Serious Air Pollution Becomes Growing Concern in Alaska

Federal environmental officials announced yesterday that citizens living in Fairbanks and Juneau, Alaska, are at risk to serious health concerns, as a result of the chronic air pollution in these two cities.

Fairbanks and Juneau join the list of places where tiny bits of airborne dust, termed “particulate” pollution, or PM2.5, is bad enough to cause serious health concerns and force local officials to respond. Like the rest of North America, Alaskan residents are also at risk to a high degree of chemicals in the air.

Federal health officials have linked particulate pollution to short-term and long-term health problems. It's prevalent in places like Fairbanks and Juneau due in part to weather patterns that trap cold, stagnant air close to the ground.

The indoor air experts at AllerAir are warning Juneau and Fairbanks residents to take their own measures to ensure their indoor air is clean. “This announcement most certainly should not be taken lightly,” said AllerAir Indoor Air Quality Expert, Karen Hand, B. Chem. Eng. “Residents need to be proactive in these situations to ensure the safety of themselves, as well as their families.”

The experts at AllerAir suggest:

1) Incorporating indoor plants in your home that scrub the air and produce oxygen.
2) Using non-toxic cleaners, i.e., non-solvent cleaners.
3) Using air purifiers that combine a deep carbon bed with a HEPA filter.

Short- and long-term exposure to fine-particulate pollution can cause serious health problems. When they become lodged deep in the lungs, particulates can cause chronic bronchitis, decreased lung function and, for people with lung or heart disease, shorter lives.

To talk to an Air Quality Expert at AllerAir, call their tollfree number at (888) 852-8247 or visit their website at www.allerair.com.