A recent EPA report generated from the National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) shows that today’s United States citizens face increased exposure to air pollutants that heighten their risk of cancer. According to the report, every single one of the estimated 285 million people in the United States have a cancer risk of more than 10 in a million from exposure to toxic air pollution; the average risk of cancer is 36 in a million, and the EPA has stated previously that levels above 100 in a million are unacceptable and exceptionally worrisome. This news highlights the problem of air pollution and the insidious ways in which it is affecting our health and well being.

Where Air Pollution Comes From

The air pollutants that are increasing Americans’ risks of developing cancer come from a variety of different sources. Approximately thirty percent of the overall risk is accounted for from mobile emissions; exhaust from trucks, buses and regular passenger vehicles makes up most of those emissions. A carcinogen known as benzene is found in emissions, and has been shown to come from the burning of oil and coal, but can also be produced by gas station fuel pumps and from regular motor vehicles as well. Given Americans’ fondness for their cars, it’s not surprising that benzene is so prevalent in the air that we breathe.

Industry emissions make up another 25 percent of the cancer risk gauged by the EPA’s report. Although stricter standards have been in place on many of these industries for some time, they continue to produce a great deal of pollution that contributes to the heightened risk of cancer. These pollutants don’t only linger outside in smog filled city streets, either; they seep into every last inch of our lives – including into our private homes. These cancer causing pollutants compromise the integrity of indoor air quality just as much as outdoor air quality.

What the Report Means for You

If you live anywhere in the United States and are one of its estimated 285 million citizens, this report highlights your increased likelihood of contracting cancer simply by breathing. In other words, the mere act of inhaling air increases your cancer risk significantly enough to warrant an ominous report. Rather than sitting back and wringing your hands, though, there are steps that you can take to help protect you and your family. Although the risks cannot be completely eliminated, they can be mitigated to a decent extent by employing the use of a high quality HEPA air purifier in your home and in your car.

Today’s air purifiers are based around HEPA filter technology, which remove 99.97% of pollutants from the air that we breathe. Particulates measuring down to 0.3 microns are captured by this high quality technology and removed from circulation – never getting a chance to enter your respiratory system or expose you to cancer-causing pollutants. HEPA is the most relied upon technology for areas and situations that require truly clean air and pristine indoor air quality, like operating rooms and burn units. Originally developed by the Atomic Energy Commission during World War II, HEPA filters were first used to pull radioactive particles from the air and have since become ubiquitous among air purification systems.

Remove Harmful Pollutants with HEPA Air Purifiers

When used properly and installed in your home and in your vehicles, HEPA air purifiers can effectively remove a large percentage of the pollutants highlighted in the EPA’s worrisome report. The less of these pollutants you inhale, the better. In addition to using HEPA technology, these products are enhanced with activated carbon filters that pull toxic vapors and odors from the air; between the HEPA filter and the activated carbon filter, the air that you breathe will be more pristine than ever before. People looking for allergy relief and other health benefits may discover them by using well designed air purifiers.

While you cannot do a whole lot to reduce outdoor pollution – beyond eschewing automobiles altogether – there is a lot you can do about the indoor air quality of your home and car. Portable HEPA air purifiers are available for passenger vehicles and can keep the air you breathe while driving free from most of the harmful pollutants that are shown to increase the risk of cancer. Purifiers installed in your home give you a pure environment in which to sleep and go about your daily business.

At Clean Air Plus, we are concerned about reports like the one issued recently by the EPA, and seek to provide our customers with valuable options for combating these problems. Our high quality HEPA air purifiers are designed by industry leaders like Austin Air, IQAir and Amaircare, and can help protect you and your family from a huge percentage of pollutants. Start breathing easier today; order an air purifier from Clean Air Plus.

Related posts:

  1. Study Shows Link between Traffic, Indoor Pollutants and Asthma
  2. Indoor Air Quality Poses Significant Health Risks
  3. Increased Ozone Caused by Ionic Air Purifiers Poses Health Risks
  4. How Particulates Affect People and Why It Matters
  5. Air Pollution Hurts More Than Just Your Lungs
  6. Air Pollution Costs California Millions
  7. Air Pollution Increases Risk of Hospitalization in Newborns’ First Year
  8. Air Pollution Causes Heart Attacks and Strokes – Why You Need a HEPA Air Purifier
  9. Many Counties Reach Dangerous Soot Levels
  10. Stressed Parents + Air Pollution = Kids with Asthma