The quality of the air we breathe is essential to healthy living. Air
pollution damages lung tissues and may weaken the body's ability to defend
itself from sickness and disease. Poor air quality can trigger asthma and
impair lung function, especially in children. The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) estimates that U.S. residents spend 90 percent of a typical day
indoors and that many pollutants are two to five times higher indoors than
outdoors. Since most county residents spend most of their days in schools
and workplaces, having a healthy and safe indoor air quality environment is
very important.
The Livingston County Department of Public Health (LCDPH) provides resource
information and consultation on various sources of air pollutants, such as:
radon, mold, lead, asbestos, mercury, carbon monoxide, environmental tobacco
smoke, and volatile organic compounds (vocs). LCDPH does not typically
perform indoor air quality investigations; however, our staff is available
to assist the general public with their concerns and/or questions regarding
indoor air quality. The links below provide additional information on
various types of air pollutants. Educational brochures and handouts are
available for download as a .pdf document. Additional links are provided
under each of the topics for further information.