May 13, 2008
Ask EPA is an online interactive forum where you can discuss a wide range of environmental and human health issues with EPA's senior officials.
Today's Session
May is Asthma Awareness Month and we'll have EPA experts on hand to answer questions on EPA's role in helping people effectively manage Asthma and how the environment can affect this condition. Learn some surprisingly easy ways to reduce indoor "environmental triggers", such as dust or pet dander, and ways to help prevent asthma attacks -- because even one attack is one too many.
EPA Experts:
 |
Alison Davis, EPA Senior Advisor for Outdoor Air and Asthma, Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards |  |
Tracey Mitchell, Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) with EPA |  |
Kristy Miller, Campaign Director, EPA-Ad Council Childhood Asthma Campaign |
Date: Tuesday, May 13
Time: 1:00-2:00 ET
During the session, we will post responses to your questions here. Afterward, this page will link to a transcript so others may benefit from the discussion.
Get
email about sessionsIntroduction:
Kristy Miller: Thank you for joining our expert panel during Asthma Awareness Month to discuss asthma and the important role that the environment plays in this illness. Spring brings pollen and soon air pollution levels will rise as our weather heats up, so it is a good time to discuss asthma. You may not know that Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors and allergens and irritants inside can play a significant role year round in triggering asthma attacks. And ozone and particle pollution outdoors can cause symptoms and asthma attacks, too.
Tracey Mitchell: As a Registered Respiratory Therapist and a Certified Asthma Educator, I want people with asthma to know that they can live an active and healthy life. Part of my job is to help educate people about the things they can do to reduce triggers at home, at school and at work. Through a variety of tools and programs, families dealing with asthma learn how to reduce triggers such as dust mites, animal dander, cockroaches, mold, and secondhand smoke, and take control over asthma to enjoy a better life.
At EPA, we are working with a diverse group of community leaders, including health care professionals, schools, and government leaders to promote asthma-friendly environments. All of us play an important role in bringing asthma under control in our communities. You can find more about asthma triggers at http://www.epa.gov/asthma/triggers.html
Alison Davis and Susan Stone: With our backgrounds in communications (Alison) and health science, we work with folks from state and local air agencies to provide people with tools that they need to reduce exposure to air pollutants that can trigger asthma attacks, including forecast and real-time information about air quality using the Air Quality Index and related health information. We work with many diverse groups to make this information available to those who need it, for example: medical associations and health care providers; school districts and teachers; and meteorologists. All of our educational materials can be found on the AIRNow Website (www.airnow.gov).
From: Linda
In: Ft Lauderdale, FL
Question: My grandson has asthma. What is the best way to keep it under control? Could it be that he actually has an allergy which may be causing the attacks (rather than asthma)? The only specific thing(s) we have noticed that he reacts to is cats.
Tracey Mitchell:
Unfortunately allergies and asthma often go hand-in-hand. It is important work with a physician to get an asthma management plan customized for your grandson. Part of the plan is identifying and reducing things that trigger your grandson's asthma. Besides cats and other animal dander (skin flakes), dust mites, cockroaches, mold, and secondhand smoke are the most common triggers. Depending on the trigger, there are some easy, practical ways to reduce them in the home and school.
www.noattacks.org
From: Kevin
In: Leesburg, VA
Question: Does EPA have an email alert system citizens can sign up for
to be notified when pollen counts are likely to be high?
(Also, will you email me back to let me know if my question is
answered.)
Alison Davis: We don't have one for pollen – but our EnviroFlash email alert system provides information about levels of ozone and particle pollution – both of which can be a concern for people with asthma. We've just revamped it EnviroFlash, so signing up for air quality alerts is easier than ever before. Just go to www.airnow.gov and click on the EnviroFlash logo. Then enter your ZIP code, and the system will find the forecast nearest you. You can sign up to get all messages – or you can choose to get messages only when air quality reaches a certain level, like "code orange."
Susan Stone: A code orange day for ozone and particle pollution means air quality is expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups – including people with asthma. EnviroFlash will give you the forecast - -and some tips for reducing your exposure to pollution.
From: Gretchen
In: Upper Gwynedd, PA
Question: We are considering a move in Pittsburgh and are concerned
about a recent report listing this city has having the worse air
quality in the nation. Our 9-year-old daughter has asthma. How much
should air quality affect our decision to move?
Susan Stone: EPA has a great online tool that you might want to use in making your decisions. The tool is called AirCompare. It lets you enter a health condition, such as your daughter's asthma, then select a couple up to 10 counties to see both the most number of days when air quality was unhealthy. You also can look at historical data to see if air quality is improving. So if you're moving to Pittsburgh, you can select the surrounding counties that have monitors – I think there are five of them – and see how their air quality compares. To use AirCompare, go to www.airnow.gov and click on the Air Compare link. One note: be patient. This tool actually pulls data from our databases to give you the most up-to-date information. So sometimes it takes a minute or two.
From: Phyllis
In: New York, NY
Question: How can an individual who has developed an allergy to mold and mildew manage bronchial asthma? This condition is caused by major construction in the work place.
