October is recognized as National Indoor Air Quality Awareness Month. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) refers to indoor air quality (IAQ) as the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants.

A comfortable temperature and relative humidity, good ventilation, and a lack of unpleasant odors comes to mind for many people when discussing IAQ. Also important is understanding and controlling airborne pollutants found indoors to help reduce the risk of potential health concerns. EPA states that the health effects from indoor air pollutants may be experienced soon after exposure or, possibly, years later. These health effects could include everything from irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat; headaches, dizziness, and fatigue; and respiratory diseases, heart disease, and even cancer.

“We Americans spend approximately 90% of their time indoors, where the concentrations of some pollutants are often two to five times higher than typical outdoor concentrations according to the EPA,” said Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President of Marketing at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “Some of the more common IAQ pollutants include mold, pollen, particulate matter, animal dander, Legionella and other bacteria, radon, formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides, lead, asbestos, carbon monoxide and combustion gases, and tobacco and marijuana smoke to name just a few.”

Working to identify indoor air quality pollutants are the building science, industrial hygiene, and infection control professionals at EMSL Analytical, Inc. With laboratories across the United States and Canada, EMSL provides comprehensive indoor and outdoor air quality testing services, sampling supplies, easy-to-use test kits and air monitoring instruments. They also recently sponsored an educational video about National Indoor Air Quality Awareness Month that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/RbLmbmixmOU

To learn more about air quality and industrial hygiene laboratory services and supplies, please visit www.EMSL.com, email info@EMSL.com or call (800) 220-3675. To access indoor environmental quality test kits, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.

EMSL Analytical is one of the leading testing laboratories throughout the United States and Canada. EMSL is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider specializing in fast laboratory results for mold, bacteria, Legionella, USP 797, pathogens, asbestos, lead, soot, char & ash from fires, VOC's, odors, radon, formaldehyde, indoor air quality, microbiology, environmental, industrial hygiene, radiological, food, beverage & consumer products, and material testing services for the identification of unknown substances. EMSL services both professionals and the general public. EMSL maintains an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies including, but not limited to A2LA, AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), NVLAP, CDC ELITE, CPSC, CA ELAP, NY ELAP, TX DOH, NJDEP, and multiple other state accrediting agencies. Please visit our website at www.EMSL.com for a complete listing of accreditations. In addition, EMSL carries a wide range of Sampling Equipment and Investigative Products for environmental professionals.

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