Introduction

The cost of indoor air pollution in Australia is estimated by the CSIRO to be as high as $10 billion a year in ill health and lost productivity. In many cases pollution levels inside cars, homes and commercial buildings has been found to be significantly higher than the pollutant levels in the air we breathe outside.

CSIRO Thermal & Fluids Engineering, as part of its Indoor Air Toxics program, has studied the causes of poor indoor air quality and a range of symptoms that are often referred to as “Sick building syndrome” and “Sick car syndrome”.  They include allergy sensitivity, irritated eyes, nose or throat, tiredness, headaches and poor concentration. These symptoms are generally thought to occur as a result of high indoor emissions of volatile organic compounds, poor ventilation and other biological and chemical toxins and pollutants.

Long-term exposure to poor indoor air quality has been linked to a range of serious health problems ranging from headache, fatigue, eye, nose, throat and skin irritation to serious respiratory illnesses as well as various types of cancers.

In Australia there is increasing pressure from various lobby groups pushing the government to introduce mandatory minimum indoor air quality standards.

Challenge

Exposure to indoor pollutants poses a significant health risk. It has been linked to a range of serious health problems ranging from headache, fatigue, eye, nose, throat and skin irritation to serious respiratory illness and various types of cancers.

Increasingly poor indoor air quality is becoming a public health, environmental and economic issue and a real liability for employers and building managers who fail to provide a ‘safe’ working environment.
With the general trend in society towards healthier lifestyles, people are increasingly demanding safer, cleaner and healthier living and working environments.
Research by CSIRO has found high levels of air toxic emissions in new motor vehicles for up to six months and longer after they leave the showroom.  Dr Steve Brown, head of CSIRO's Air Quality Control research says, 'Just as air inside our homes and workplaces is often much more polluted than the air outside, so sitting in a new car can expose you to high levels of toxic emissions many times beyond goals established by Australia’s National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC)'.

CSIRO highlights that there's now an urgent need to implement control strategies, such as the Green Air Label, across all indoor air environments.

The quality of indoor air and its potential effect on human health is an important issue because of the amount of time spent indoors and in one’s vehicle. In Australia, figures show the time spent at home and in the vehicle ranges from 68% for 15-24 year olds to nearly 90% for those over 65 (Langley et al. 1992). Australia currently does not have any single government authority responsible for indoor air quality.

Indoor and vehicle air can be contaminated by the same pollutants as occur outdoors, particularly nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and lead. Indoor air quality can also be affected by pollutants predominantly associated with indoor situations, such as dust mites, formaldehyde, tobacco smoke, asbestos fibres, microbial contaminants, radon and pesticides.

What can NANOPAC offer?

The existence of poor air quality in cars and buildings is a significant problem that needs to be addressed urgently. Our patented self-cleaning surface treatment solutions based on latest Nano-technology products have been specifically developed to address the following customer needs:

• Spend less time and money on cleaning
  • Easy to clean surfaces
  • Self-cleaning products
• Improve performance
  • Increase efficiency
• Cleaner and healthier living environment
  • Removal of bad odours
  • Cleaner air & pleasant scent
  • Removal of bacteria, fungi, mould
  • Air purification
• Improve health & safety
  • UV protection
  • Improve visibility / anti fogging
  • Removal of toxins & pollutants
  • Sterilization & sanitation (removal of bacteria, fungi, mould)
• Increase longevity of product
  • Increased protection from environmental factors (sun, water, dirt, …)
• Stop corrosion
• UV protection