Morton, I.
2002
CMHC
| There is convincing evidence that poor indoor air quality (IAQ) is damaging people's health. It has been linked to increases in asthma, allergies and multiple chemical sensitivities. In fact, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has rated poor IAQ as being among the top environmental risks to human health.
Since the late 1970s, the problem of poor IAQ in Canadian buildings has received intermittent attention.While a relatively well-developed policy framework exists for outdoor environment issues, with specific jurisdictions assigned legal authority, resources and responsibilities, there is no comparable accountability framework for indoor pollution. Some problems have been controlled by regulation, such as the federal government banning the use of urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI), but in general, voluntary initiatives have been the main approach for addressing indoor environment issues in Canada.
Although only a small number of initiatives have been employed across the country¡ªEurope and the US are notably much further ahead¡ªfoundations are in place for greater progress. Industry leaders now manufacture various products that have demonstrable benefits with regard to indoor air quality. New building designs, improved ventilation, filtration technologies and low-emission products are fueling rapid growth of a Canadian indoor environment industry currently valued at $1 billion annually.
With funding from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and five other project sponsors¡ªVenmar Ventilation Inc., NIKE Inc., Health Canada, Interface Flooring Systems (Canada) Inc. and Lever Pond's¡ªPollution Probe produced a report bringing together, for the first time, components of the indoor environment issue previously treated separately. Achieving Healthy Indoor Environments: A Review of Canadian Options looks at strategies for encouraging voluntary initiatives, best practices in the field, legal aspects of IAQ, and the market for indoor environmental products and services.
The purpose of this report is to identify promising options for addressing IAQ in Canada.The report explores the question of whether government regulations or voluntary initiatives are more appropriate for solving IAQ problems.The complexities of multiple jurisdictions governing private property and individual rights suggest that voluntary initiatives could be the best choice. |
