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The Symptoms & Effects of Emissions The pollutants in a building are familiar and unfamiliar substances. In the following list we have attempted to link the most common symptoms with specific pollutants. However, it should be noted that sometimes no single pollutant is present in unhealthy amounts. Since there can be so many pollutants present at any given moment, it is the total effect that may be unhealthy. CHILDREN ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE Immature immune system  Difficulty in hearing child's complaints  Poor diet  Social customs that ignore environmental factors  Lack of control of environment  Burning coal  Animals sleeping in living areas  Frequent use of antibiotics or other symptom-suppressing medicationsImmature nervous system Smaller bodies Larger body surface in relation to weight Higher metabolic rate and intake of air per unit of body mass Rapid growth Greater energy and fluid requirements per unit of body mass The Pollutants and the Common Syptoms of Exposure TOBACCO SMOKE & SECOND HAND SMOKE irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat  headaches and nausea. FORMALDEHYDE eye and upper respiratory tract irritation headaches dizziness lethargy rashes nausea of the eyes and respiratory system headaches nausea fatigue  dizziness MICROORGANISMS / BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS  short term symptoms vary  allergic reaction in the lung commonly known as humidifier fever ASBESTOS short term symptoms vary  fibres can be inhaled into the lungs and remain in the lung tissue, where they can cause scarring CARBON MONOXIDE fatigue  confusion headache  dizziness nausea  impedes coordination OZONE headache fatigue NITROGEN DIOXIDE eye and upper respiratory tract irritation RADON short term symptoms vary (it is estimated to be the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer TOXIC CHEMICALS IN HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS RELATED SYMPTOMS dizziness nausea headaches allergic reactions eye irritation (watery, puffy, etc.) skin irriatation (rashes, etc.) respiratory tract irritation COMMON EMISSIONS Detergents  Bowl cleaner  Floor wax  Disinfectants  Furniture polish  Window cleaner  Mop oil  Bleach  Dry Cleaning * Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of all pollutants and ones symptoms may vary. Air pollution levels can be greater indoors than outdoors.Respiratory illnesses are on the rise! Between 1989 and 1992, asthma, allergies and other chronic breathing problems increased by as much as 60 per cent One in five Canadians now has some form of respiratory problem lung disease is now the third leading cause of death in Canada and is on the rise Between five and ten per cent of Canadian children have childhood asthma; it is the leading cause of school absenteeism in the country *(Based on 1994 Canadian Lung Association statistics) Page CREATED by John H Boutilier, Lorenzo Dellorusso, Shaun Syms, Shaun McNamara, Peter Casagrande, and Leo Mackey 13-Jul-99