Page 430 - Fundamentals of Air Pollution 3E

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Indoor Air Quality

I. CHANGING TIMES

Societies' concern with air quality has evolved from medieval times, when
breathing smelting fumes was a major hazard, to where we are today (see
Chapter 1). In modern society, a parallel effort has been under way to
improve air quality in the outside or ambient air, which is the focus of this
book, and in the industrial occupational setting in manufacturing and other
traditional jobs. A combination of events is moving many countries to
consider the quality of air in other locations where we live parts of our
lives. Attention is now being refocused on "indoor" air quality.
In developing countries, priorities have often been different. Industrial-
ization, water and food supply and sanitation, infrastructure improve-
ments, and basic health care are often the focus of the leaders of a country.
In some areas, the availability of a job is much more problematic than some
consideration about the quality of the air in the workplace or the home.
Many dwellings in developing countries do not have closable windows
and doors, so the outdoor and indoor air quality issues are different. In
some houses where cooking is done by firewood or charcoal, the air quality
outdoors may be considerably better than that inside the smoky residence.

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