"The information we heard today clearly demonstrates that indoor air pollution is a serious health and economic problem that California is only beginning to address," said Assemblywoman Pavley. "With Californians spending at least 87 percent of their time indoors, it is crucial that we act decisively to mitigate or eliminate the many sources of indoor air pollution."

The purpose of the hearing was to review the findings and mitigation options contained in a report to the Legislature entitled "Indoor Air Pollution in California" prepared by the California Air Resources Board (ARB).

"What we have heard today is a sobering reminder that we are not safe from air pollution even when we come indoors" said Assemblywoman Lieber. "The lack of a statewide strategy for dealing with the challenge of indoor air pollution leaves our most vulnerable populations - children and seniors - gasping for breath."

Sources of indoor air pollution include mold, pollen, chemical-laden building materials and consumer products, combustion appliances, tobacco smoke and pesticides. According to the report, people are more likely to be exposed to indoor air pollutants than those emitted outdoors. Indoor air pollution is a serious problem that is largely unregulated and threatens public health in homes, schools, and the workplace.

The report also highlights the serious problems of inadequate ventilation, excessive concentrations of formaldehyde, and mold and noise problems in schools that urgently need to be addressed.

"Among the most serious challenges we face are how to deal with the effects of poor indoor air quality on the health of children," Lieber stated, responding to the report's findings on poor air quality in schools. "We will be working with the Administration and the Department of Education to make this a top priority" continued Lieber. "There is no reason to unnecessarily expose California school children, who are especially vulnerable, to indoor air pollutants, simply because we lack the political will to protect them."

Other key findings of the report include:

• Some indoor air pollutants exacerbate asthma symptoms, resulting in breathing difficulties;
  
  
• Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) contributes to roughly 380 excess lung cancer deaths per year (this is similar to the total outdoor air pollutant cancer burden);
  
  
• Approximately 230 excess cancer cases may occur annually in California due to exposures to certain indoor toxic air contaminants (excluding ETS, radon gas, and asbestos). This is comparable to the estimated cancer burden (260 excess cases/yr.) from outdoor diesel exhaust particles and exceeds the cancer risk for other outdoor pollutants (110 excess cases/yr.);
  
  
• Indoor concentrations of many pollutants sometimes exceed health-based guidelines or standards. Some pollutants, like formaldehyde, nearly always exceed chronic health guidelines and acceptable cancer risk levels. Studies conducted by the ARB, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and others have also shown that indoor levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other pollutants are often higher than outdoor levels; and
  
  
• Children may be especially vulnerable to poor indoor air quality due to their undeveloped physiology and immune systems; they also inhale more air relative to their body size and tend to be more active.
  
  

AB 1173 (Keeley, Chapter 987, Statutes of 2002) required the ARB to prepare a comprehensive report to the Legislature on the best scientific information available on indoor air pollution, the potential adverse health effects from exposure to this pollution, and options for mitigating those health effects.

The report and other background information is available on the Air Resources Board's website at www.arb.ca.gov/research/indoor/ab1173/ab1173.htm.