The Hidden Air Pollution Inside Your Home | Dr. Atim Atte Enyenihi | TEDxSaltLakeCity

Transcriber: Aminata Camara Reviewer: Emma Gon Traffic jams, smokestacks, wildfire, smoke, dust storms. That's what most of us picture when we hear the words air pollution.

We think of the outdoors, something far away.

But here is what may surprise you: the air inside your home can be 2 to 5 times more polluted than the air outdoors.

And in some homes, it’s 100 times worse.

We spend about 90% of our lives indoors, mostly at home, where we eat, sleep, relax, where the kids play, and it's where most of our breathing happens.

I have a PhD in analytical chemistry, but I didn't realize that my own home had become an accidental chemistry lab.

In a real lab, you’d have goggles, a lab coat, and strict safety protocols.

At home, we light candles, plug in air fresheners, and diffuse essential oils, all without realizing we are filling the air with a cocktail of chemicals.

Limonene, for example, is a natural compound found in lemon and orange peels.

On the fruit, no problem, but it can be made in the lab and added to cleaning sprays and air fresheners to give them that citrusy scent.

It smells pleasant, it smells clean, but that doesn't mean it's safe.

Limonene can react with ozone to produce formaldehyde, a gas that irritates the lungs and eyes.

It's also classified as a carcinogen by the US government.

A toxic gas from something that smells like oranges, that's stealthy indoor chemistry in action.

And it's happening all the time, often without us realizing it.

The air inside your home isn't regulated.

There are no legal limits for most toxic pollutants.

There are no warning systems. Brand new homes can be some of the most toxic.

They're still tight to save energy.

While that keeps our utility bills down, it also traps harmful pollution inside.

When we talk about indoor air pollution, we are really talking about two kinds of trouble: gases and particles.

Gases come from the materials we build with and the things we do every day.

Paint, sprays, scented products, even some furniture and flooring can release harmful chemicals into the air.

Underground gases like radon can seep in and accumulate inside.

Then there are the particles from ironing, running certain humidifiers and everyday cooking, especially on gas stoves, which release both particles and gases.

We are surrounded by indoor toxins.

The most concerning are PM 2.5, tiny particles small enough to bypass our body’s defenses.

We fear these particles in outdoor smog, but often generate them ourselves indoors in our own homes.

Even small increases in PM 2.5 levels have been linked to heart disease, memory loss, and other serious conditions.

And globally, indoor air pollution contributes to over 3 million early deaths every single year.

About the same as HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

I grew up in Nigeria.

We cooked outside under open skies.

I remember how the smoke rose or shifted sideways with the wind.

I can recall the smell of smoked fish in the sharp bites of raw onions.

The breeze carried it all away.

The smoke, the smells, the stink.

The air moved, it didn’t stay trapped.

But today, in most modern homes, the air stays put.

We have traded open air for conditioned air and sealed the pollution inside with us.

The question is, what can we do?

That’s where MAPS comes in.

M-A-P-S: a simple guide for cleaner indoor air.

M: Monitor your air.

You can’t see it, but you can measure it.

And when you measure it, you know when to act.

Different monitors track different pollutants.

A CO2 monitor can tell you when it's time to open windows.

A basic particle counter can effectively monitor PM 2.5 levels, and monitors don't clean the air, but they tell you when it’s time to make some changes.

A: air it out.

Ventilation is your best tool for clearing out gases.

Open windows on opposite sides of your space to create a cross-breeze, cross-ventilation.

When outdoor air is bad, most people seal themselves in.

But that can backfire, because CO2 levels can climb if the air isn’t moving, and when the air isn’t moving, pollutants build up fast even on smoky days.

Crack the window, just a little, enough to let the air shift and point the fan towards the window to help push indoor air out, not pull smoke in.

Pairing that with a purifier helps, which brings us to P: Purify the air.

Filtration tackles particles including smoke, dust, pollen, and PM 2.5.

Use a portable air purifier with a high efficiency particulate air HEPA filter and make sure it’s sized for your space.

It’s your best defense against the fine particles you otherwise breathe in.

Air purifiers work like vacuums for your air, pulling particles out before they reach your lungs.

And S: Source control.

Be proactive in choosing safe products to avoid polluting the air inside your home.

It pays to check the labels.

The word fragrance can refer to any of over 3500 different chemicals, and under US law, companies don’t have to disclose them if they’re considered a trade secret.

Reducing indoor air pollution goes beyond our individual homes.

Not everyone has access to purifiers, well-ventilated buildings, or even clean outdoor air.

And some people face more exposure because of where they live, what they can afford, and what options are available to them.

That makes this an environmental justice issue.

Everyone deserves safe air.

(Applause) Yes.

(Applause) No matter their zip code, income, or housing situation.

Thankfully, some architects and engineers are starting to design with health in mind, prioritizing clean air flow, using lower emission materials, and integrating smart sensors not just to win indoor air quality awards and certifications, but to protect people.

(Applause) But right now, while we wait for widespread solutions, there are no enforceable standards, no alerts, no transparent product labeling laws.

We must stay alert to the toxins polluting our homes, because no one is watching what you breathe indoors.

We need better building codes, transparency from manufacturers, and above all, we need awareness.

You take over 20,000 breaths a day, most of them indoors.

And while you may not be able to control what happens outside, you can manage the air inside.

Thank you.

(Applause)