Strategies for Healthy Indoor Environments-a Chinese View

The characteristics of indoor air pollution are reviewed. Three sources of indoor air pollution are of great importance for the health of people indoors: fuel combustion, indoor decorating and refurbishing materials, and building materials in China. The principal pollutants from these sources are combustion products, cooking fumes, formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds, ammonia, and radon. The reasons for indoor air quality problems are analyzed. Strategies and measures of controlling indoor air pollution are summarized. They include constituting standards and guidelines of indoor air pollution control, framing management policies of controlling indoor air pollution from energy consumption and civil building engineering work as well as other measures such as the establishment of administration, special monitoring teams, research and development, education and training.