Indoor air pollution kills 3.2 million people every year: why it’s imperative to ventilate your home every day

Dr. Frédéric Le Guillot, pulmonologist and allergist, is president of the Sainte Respiratory France Association.

Six people almost died in Annecy a month ago due to a heating fault, a child died in Argentires… Is winter a dangerous season for exposure to air pollution? Indoor air?

We spend between 80% and 90% of our time indoors, whether we are in the office or at home. However, indoor air quality is four to five times worse than outdoor air quality.

Why ?

The list is long! Building materials, walls, windows, glue, tools… also heat, especially with gas or oil, or a fireplace, especially with an open hearth. Even furniture, wood, glue that releases phthalates. And everything related to indoor activity: cleaning, cooking systems (more toxic with gas than electric hobs), makeup, plants, animals, moisture and mold…

There are also plays every year…

If the hygrometry, the level of humidity present in the indoor air, is greater than 60% with an internal temperature greater than 22 °C, we are in a culture soup.

In France, 40,000 people die from indoor air pollution, and according to the WHO (World Health Organization) 3.2 million people die worldwide, including 275,000 children under the age of five. The main sources of pollution are cooking and heating, which is the first source of microparticle pollution, especially in open hearth fireplaces, which have only 20% energy efficiency. A closed fireplace is less polluting, but causes a lot of dust. Electric heating remains the least polluting.

“It is estimated that 10% to 15% of lung cancers are linked to air pollution, especially indoors.”

Does pollution cause respiratory pathology?

Yes, but not only that, there are also cardiovascular and brain diseases… There are symptoms that should alert you: itchy eyes and throat, especially cough. Pollution can also worsen asthma or COPD. It is estimated that 10% to 15% of lung cancers are directly related to air pollution, especially indoor air.

In fact, we combine the effects of internal pollution and external pollution…

exactly

So cooling your home in winter is a very bad idea…

There are people who block the mechanical ventilation in their house, and this is really a serious mistake. A BBC house with single-flow ventilation is also a health disaster, accumulating pollutants. At a minimum, double flow ventilation is required.

“In twenty years, 70% of the population will be allergic”

So the fight against energy pollution not only benefits…

In terms of health, sometimes it can be better to have a house that has “leaks”.

How would you characterize the current situation in France, considering practices and housing conditions?

I would say the situation is alarming. Just look at allergies: in 1970, 5% of the French population had allergies, in twenty years, it will increase to 70%. All respiratory pathologies are environmental and behavioral. But it’s easy to blame the outside air.

How can we act?

Whatever your heating method, you must have your appliances checked. When poisoning occurs, the reason is that the device is set up incorrectly, and I remind you that carbon monoxide poisoning is invisible and odorless. If you have a chimney, you should have it swept every year.

Finally, you need to ventilate your interior, 15 to 20 minutes a day and twice a day if possible. It is also important to ensure that ventilation works. Ventilating and ventilating are the basics, knowing that indoor pollutants also include viruses and bacteria.

Are there any benefits of sanitizing spray?

This is a distortion, like all sprays, it contains gases. All household sprays are irritants. The main cause of occupational asthma in hospitals is the use of household products in the room.

Essential oils release pollutants and solvents. Even scented candles… I’m not saying you shouldn’t use them, but you need to be careful about combining them all. The respiratory tree is not mature until the age of 20 years.

Is there awareness?

In the 70s, we smoked in the car, with the windows closed, with children inside… It’s over but overall, there is an awareness among the privileged. So clear messages need to be hammered home. They are based on three points: ventilate, do not block the VMC and control the heating means.