The quality of the air you breathe during your day depends on the choices you make. If you cycle to work you may encounter less pollution than if you take a cab. If you live on a farm you may be breathing in different pollutants to those which people living in cities are exposed to. Your everyday life can include hundreds of different “pollution events” depending on the decisions you make — from playing with their pets to going on holiday to visiting a salon for a blowdry.
One of the most diverse sources of indoor pollution are volatile organic chemical compounds (VOCs) whose composition makes it possible for them to evaporate under normal indoor room temperatures and pressure. This makes them particularly harmful indoors, as once released, they can spread throughout the atmosphere and pollute the environment. Poor ventilation within buildings, something often associated with newer ones, heightens the issue, as the pollutants become trapped inside and cannot escape.
Very few of us realise just how many different sources there are for our indoor VOC air pollution events — and what is actually causing them.
But one curious insight into how many of us are exposed to VOC pollution could be seen in an unusual place: our use of emojis.
Emojis have quickly become a quick way of explaining to others what we are doing. By investigating some of the most commonly used ones we can learn a lot about what people are doing.
The most popular emoji used on Twitter in 2018 was the crying with laughter face, according to the real-time emojitracker.com. But some of the next most used on the list include everyday objects like roses, coffee, cats, cars, and candles. And it is worth considering that these are all sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions.
Below are some of the most popular emojis which show just how common air pollution is in our everyday lives…
Beauty Products💄
The products that we use to keep ourselves looking and smelling clean could actually be dirtying the air around us. Soaps, deodorant, hair spray and nail polish remover all emit VOCs.
In fact, research has indicated that some beauty products might actually be worse for air quality than the commonly vilified car. In a study published in Environmental Science and Technology, a significant portion of emissions recorded during rush-hour traffic came from the people inside the vehicles- more specifically the personal care products they use on their body and hair.
High levels of the pollutant siloxane were detected, a VOC which is not present in auto emissions, but which is added to shampoos, lotions and deodorants to give them a smooth, silky texture.
Cooking 🍆
Researchers have found that cooking a Sunday roast releases a surge of fine particles that could make the air inside dirtier than the air in Delhi.
When using a gas hob, gas flames, vegetables, oils and fat combine to emit harmful PM 2.5 particulates which are small enough to be absorbed inside the lungs.
This can have significant health impacts, and each year, close to 4 million people die prematurely from illness attributable to household air pollution from inefficient cooking practices.
Exercise 💪
Instagramming about setting a PB during your last outdoor run? Don’t celebrate just yet. According to the Guardian, depending on where you are you are exercising in, it could be doing you more hard than good, especially if you live in a busy city.
By the end of January last year, London had already reached its legal air pollution limit for the entire year, with high levels of Nitrogen Dioxide detected throughout the city.
When running, your cardiovascular activity amplifies and you take in up to 6 times the litres of air per minute. The uptake of oxygen provides you with energy, but nasty pollutants are breathed in greater volumes.
Flowers 🌷
Flowers are used by many to help rooms to smell better. However, pollen, which the flowers release is a form of air pollution — and one which can have a severe impact on those suffering from Pollen allergies (the most typical form of allergic diseases).
Allergy sufferers already feel the impact of the small, light and dry pollen grains that travel through the air, causing symptoms which include a runny nose, sneezing and itchy eyes.
But as poor air quality in cities continues to be a problem, keeping tabs on our surrounding air quality as well as pollen counts might be necessary to mitigate the effect of these particulates.
Flying ✈️
Posting about an upcoming holiday retreat? According to one 2010 study, plane exhaust kills more people than plane crashes, with their toxic pollutants contributing to at least 8000 deaths annually.
Like cars, aeroplane exhausts contain pollutants like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which are tiny particulates that can enter the bloodstream once they’ve been breathed into the lungs.
Previously it was assumed that people were only harmed by the emissions released during take-off and landing, yet the study revealed that it was actually unregulated emissions from planes flying above 3000 feet that are responsible for most of the deaths.
Furniture 🛏️
Formaldehyde is a chemical that is used to produce household products, usually found in the glue we use for home construction and renovations.
It is one of the most common household VOCs and is particularly prominent in new household products, with pressed-wood products being a major contributing source.
It can remain in the atmosphere for several months and its levels peak in areas with high indoor temperatures and poor ventilation. Newer homes are particularly susceptible, due to their newer furnishings and more modern, airtight designs.
Paint 🎨
That ‘fresh paint smell’ may actually be a sign of VOCs like Benzene and Formaldehyde, which can linger in the air for up to six months after application .
When paint is drying, indoor VOC levels can be as much as 1000 times higher than outdoor levels.
Paint is usually applied over a large surface area, increasing the amount of nasty VOCs emitted into the atmosphere and contributing to poor indoor air quality within the home.
Pets 🐶
When your pet sheds, it leaves behind pet dander which are tiny pieces of skin that float in the air and can carry allergens.
These allergens are very lightweight and small, so can remain suspended in the air for a long time. Their jagged shape causes them to stick to furniture, bedding and clothing, and they are easily carried in and out of the home.
In the United States, roughly twice as many people report allergies to cats when compared to dogs, despite there being more dog owners overall.
Waste💩
It’s an emoji crowd-pleaser, yet flushing your toilet to get rid of an odor can releases VOCs into the atmosphere, dirtying the surrounding air.
Levels of formaldehyde in the air increase as you flush the toilet with toilet cleaner, according to one study. Other cleaning products, such as air freshener, detergent and bleach are also thought to be responsible for releasing VOC emissions.
Recent research has found that even natural fragrances in cleaning products may react with high levels of ozone inside to form formaldehyde, negatively impacting the air quality inside your home.
Words: Elise Metcalf, Staff writer
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