Air Quality

Indoor Air

Indoor air quality can have a significant effect on your health. Studies show that people spend 65 to 90 percent of their time indoors, and indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. The young, elderly, chronically ill, and those with respiratory or cardiovascular disease are often the most impacted by poor indoor air quality.

Outdoor Air

Having good outdoor air quality is important because people do not have a choice about the air they breathe. Sources of air pollution in Washington State include motor vehicles, gas and diesel-powered equipment, outdoor burning, wood smoke, industries and wildfires. Air pollution is linked to a variety of health problems including wheezing and shortness of breath, reducing lung function, aggravation of asthma and other respiratory diseases, chest pain, non-fatal heart attacks and premature death among people with existing lung and heart conditions.