United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA-402-F-95-001
July 1995
Asthma, Air Quality, and Environmental Justice:
EPA's Role in Asthma Education and Prevention
Asthma is a serious problem in
our society. It kills about 4,000 people a
year and was estimated to cost $6.2
billion in medical care and lost time
from school and work in 1990.* Asthma
is the leading chronic illness of children
in the United States and the leading
cause of school absenteeism due to
chronic illness. Asthma deaths and the
number of Americans diagnosed with
asthma continue to increase each year.
The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) supports
asthma education and prevention as
part of its general commitment to
environmental and health protection
and its specific commitment to
environmental justice for all
Americans. Environmental justice
means that all people should have an
equal opportunity to live in a healthful
environment. Where people are living
in unhealthful environments, EPA is
working to protect them by trying to
reduce or eliminate their exposures to
pollution.
Asthma can be aggravated by
exposure to pollutant "triggers" such as
certain components of vehicle exhaust
and industrial emissions, tobacco
smoke, pollen, and allergens from
animals and insects. Often, urban
environments have high levels of
outdoor pollution and poor housing
conditions, which frequently are
associated with increased levels of
indoor pollution. Disproportionate
numbers of people of color and people
from low income households live in
these areas, and thus may be exposed to
higher than average levels of air
pollution, both indoors and outside.
These exposures, along with other
factors such as inadequate health care,
may explain why roughly two to three
times as many African Americans as
Caucasians die from asthma. Asthma
also affects children disproportionately:
five times more children than adults die
from asthma each year.
EPA has made real progress in
reducing air pollution that can cause
problems for people with asthma.
Levels of ozone, particles, and other
contaminants in the outdoor air are
decreasing in many places. EPA is also
working to reduce pollution levels
indoors, where many Americans spend
90% or more of their time. But there is
still a long way to go, arid everyone
must be part of the solution. EPA can
help people understand how air
pollution can affect asthma, and how to
prevent asthma episodes by reducing or
avoiding exposure to potential triggers
such as pollution.
* Asthma statistics cited in this fact sheet are
from the Institute of Medicine's 1993 report Indoor
Allergens: Assessing and Controlling Adverse
Health Effects.
-------
Simple Steps For Fteducing Or Avoiding
Pollutants That May Trigger Asthma Episodes
Outdoors
• Use public transportation, carpool, and
encourage everyone to limit polluting
activities. Stay inside or avoid heavy
outdoor exercise on days when
pollutants such as ozone, sulfur dioxide,
or pollen are high.
In the. Home
• Don't smoke indoors, unless you are in
a room just for smokers, with a separate
ventilation system to exhaust smoke
outside. Never smoke around children
or people with asthma.
• Combustion gases and particles can
cause breathing difficulties for people
with asthma. Call the appliance service
representative or local utility company
to check combustion-powered furnaces,
stoves, or heaters every year to make
sure they're operating properly. Change
furnace filters according to
manufacturer's instructions, or every
month or two during periods of use.
Consider installing higher efficiency
filters to reduce the number of particles
in the air. Never use a gas stove to heat
the home, and always use the exhaust
fan when cooking on a gas stove.
• Try to keep humidity levels between 30
and 50%, because high humidity can
promote growth of biological agents that
may trigger asthma episodes. Use
exhaust fans or open windows in
kitchen or bathroom areas when taking
showers, cooking, or using the
dishwasher. Make sure clothes dryers
are vented to the outdoors, and use a
dehumidifier in the basement if
necessary.
• If you're using a humidifier, clean it
according the manufacturer's
instructions, and refill with fresh water
every day so harmful microbes will not
grow and be dispersed into the air.
• Keep the house clean to reduce allergy-
causing agents like microscopic dust
mites, animal dander, and pollen. If
you're allergic, use allergen-proof
comforter and mattress covers, wash
bedding in hot (130° F) water, and avoid
furnishings which can collect dust. Get
rid of cockroaches, and consider keeping
pete out of the bedrooms of family
members with asthma. Consider using
a high efficiency vacuum filter or a
vacuum system that's vented to the ?
outside.
In Schools
• Some people with asthma may be
sensitive to allergens from classroom
pete such as birds and gerbils. Keep
cages clean and don't let animals roam.
• Strong-smelling chemicals in
laboratories or art supplies can trigger
asthma episodes. Make sure ventilation
is adequate.
• Gyms, locker rooms, and libraries may
be a source of dust and mold; make sure
they are cleaned regularly and humidity
levels are kept between 30 and 50%.
For more information, contact:
Indoor Air Quality Information
Clearinghouse (IAQ INFO)
P.O. Box 37133
Washington, DC 20013-7133
1-800-438-4318 (202-484-1307)
------- |