Clean air is a basic requirement of life. The quality of air inside homes, offices,
schools, day care centres, public buildings, health care facilities or other private
and public buildings where people spend a large part of their life is an essential
determinant of healthy life and people’s well-being. Hazardous substances emitted from buildings, construction materials and indoor equipment or due to human activities indoors, such as combustion of fuels for cooking or heating, lead
to a broad range of health problems and may even be fatal. Indoor exposure to air pollutants causes very significant damage to health globally – especially in developing countries. The chemicals reviewed in this volume
are common indoor air pollutants in all regions of the world. Despite this, public
health awareness on indoor air pollution has lagged behind that on outdoor air
pollution. The current series of indoor air quality guidelines, focuses specifically
on this problem. This volume, the second in the series following that addressing the hazards of dampness and mould, sets guidelines for a range of chemical
substances most commonly polluting indoor air. Understanding of the hazards
of these substances is a first step in identifying the actions necessary to avoid and
reduce the adverse impacts of these pollutants on health. If these guidelines are
sensibly applied as part of policy development, indoor exposure to air pollutants
should decline and a significant reduction in adverse effects on health should follow.

Zsuzsanna Jakab
WHO Regional Director for Europe