Researchers Find Link Between Air Quality and Alzheimer’s Disease

Clean Air Solution by Camfil USA. Leader in Air Filters for Commercial and Industrial applications.

As scientists learn more about the consequences of air pollution, the list of health risks have been growing.  Asthma and other respiratory diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases have long been the top worries, but researchers in Sweden have now added a new – and equally troubling – condition to the list: Alzheimer’s Disease.

Photo – http://bit.ly/1IjlH0u

In a 15-year study, researchers from Umeå University, the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, and the Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging found a direct link between exposure to car emissions and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia among the population of Umeå, a city in northern Sweden with a population of approximately 120,000.

The study, published in July by Environmental Health Perspectives, can be found at http://1.usa.gov/1IjlJ8p

Bertil Forsberg, professor of occupational and environmental medicine at Umeå University, told the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter that the researchers believed very small particles from traffic-related air pollution – specifically the nitrogen oxide found in vehicle exhaust – enters the brain through the olfactory nerve and causes direct damage.

This is a particular concern for those who live in more heavily polluted areas, since harmful outdoor air particles can easily enter the indoor environment in the absence of effective air filtration.  Indeed, the study found that people who live in homes exposed to air pollution have a 40 percent greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia than those living in areas with cleaner air.

In Umeå, the researchers found a clear pattern between dementia and the air quality where study participants lived.  In all, 16 percent of the city’s dementia cases were likely related to exposure to vehicle exhaust.

While the problem – and risks – of air pollution can’t be beaten overnight, relatively simple steps can be taken to reduce the harm.  With effective air filters, dangerous particles can be removed from the indoor air – boosting both the health and the comfort of those who live or work inside the buildings.

To that end, Camfil – the world’s leading provider of commercial air filters – has developed a new generation of air filters that retain their peak efficiency longer than more traditionally designed filters, while requiring less energy.  As a result, they do a better job of removing harmful particles from indoor air, while lowering lifetime costs.  Leveraging its network of a half dozen global research centers, Camfil has designed air filters that last longer and require less frequent change-outs – lowering installation and disposal costs – without ever sacrificing performance.

As researchers learn more about air pollution, the risks and concerns are increasing.  But at the same time, so are the ways to tackle them.  With innovative, industry-leading filters in place, we can all, literally, breath a sigh of relief.

The world leader in air filtration systems, Camfil provides clean air solutions for hospitals, hotels, office buildings, educational institutions, and pharmaceutical and biotech companies.  We provide the tools to achieve sustainability, maintain high air quality, and reduce airborne infections — all while lowering total cost of ownership.  Camfil customers go green without ever sacrificing performance.  For more information, visit us online at www.camfil.us, or call us toll-free at 888.599.6620.

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As Air Pollution Health Risks Mount, Indoors & Outside, London Aims to Cut Them

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Air quality problems are growing across the globe, making the efforts in the UK’s largest metropolis noteworthy – and vital

As research into air pollution continues, concerns about its health consequences are growing. In cities across the globe, the level of harmful airborne particles is already dangerously high, bringing increased risk for asthma, emphysema, and even cancer. Nor is the problem restricted to the outdoor environment. Harmful particles can often seep inside buildings, making the risks of poor indoor air quality particularly troubling.

In London, two new reports – one released by King’s College of London and the other by the Greater London Authority (GLA) — highlight just how dangerous air pollution can be and how steps to reduce the problem are urgently needed.

Using emerging techniques to calculate the health risks associated with nitrogen dioxide – a common pollutant – King’s College found that in 2010, just under 6,000 deaths in London were associated with long-term exposure to NO2. Meanwhile, the researchers found that long-term exposure to PM2.5 – ‘fine’ size particles (of less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter) that can easily lodge deep in the lungs — was associated with 3,500 London deaths in 2010. All told, nearly 10,000 local deaths, in just one year, could be traced back to air pollution.

