Office workers at work at their desks Photo: Unsplash
Poor indoor air quality is estimated to be costing the country about a billion dollars each year in healthcare costs and decreased productivity, a public health expert says.
Researchers were calling for a national agency to help improve indoor air quality which posed a "major but invisible" health risk across public spaces, such as hospitals, schools, workplaces and homes.
The Public Health Communication Centre (PHCC) issued a briefing on the matter on Thursday.
The briefing's co-author and Otago University associate professor Julie Bennett said indoor air quality was often overlooked.
"We wouldn't drink dirty water or eat unsafe food, but we rarely think about the air we breathe," she said.
"Because we spend around 90 percent of our lives indoors, the quality of that air is critical to our health and wellbeing. Access to clean air should be treated as a basic human right, just like safe drinking water."
Dr Julie Bennett Photo: Supplied / Luke Pilkinton-Ching
Unlike food and water, which were regulated, there were no enforceable standards for indoor air quality.
This left millions of New Zealanders breathing air that could be contaminated with viruses, bacteria, dust, mould, and chemical pollutants, Bennett said.
"Poor air is often invisible and underestimated as it cannot be seen, smelt, or tasted. Stuffy rooms, headaches, asthma flare-ups and allergies are accepted as normal, masking preventable health risks," she said.
Research suggested that improving air quality in public buildings could save New Zealand about $1 billion annually through reduced healthcare costs and improved productivity.
The PHCC briefing said businesses faced millions in losses due to diminished employee focus, fatigue, and increased sick leave.
"Investing in ventilation and air filtration have shown strong returns; for example, schools with upgraded systems report better student attendance and academic performance, demonstrating the broad benefits of healthier indoor environments," the report said.
Existing building codes focused largely on energy efficiency rather than health, with no national agency responsible for indoor air quality. It meant decisions about ventilation and filtration were discretionary to individuals and businesses.
Researchers said legislation mainly targeted outdoor air quality, with the Resource Management Act focusing on outdoor pollution and offering limited attention to indoor settings.
"The NZ Building Code provides basic ventilation requirements aimed at reducing dampness and some indoor pollutants, but lacks enforceable standards for key factors like CO2 levels."
Other countries had dedicated agencies which enforced indoor air quality standards, including the US Environmental Protection Agency, Health Canada and the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety.
The PHCC recommended New Zealand establish a Crown-led national agency to "develop standards, co-ordinate research, and lead a comprehensive strategy" to ensure indoor air quality improved.
This could include thresholds for pollutants and ventilation rates, and upgraded ventilation and HEPA filtration in public buildings.
"Covid-19 made us briefly aware of the air we share, but as masks came off, that focus faded," Bennett said.
"Clean indoor air is one of the most effective ways we can protect our health every day, not just during a crisis. It also helps us think more clearly, work more effectively and learn more easily, making it a lasting investment in both well-being and productivity."
The issue is set to be explored at the Healthy Indoor Air: A Global Call to Action event at the 2025 United Nations General Assembly in New York later this month.
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