The health, construction and environment ministries are poised to
unveil a package of measures to ensure high standards of indoor air
quality.
Impending legislation has been prompted by numerous complaints
about air quality during periods of indoor refurbishment. Many
residents claimed their health has been affected to various degrees
by chemical emissions from construction and decoration
materials.
The regulations will require specific standards be met during house
refurbishment. Standards will also apply during housing
construction.
The officials from the ministries revealed initial details of the
plan yesterday at a two-day international workshop on indoor air
quality, sponsored by the State Environmental Protection
Administration.
"Most people spend two-thirds of every day in various indoor
environments and it is essential for us to pay as much attention as
possible to indoor air quality," Su Zhi, deputy-director of Health
Legislation and Supervision under the Ministry of Health told the
workshop.
An
official survey found that every day the average human being will
consume two kilograms of liquid, one kilogram of dry food and 24
kilograms of air.
However, the probe also found that the air quality indoor is
generally worse than outdoor air, according to Su.
"The situation is pressing, especially in some newly-built
residential places in recent years, because some emissions
including nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide and benzene are generated
during construction and refurbishment," said Su.
Apart from house refurbishment, there are also other ways to affect
indoor air quality, according to an official from the Ministry of
Construction.
"Pollutants created by various fuels when burning are another
source of indoor air contamination both in China's rural and urban
areas," said Yang Luyu, director of the Department of Standards and
Ration under the ministry.
The State has stepped up effort to make all of its cities use clean
energy, such as natural gas and solar power by the end of 2010. It
is hoped the indoor air quality will thus gradually be improved,
Yang said.
Yang highlighted other concerns: "In recent years, the frequent
sandstorms have brought harm to both indoor and outdoor air quality
across northern parts of China."
Yang said the indoor air quality is also related to residents'
indoor activities.
(China
Daily 08/30/2001)