Environmental Health Student Portal
Connecting School Students to Environmental Health Information

Indoor Air Pollution

Did you know there are little creatures that share your bed and live on your stuffed animals - and cause air pollution? They are tiny dust mites, invisible to the human eye. They like to eat dry flakes of skin, and their waste affects indoor air quality.

We usually think about air pollution as affecting the air outside. But there can be indoor pollution, too. Consider how much time you spend indoors. All that time, you’re breathing in the air around you. Indoor pollution can come from many sources, including paint, tobacco smoke, burning wood, cleaning products, mold, and pet dander. These pollutants can cause a range of health problems, from triggering allergic reactions and asthma to cancer and even death.

At this Web site, you can learn how to identify the sources of air pollution in your home and other places you visit, avoid exposure, and safely get rid of it. 

Explore the links at right to:

• Discover the sources and health effects of indoor air pollution
• Do an experiment to see air
• Learn how to do a home inspection for sources of air pollution
• Watch a video about a mold problem in a real U.S. school
• Take a virtual school tour to find potential sources of air pollution
• Become a health hazard detective at ToxRAP
• Find out how to improve your indoor environment
• Play the interactive game Indoor Air Pollution Chase