- Research has shown that scented candles are among the pollutants found in people’s homes
- Cleaning products and deodorants also cause pollution in the home
According to a global study by technology company Dyson, air pollution in British homes was worse than elsewhere for 11 months of the year.
Data from more than 2.5 million Dyson air purifiers around the world was collected in the study for the first Global Connected Air Quality study.
It focused on the levels of two types of pollutants: PM2.5s – particles with a diameter of 1/25th the diameter of a typical human hair – and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
If PM2.5s are inhaled and enter the bloodstream, there is evidence they can cause serious illness, including heart disease and dementia.
They mainly come from the combustion of wood and coal in fireplaces and solid fuel stoves.
Data from more than 2.5 million Dyson air purifiers around the world collected in the study for the first Global Connected Air Quality study
VOCs are gas pollutants that can be emitted from cleaning products or gas cooking, as well as from deodorant sprays, scented candles and even furniture treated with fire retardant chemicals
VOCs are gas pollutants that can be emitted from cleaning products or gas cooking, as well as deodorant sprays, scented candles and even furniture treated with fire-retardant chemicals.
The research found that March was the worst month for indoor pollution in British homes, with the peak time being 7pm to 10pm.
Hugh Montgomery, Professor of Intensive Care Medicine at University College London, said: ‘We all see air pollution as an outdoor or roadside problem. Dyson’s findings give us valuable insight into the real pollution levels in homes and help us understand pollution patterns.”
In China, Australia, France, Austria, Canada and Spain, indoor PM2.5 exceeded outdoor levels every month in 2022.
But in homes in India, Norway, Poland and Finland, PM2.5 levels were below outdoor levels for six months of the year.
At the city level, annual average indoor PM2.5 levels in homes in Milan were more than 2.5 times higher than outdoor levels – a discrepancy greater than in any other city studied.
While the effect of air pollution on the lungs is well documented, a recent study by experts at Harvard University has shown that there may also be consequences for brain health.
It showed that exposure to higher levels of PM2.5 caused volunteers to perform poorly in cognitive tests. Other research has shown that children exposed to poor indoor air quality in schools perform worse on math and reading comprehension tests.