Pollution & air qualityIndoor air quality On average, Canadians spend 90% of their time indoors. For this reason, our indoor air quality is an important health concern.
Learn more about indoor air quality & pollutants:
Learn about air quality in these locations:
Who is most vulnerable to indoor air pollutants?
While everyone's health can be affected by indoor air quality problems, certain people are especially at risk:
- People with allergies or asthma
- People with lung diseases
- People with suppressed immune systems
- Children
Common signs and symptoms of people exposed to poor indoor air include:
- Headaches, fatigue, and shortness of breath
- Worsening allergy and asthma symptoms
- Sinus congestion, cough, and sneezing
- Eye, nose, throat, and skin irritation
- Dizziness and nausea
You don't have to suffer from poor indoor air quality. If you learn more about air pollutants, you'll understand how to spot them and how to get rid of them.
Sources of indoor air pollutants
The two main sources of indoor air pollutants that affect humans can be characterized as either biological or chemical.
Biological pollutants
Biological pollutants originate from living things or are themselves living things. These contaminants can also be either gases or particles (e.g. mould spores). Some common sources of biological pollutants include pets and mattresses. Read more about biological pollutants.
Chemical pollutants
Chemical pollutants can be either gases (e.g. carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide) or particles (e.g. soot). Common sources of chemical pollutants include:
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