fast facts 

Indoor Air Quality: 

Air Pollutants 

April 2009 

Office of Compliance 

advancing safety, health, and workplace rights in the legislative branch 

www.compliance.gov 

Indoor air quality is not a simple, easily defined concept like a wobbly desk or a leaky faucet. It is a constantly changing interaction of 

complex factors that affect the types, levels, and importance of pollutants in indoor environments. These factors include: sources of 

pollutants or odors; design, maintenance and operation of building 

ventilation systems; moisture and humidity; and occupant perceptions and susceptibilities. These and many other factors affect comfort or perception of indoor air quality. 

Pollutants can be generated by outdoor or indoor sources, including 

building maintenance activities, pest control, housekeeping, renovation or remodeling, new furnishings or finishes, and building occupant activities. One important goal of an indoor air quality program 

is to minimize people's exposure to pollutants from these sources. 

Some of the key pollutant categories include biological contaminants, chemical pollutants, and particles. 

Biological contaminants 

Excessive concentrations of bacteria, 

viruses, fungi (including molds), dust 

mite allergen, animal dander, and pollen may result from inadequate maintenance and housekeeping, water 

spills, and inadequate humidity control 

leading to moisture condensation on 

surfaces. Dust mites, like the one in 

Figure 1, can cause reactions in individuals prone to allergic reactions. 

These organisms are introduced into the building by occupants, 

infiltration, or ventilation air. Allergic responses to indoor biological pollutant exposures cause symptoms in allergic individuals and 

also play a key role in triggering asthma episodes for an estimated 

15 million Americans. 

Figure 1: Dust Mite

Chemical pollutants 

Sources of chemical pollutants include 

tobacco smoke, emissions from products 

used in constructing and furnishing a 

building (e.g., office equipment; furniture, wall and floor coverings; and cleaning and consumer products), accidental 

spill of chemicals, and gaseous products 

of combustion such as carbon monoxide 

and nitrogen dioxide. Cleaning products, like those seen in Figure 2, can 

become pollutants if spilled or not stored properly. 

Figure 2: Cleaning Chemicals

Particles 

Particles are solid or liquid 

substances that are light 

enough to be suspended in the 

air; the largest of which may 

be visible floating in sunbeams. However, smaller particles that you cannot see are 

likely to be more harmful to 

ones health. Particles of dust, 

dirt, or other substances may 

be drawn into a building from outside, but can also be 

produced by activities that occur in buildings. These 

activities include sanding wood or drywall; utilizing 

office reproduction equipment used for printing, copying 

and faxing, as seen if Figure 3; and operating other types 

of equipment. 

Signs and Symptoms

Many different factors influence how indoor air pollutants 

affect occupants. Some pollutants, like radon, are of concern because exposure to moderate levels of the pollutant 

over long periods of time increases the risk of serious, life 

threatening illnesses, such as lung cancer. Other contaminants, such as carbon monoxide at very high levels, can 

cause death within minutes. Some pollutants can cause both 

short and long term health problems. Prolonged exposure 

to environmental tobacco smoke can cause lung cancer, and 

short term exposures can result in irritation and significant 

respiratory problems for some people, particularly young 

children. 

People often react very differently when exposed to the 

same contaminants at similar concentrations. For example, 

some people develop severe allergic reactions to biological 

contaminants to which other people will not react. Similarly, exposure to very low levels of chemicals may be irritating to some people but not others. For people with 

asthma and other pre-existing conditions, exposure to irritants like gases or particles from various indoor sources 

may cause more severe reactions than the same exposure 

would in others. 

Figure 3: Particulates from 

Copier
 fast stats 

23 million Americans have asthma; 12 million Americans had an asthma attack in 2008. A large number of 

those attacks were in response to exposure to indoor airborne allergens. 

In 1988, the Building Owners and Managers Association conducted a survey of property managers to determine the reason why tenants moved to new facilities at the end of their lease. The survey results revealed that 

30% of the tenants indicated unresolved HVAC or indoor air quality issues as the reason for their move. 

The United States Environmental Protection Agency found that the airborne concentrations of about a dozen 

common volatile organic pollutants were 2 to 5 times higher inside buildings than outside. 

 

This information does not constitute advice or an official ruling of the Office of Compliance or the Board of 

Directors and is intended for educational purposes only. For further information or comments concerning this 

Fast Facts, please refer to the Congressional Accountability Act (2 U.S.C. 1301 et seq.) and the regulations 

issued by the Board, or you may contact the Office of Compliance, 202-724-9249.

The Office of Compliance advances safety, 

health, and workplace rights in the U.S. 

Congress and the Legislative Branch. Established as an independent agency by the 

Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, 

the Office educates employees and employing offices about their rights and responsibilities under the Act, provides an impartial 

dispute resolution process, and investigates 

and remedies violations of the Act. 

If you have any questions, please do not 

hesitate to contact the Office of Compliance: 

Room LA 200, John Adams Building 

110 Second Street, SE 

Washington, D.C. 20540 

t/ 202-724-9250 

tdd/ 202-426-1912 

f/ 202-426-1913 

Peter Ames Eveleth 

General Counsel 

Mary-Margaret Smith 

Editor 

Download the entire Fast Facts suite at http://www.compliance.gov 

Management of Pollutant Sources

Avoid procedures and products that can cause problems. Many common products used in offices including solvents, adhesives, cleaners, and pesticides can produce pollutants and odors. These products should always be 

used in a well-ventilated area. As seen in Figure 4, improperly storing materials in rooms that ventilate the air, 

can cause those particles and odors to be released in the ventilation system. Office equipment such as copiers, 

printers, and fax machines also require the provision of adequate and sometimes separate ventilation. If your 

organization engages in activities that may generate air pollutants, such as photographic development or large 

scale printing processes, the provision of local exhaust ventilation for the equipment or process is especially important. Pollutants and odors (which may or may not indicate a health concern) generated in your space may not 

only bother those in the immediate area, but may enter the building ventilation system and cause problems for 

employees in other parts of the building. 

Work with building management and contractors before you conduct remodeling or renovation activities to identify low emission processes and equipment. If air emissions are still likely, building management and the contractor must develop and install systems to remove these emissions from the work area and the building. During 

construction, properly isolating the area to be remodeled or renovated from other spaces, sealing the HVAC systems, and scheduling these activities for evenings and weekends if possible, can go a long way toward minimizing occupant exposures. 

If the renovation work is contracted through you, ensure that the architect or interior designer and contractor will 

use practices and procedures that allow building products to emit vapors and gases before they are installed. If 

possible, try to arrange for plastic wrappings to be removed from partitions, carpet rolls, and other new materials 

before they are brought into the space. Ask to have the materials aired out in a clean, dry location outside the building for a few days before 

installation. This precaution can significantly reduce chemical emissions and odors inside the building. 

Figure 4: Improper Storage in 

Air Handing Room

Figure 5: Preventative Maintenance is Essential