FEATURE
VOCs and indoor air quality Lessening the impact of air contamination sources in your facility. Words Tim Yeomans
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commonly cited statistic states most of us spend approximately 90 per cent of our time indoors, in the contained environment of the home and workplace. In the move toward greater environmental sustainability, buildings have become more energy efficient and more tightly sealed. While this provides a better environmental impact, it also means that the air in these buildings may not become renewed through passage of fresh air. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a significant contributor to poor indoor air quality in these sealed environments. VOCs can cause a range of symptoms including eye, nose, and throat irritation; headache; loss of coordination; nausea; and damage to the liver, kidney, and central nervous system. For those with asthma and allergies, throat and lung irritation can prompt an asthma attack. Unfortunately, there can be many sources of VOCs in the indoor environment, and less air exchange means that there is nowhere for these VOCs to go. Building materials, electronic equipment, cleaning products, and even cooking processes can contribute to the VOC content of the indoor environment. How can facility and maintenance managers be proactive in dealing with these indoor air pollutants? 52 INCLEAN September / October 2020
CONTROL WHAT YOU CAN It is best to be pragmatic and deal with sources of VOCs you can control. For those you can’t control, take steps to mitigate their impact. One of the most difficult sources to control is electronic equipment, which can emit VOCs from their plastic shells. While you may be able to select more sustainable products, this may not always be practical. VOCs also can be emitted when the ink in photocopiers heats up during use, another source that may be impractical to avoid. More easily controlled VOC sources include paints, some cleaning products, and building products like insulation. As paint formulations have greatly improved over the past 15-20 years, low- or no-VOC paints now rival the performance of the less safe alternatives. Most paints carry certification or test data to help you to choose an appropriate product. Many building materials, such as insulation, require formaldehyde as a catalyst. Fortunately, formaldehydefree insulation has become more available. Similar to VOC-free paints, formaldehyde-free building products will generally be clearly labeled. Cleaning products are a good example of a product class that can be divided between low- and high-VOC choices. Cleaning products work by dissolving dirt,