What is in my air?
The
nearly two decade-long study of a half million people in some of the
biggest US metropolitan areas found that long-term exposure to city
air significantly raises the risk of lung cancer. In fact, the risks
were virtually identical to those faced by nonsmokers who live with
smokers and are exposed long-term to cigarette smoke.
The conventional wisdom used to be that offices were clean environments,
far removed from grit and grime. But as the study of both outdoor
and indoor air quality continues, companies are confronted by the
fact that many unseen hazards can loom in seemingly clean air.
Airborne contaminants fall into roughly three categories:
a) fine particulate and dust;
b) gases and other odor causing compounds; and
c) biologically active materials such as bacteria, viruses, mold,
and spores.