But the GLA’s report showed that London, at least, was not planning to sit back as pollution-related deaths mounted. The report noted that the city’s mayor has proposed that central London become the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone by 2020 – complying with the new ‘Euro 6′ emission standard designed to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by half. The city government has also proposed the introduction of London’s first age restriction for taxis, intended to retire more than 6,000 of the oldest — and most polluting — vehicles. Another proposal, intended to go into effect in 2018, would require all new London taxis to be emit zero emissions.

The GLA report notes progress, too, with NO2 concentrations at London roadside sites reduced by an estimated 12 percent since 2008.

Yet one finding in the GLA report was decidedly more sobering: Even if emissions in London were to be reduced by half, long-term — and even short-term — exposure to air pollution would still bring a significant level of adverse health impacts.

This makes it important for businesses and individuals to do their part, too. Indoor air quality, for instance, can be dramatically improved with proper air filtration – a step many businesses, hospitals, educational institutions, and property owners are already taking, not just in the U.K. but also around the world. It is a step being supported – and facilitated – by a new generation of high efficiency air filters, like those developed by Camfil, the world’s leading provider of clean air solutions.

Operating a half dozen global research centers, Camfil has created a line of air filters that last longer, use less energy, and do a better job removing harmful particles from indoor air than more conventionally designed filters. The result: optimal indoor air quality and a lower total cost of ownership – a true ‘win-win’ scenario. Indeed,
Camfil’s ‘5-Star’ filters can reduce energy usage by 20 to 40 percent while increasing the safety, and the comfort, of indoor air.

Air pollution is a growing problem, but the solutions to tackle it are maturing, too, becoming more effective, more efficient, and more affordable. Together, policy and technology can team up to reduce the perils, and boost health and quality of life for everyone.

The world leader in air filtration systems, Camfil provides clean air solutions for hospitals, hotels, office buildings, educational institutions, and pharmaceutical and biotech companies. We provide the tools to achieve sustainability, maintain high air quality, and reduce airborne infections — all while lowering total cost of ownership. Camfil customers go green without ever sacrificing performance. For more information, visit us Camfill Air Filters Catalog online at www.camfil.us or call us toll-free at 888.599.6620.

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Study Finds Troublesome Link Between Cleaning Products and Indoor Air Pollution

Study Finds Troublesome Link Between Cleaning Products and Indoor Air Pollution

Clean Air Solution by Camfil USA. Leader in Air Filters for Commercial and Industrial applications.

Harmful impact on indoor air quality increases need for better product labeling – and better air filtration

A study by a Canadian environmental action organization found that commonly used cleaning products dramatically raised the level of harmful contaminants in indoor air – increasing risks for asthma and other respiratory illnesses. While the rise in indoor air pollution was higher for conventional cleaning products than for certified ‘green’ products, both elevated the level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which have previously been linked to long-term health problems, especially in children.

The study, released on June 17 by Toronto-based Environmental Defence, tested the air in 14 homes that were cleaned with either conventional cleaning products, certified green products, or products with unverifiable green claims. The air was tested before and during the cleaning. In eight of the households, air quality went from decent to poor during the cleaning – and by the end of the cleaning, 12 of the 14 households exceeded the German standard for indoor VOC levels (there is currently no Canadian standard).

In homes where conventional cleaners were used, VOC levels increased by an average of 120 percent. Homes cleaned with ‘unverifiable’ green products saw an average VOC rise of 100 percent. But even those households that used certifiable green products saw a troubling increase in VOC levels – on average, a 35 percent jump.

In announcing the study’s findings, Environmental Defence called on the Canadian government to require full ingredient disclosure on the labels of cleaning products and to promulgate new regulations for VOC concentration limits. These are sound steps, but there are also steps that individuals and businesses can take to reduce the harmful particles in their indoor environment – and mitigate the risks of VOCs and indoor air pollution. Chief among them: proper air filtration.

Such solutions are readily available, and cost effective, thanks to the efforts of companies like Camfil – the world’s leading provider of clean air solutions. Camfil, for instance, operates a half dozen global research centers to create a new generation of air filters that last longer, use less energy, and do a better job removing harmful particles and chemicals from indoor air than more conventionally designed filters. This enables Camfil customers – which include pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, hospitals and health care facilities, educational institutions, and manufacturing companies – to realize both better savings and better performance.

