Indoor Air Quality News

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IAQ improves nationally

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Lung Association’s State of the Air 2010 report finds that a decade of cleanup measures to reductions in emissions from coal-fired powered plants and the transition to cleaner diesel fuels and engines have paid off in cutting levels of deadly particle and ozone pollution, especially in eastern and midwestern U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Cincinnati, Cleveland, New York City, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Washington, DC/Baltimore.

Despite that progress, State of the Air 2010 reveals that more than half the population of the United States still suffers pollution levels that are too often dangerous to breathe. The report finds that unhealthy air remains a threat to the lives and health of more that 175 million people—roughly 58% of the population. And, despite progress in many places, the report finds that some cities, mostly in California, had air that was more polluted than in the previous report.

For more information, see www.lungusa.org

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Few states have cut tobacco use

ATLANTA—A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—Tobacco Control State Highlights: 2010—reveals that the majority of states have failed to put in place crucial policies that can significantly reduce tobacco use, including programs and services that help tobacco users quit and prevent kids from starting to smoke. The American Lung Association came to a similar conclusion in its annual State of Tobacco Control report, which revealed that 40 states and the District of Columbia spend less than 50% of the amount the CDC recommends.

For more information, see www.lungusa.org

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Kansas bans public smoking

TOPEKA, Ks.—Governor Mark Parkinson signed into law HB 2221, the Kansas Clean Indoor Air , which bans smoking and makes the act of smoking in the following a cigarette or tobacco infraction:

• public places
• taxicabs and limousines
• common areas in public and private buildings, condominiums and other multiple-residential facilities
• access points of all building and facilities unless exempted by the bill
• any place of employment.

For more information, see www.governor.ks.gov

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Standard addresses air filters

WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, Penna.—Manufacturers developing treated fabrics or air filters, as well as end users who want to specify an article that performs under conditions of moisture and nutrient load, will be the primary users of ASTM International standard ASTM E2722, Test Method for Using Seeded-Agar for the Screening Assessment of Antimicrobial Activity in Fabric and Air Filter Media.

ASTM E2722 is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee E35.15 on Antimicrobial Agents, part of ASTM International Committee E35 on Pesticides and Alternative Control Agents. 

For more information, see www.astm.org

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Standard to improve IAQ

ATLANTA– A proposed guideline, by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning (ASHRAE) would provide guidance on achieving good indoor environments by considering the interactions of air quality and thermal conditions as well as lighting and acoustics.

ASHRAE Guideline 10P, Interactions Affecting the Achievement of Acceptable Indoor Environments, calls attention to many interactions that designers might not have previously recognized or understood.

For more information, see www.ashrae.org

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