Indoor air pollution: an emerging health problem

Technical Report · Wed Sep 24 04:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6559809· OSTI ID:6559809

Traditionally it has been presumed that a person was protected from polluted air when indoors. Recent research has shown, however, that this may not always be true. Various harmful pollutants - including radon, formaldehyde, and nitrogen dioxide - have been found in the air in homes, offices, schools, and even in recreational facilities. The problem may even be made worse by Government energy conservation programs which encourage the buttoning-up of buildings. Federal efforts to deal with the problem have been piecemeal, receiving little support primarily because no one Federal agency has responsibility for the problem. Until responsibility is assigned to one agency to oversee Federal efforts, they will continue to be ineffectual. In this report GAO recommends actions that the Environmental Protection Agency and the Congress can take to help resolve the situation.

• Research Organization: General Accounting Office, Washington, DC (USA). Office of the Comptroller General
• OSTI ID: 6559809
• Report Number(s): CED-80-111; ON: DE83901354
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
ALDEHYDES
BUILDINGS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
FLUIDS
FORMALDEHYDE
GASES
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HOUSES
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
NITROGEN OXIDES
NONMETALS
OFFICE BUILDINGS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
RADON
RARE GASES
RECREATIONAL AREAS
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
US GAO
US ORGANIZATIONS