Indoor air pollution is growing problem – one that we are still learning about new and often troubling things. But it is also a problem that can be tackled, and beaten back. With today’s cutting edge air filters, we can all breathe a sigh of relief – and cleaner, healthier air.

The world leader in air filtration systems, Camfil provides various types of air filters for hospitals, hotels, office buildings, educational institutions, and pharmaceutical and biotech companies. We provide the tools to achieve sustainability, maintain high air quality, and reduce airborne infections — all while lowering total cost of ownership. Camfil customers go green without ever sacrificing performance. For more information, visit us online at www.camfil.us or call us toll-free at 888.599.6620.

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Health Effects of Poor IAQ

Clean Air Solution by Camfil USA. Leader in Air Filters for Commercial and Industrial applications.
Dirty air can have a devastating effect on people that already have conditions that make them susceptible to increased levels of polluted air. Some of the more common ailments include asthma, emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
People with asthma are susceptible to common dusts, dust mite and cockroach droppings, mold, and even some airborne chemicals known commonly as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Symptoms can be debilitating and include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath.
Emphysema is a disease in which the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs become damaged and is caused by smoking, air pollution and manufacturing fumes. People that have emphysema experience alveoli that turn into large, irregular pockets with holes in them. The surface area of the lungs is reduced over time, resulting in less oxygen transferring from the lungs into the bloodstream. Small fibers that hold open the small airways leading to the alveoli also become less elastic so that when the patient exhales they collapse making it more difficult to breathe.
Emphysema is one form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD. Chronic bronchitis is another. Symptoms include having a hard time catching your breath, chest tightness, wheezing, and/or a chronic cough that may produce a lot of mucus. Common COPD causes include smoking, second hand smoke, and air pollution. There is no cure for COPD, only treatment.
When considering the health effects of poor air quality we should also consider children under 14 as they are in development stage that actually requires higher lung function, pregnant women whose systems are already challenged as they are breathing for two and the elderly who are susceptible because of the decreased lung effectiveness.

A MERV 13 air filter, commonly used in office buildings to protect the environment for employees and visitors. Photo courtesy of Camfil, USA.

The above health problems can be controlled through the use of effective air filtration to reduce airborne contaminants in the indoor environments where these individuals live or work. A MERV 8 filter, classified as a medium efficiency air filter, can provide a cleaner indoor environment by significantly reducing the quantity of particles that produce the symptoms associated with asthma. Higher efficiencies such as MERV 13, commonly used in office environments, can further reduce the prevalence of all the aforementioned lung-related associated with all above the problems noted above. Some filters may lose efficiency over time, so when selecting an air filter to address these health related problems seek air filters that have a MERV-A equivalent to their MERV. MERV is an acronym for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value when a filter is tested using a Standard as published by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers. The higher the MERV, the higher the filter efficiency.
For more information on Camfil and HVAC replacement filters for homes (as well as anywhere else where optimal indoor air quality is imperative).
The world leader in air filtration systems, Camfil provides tools to achieve sustainability, maintain high air quality, and reduce airborne infections — all while lowering total cost of ownership. For more information, visit us online at www.camfil.us, or call us toll-free at 888.599.6620.

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Air Quality on Airplanes 4th of July Air Travel Update

Clean Air Solution by Camfil USA. Leader in Air Filters for Commercial and Industrial applications.

You travel on a flight and when you get home you always seem to have a cold or other health related annoyance — is the airliner the cause? Possibly, but the total answer may be a little more complicated. Major airliner manufacturers install components in the airliner to protect the health of passengers and although their methodology varies somewhat be assured that your comfort and health are a high consideration.

Air supplied through these vents is filtered through HEPA filters to remove harmful contaminants.

