Tribal Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a critical issue facing many tribes throughout the country. Improving indoor air quality can result in significant improvements in health thereby decreasing medical costs and improving quality of life.

The EPA has identified and characterized significant risks to public health from indoor environmental contaminants that are commonly found in homes, schools and offices, where Americans spend up to 90 percent of their time. Indoor levels of air pollution may be two to five times higher, and occasionally 100 times higher, than outdoor levels. Common indoor air contaminants include radon, secondhand smoke, mold, irritant and allergenic asthma triggers, combustion by-products and volatile organic compounds.

With support from USEPA's Office of Radiation & Indoor Air (ORIA) – ITEP is developing a program to assist tribes with Indoor Air Quality issues in the following focus areas:

• Radon
• Indoor Asthma Triggers
• Indoor Air Quality Management Programs in Schools