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Public Health Solutions
District Health Department
995 East Hwy 33, Ste 1
Crete, NE 68333-2562
888.310.0565

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Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air is often more polluted and unhealthy than outdoor air.

• Mold is a common complaint, especially after heavy rains. Fix leaks right away to avoid problems with mold.
• Harmful chemicals like formaldehyde and toxic solvents are used in manufacturing of furniture, carpeting, flooring, housepaint and other common household items, and they can build up indoors as they 'off-gas'. Air out your home weekly, and choose products made with non-toxic finishes whenever possible.
• Overuse of harsh cleaners or pesticides in poorly ventilated areas only adds to our daily dose of hazardous airborne chemicals. Use non-toxic alternatives for cleaning and pest control.
• Radon is a serious problem, particularly in this part of the country. Have your home tested right away.

Second-hand tobacco smoke is one of the most harmful indoor air pollutants. It contains more than 4,000 harmful chemicals, including more than 40 that are known to cause cancer, even in non-smokers! Only 15% of the smoke in a cigarette is inhaled by the smoker - the rest disperses into the air, and into the lungs of whoever is nearby.

• Consider making your home and car smoke-free zones.
• Avoid smoking around children at all costs, since they are especially sensitive to the affects of the chemicals.
• Do not smoke while pregnant. Smoking during pregnancy can cause a variety of health problems for the baby, including severe asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, wheezing, coughing, ear infections, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
• Quit Now!!!

In June 2009 Nebraska joined the ranks of states that have gone Smoke Free in the workplace. Smoking is not allowed in public places*, including restaurants, convenience stores, offices, and private homes where licensed child care is in operation. Contact local law enforcement using their non-emergency number to report an acute violation (i.e. someone actively smoking and refusing to put it out). Contact PHS to report chronic violations (i.e. managers/owners who refuse to prohibit smoking in their establishment).

*exceptions: up to 20% of rooms in a hotel, places where only tobacco is sold, and places where tobacco research is being conducted.

More Information, Programs and Services:

Helping Landlords and Tenants Reduce Second-Hand Smoke Exposure

Operation Storefront (PHS can provide community groups with a guidebook to help them work to reduce the amount of tobacco advertising geared towards local youth)

US EPA's Indoor Air Quality Programs

Nebraska Health and Human Services