Typically the air supplied to the cabin is a 50-50 mix of recirculated air and outside air. The outside air is introduced through a sealed area adjacent to the engine compartment so the introduced air can be heated to an appropriate temperature level. The air temperature at 25,000 feet can be thirty degrees below zero. The outside air is then mixed with recirculated air from the cabin and introduced back into the cabin through vents, including those little air vent controls that are found above each seat. In most designs the air is removed near the cabin floor after which some air is exhausted and the remainder is recirculated.

HEPA filters used in airliners can have various forms. Photo: Camfil USA.

The recirculated air is passed through industrial grade HEPA filters that are capable of removing particles that are hundreds of times smaller than the eye can see. Airliner manufacturer’s say that between 94 and 99.9 percent of airborne microbes are captured, and that there is a total changeover of all of the cabin air every two or three minutes.

Clearly these manufacturers have considered the health of passengers in airliner design as this design is way in advance of what you would find in offices, schools, assembly areas or other common places of human gathering.

The germs that a compromised individual can introduce through sneezing, coughing and even talking can still be a problem primarily because of the close proximity of passengers in a confined space. There is still a period where those germs may be local to your breathing zone or they can land on a surface where they may remain viable anywhere from seconds to hours depending upon the germ.

To reduce your probability of breathing in these contaminants turn the air vent above your seat on and aim the clean air current slightly in front of your face so that germs from infectious passengers that are nearby will be redirected away from you. It is also prudent to avoid touching surfaces that may be adjacent to infected passengers. Although protection systems are in place, they are not perfect. The use of common sense germ avoidance hygiene can go a long way in protecting your health.

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Changing Residential Air Filters

Clean Air Solution by Camfil USA. Leader in Air Filters for Commercial and Industrial applications.
It sits in your furnace or air conditioning unit all year, working hard, yet as with many things if neglected it can cause extensive problems — your air filter.
Air filters for residential use can typically take three forms, in order of popularity, fiberglass panels, high efficiency pleated panels and flat polyester pads. Fiberglass panels typically arrive with the furnace or air conditioner with the purpose of protecting the equipment from contaminant buildup and subsequent performance problems. Some manufacturers supply upgraded pleated panels or consumers purchase pleats as replacements for the original fiberglass panels because of the pleated filters’ increased particle capture efficiency. A pleated panel can be over 300% more efficient and can remove particles associated with common allergies as well as lasting longer in the system because of its increased media area.
Because they are hidden from view, homeowners often forget or postpone changing these filters. Failure to change filters on a regular basis can reduce airflow through the system, use more energy to move air through the filter, or even cause filter failure through filter structural collapse.
A good habit for homeowners to get into is changing the filter at least twice a year, once before cooling season and once before heating season. The most critical change is the one immediately previous to the summer season when air conditioning is used. Cold air is heavier than warm air so the air conditioner’s fan has to work harder to move the air. A clean air filter has less resistance so airflow will not be restricted so equipment performance will not be compromised and subsequent building comfort will not be negatively affected.
Homes with additional contaminant generation such as animal dander, located in an urban environment, or with allergy compromised individuals should consider more frequent changes. These homeowners should also consider quarterly changes starting with the month that typically requires the highest number of hours of air conditioning in their local season.
It is also critically important that the proper size filter, one that fits tightly in the filter holding mechanism, be used. A ¼” gap around a 24-inch by 24-inch filter can equal almost 20% air bypass, air that is not being treated thus contaminating surfaces downstream of the filter and allowing particles to remain airborne compromising the buildings’ clean air level.
A human will breathe over 55 pounds of air in a day. Most of the air we breathe may be contaminated, taxing our bodies normal protection system — our lungs. For less than a penny a day your air filter protects you from these contaminants — as long as it serviced properly.
For more information on Camfil and HVAC replacement filters for homes (as well as anywhere else where optimal indoor air quality is imperative).
The world leader in air filtration systems, Camfil provides tools to achieve sustainability, maintain high air quality, and reduce airborne infections — all while lowering total cost of ownership. For more information, visit us online at www.camfil.us, or call us toll-free at 888.599.6620.

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