recent survey by the China National Interior Decoration Association (CNIDA) showed high levels of deadly pollutants, such as formaldehyde, benzene and ammonia.
These chemicals, widely used in building materials and numerous household products, can cause damage to eyes, skin and nervous, respiratory and digestive systems.
The survey was carried out last month after requests from parents, according to the CNIDA's Indoor Environment Test Centre.


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