Tracey Mitchell: During construction, you may want to request a temporary alternative workspace away from the construction area and away from moldy areas. If you can't leave the work site, the key is to clean up the mold and keep it from coming back: reduce indoor humidity to 30-50% provide adequate ventilation with exhaust fans or open windows clean any visible mold with soap and water and let the area dry completely, and fix any water leaks and moisture problems as soon as possible. You can get more info on our site at http://www.epa.gov/mold/mold_remediation.html
From: Debra
In: Warminster, PA
Question: I wanted to get your expertise on asthma and indoor swimming pools treated with chlorine. While I've heard accounts of people with asthma having attacks after swimming in chlorinated water, this appears to be the result of excess chloramines in the air due to improper water chemistry and/or improper ventilation. However, many people still attribute the asthma attacks to chlorine itself and therefore don't want to use it in their pools, especially if indoor. Do you have any further information about this?
Tracey Mitchell:
Chlorine can be a lung irritant in some people with asthma. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, some studies show that chlorine can generate irritating compounds such as nitrogen trichloride when it comes in contact with some organic compounds including those released from the bodies of swimmers. Researchers suspect that the air immediately above the water surface can have high levels of nitrogen chloride, and can trigger asthma. So properly treat the water and adequately ventilate the indoor pool area. If you have questions about ventilation rates, check with your local building code officials.
From: Barbara
In: Louisiana
Question: Over the past year I began to negatively effected by dust, especially in the home. Does the EPA have any programs that assist homeowners in cleaning the air in their homes.
Kristy Miller: We don't have air cleaning programs for homes. We do have several tips to help you reduce particulate matter and dust in your home. To help trap and reduce particles in the air, we do recommend that you regularly change and use the proper filters in your furnace and air conditioner. Some other tips to help reduce indoor dust include:
- no smoking in the home
- keep pets outdoors or in a limited indoor area
- no outdoor shoes in the house
- use doormats to capture dirt and dust
- vacuum regularly and consider using a high efficiency (HEPA) vacuum cleaner
- reduce how often you burn candles
- use only EPA-certified fireplace inserts and woodburning stoves and
- keep windows closed on dusty, windy or high pollen days.
When cleaning, avoid doing the dusting yourself if you can, or wear a mask to avoid breathing in dust particles that escape into the air.
Tracey Mitchell:
Also, many people with asthma are allergic to dust mites. These are tiny "bugs" that you can't see but that live in upholstery, bedding and carpeting. Things that help reduce dust mites are encasing your mattress and pillow casing in special dust-mite proof covers and washing the other bedding in hot water once a week. Reducing indoor humidity to 30-50% by using a dehumidifier or central air conditioning, and removing carpeting from the bedroom can also help.
From: Mansel
In: Flagstaff, AZ
Question: I am an Environmental Educator and I am working on asthma and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ).
Do you have suggestions for engaging school administrators in recognizing the importance of creating a healthier environment for everyone, including the asthmatics?
Kristy Miller: Yes, we do! We have a wonderful free program called "Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools:" http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools . In fact, our national schools symposium will be in December 2008 here in Washington, DC. Please come and bring along your local school officials! The symposium site is http://www.iaqsymposium.com
Susan Stone: I suggest your school administrators subscribe to EnviroFlash, so they can get the most up-to-date Air Quality Index forecast for their areas. Some schools raise colored flags to let people know what the air quality forecast is for that day -- an orange flag for a code orange day, for example.
That way, everyone on campus knows -- and coaches can take steps to help students reduce their exposure to pollution. Rotating players more frequently is one step that can help.
Get Enviroflash at http://www.enviroflash.info/
From: Jane Feldman
In: Las Vegas, NV
Question: If I have a child who goes to 4th grade is a school that
is right on a big highway with lots of traffic, should I ask for a
waiver to send them to a safer school?
I'm worried about all the exhaust from the trucks and cars. I heard
that in California, new schools have to be built 500 feet away from big
roads and highways. 500 feet is a long way!
Not all the kids can be transferred to a safer school. Is this
school site dangerous even for children who don't already have asthma?
Kristy Miller: That's a good question, at this time we don't really know yet how much risk there is from these types of indirect exposures. It's an active area of research by EPA; we hope in the future to have data and additional science that will help answer the question about how much extra risk is due to breathing exhaust near roads. Our best advice is to limit direct exposures of breathing in diesel fuel fumes when possible.
To help reduce diesel pollution around schools and our communities, EPA has launched Clean School Bus USA. While EPA is requiring new diesel engines to meet tougher emissions standards, buses already on the road can be in use for decades -- well after your fourth grader has graduated from school! Fortunately, these buses can be equipped with the latest technologies, which reduce pollution by 90 percent or more. Clean School USA is helping school districts across the country upgrade their school bus fleets with clean technologies and fuels in order to protect today's school children. We recognize progress isn't easy or cheap, but to help in this effort EPA has awarded nearly $32 million toward clean technology for school buses since 2003. In fact, because of Clean School Bus USA, more than 2 million students are riding on cleaner buses. Thousands of school buses are using cleaner engines and fuels, and school districts across the United States are reducing bus idling (and saving a lot of money on fuel in the process).
To help teach children and their families about diesel exhaust from trucks and buses, EPA has teamed up with Scholastic Inc. to produce "The Magic School Bus Gets Cleaned Up" – a new special edition book based on the popular Scholastic series. This smart, fun and colorful book is available for free. Your fourth grader will love it! To order a copy, just go to http://www.epa.gov/otaq/schoolbus/msb-book.htm
From: Sara
In: Wheeling, WV
Question: We suspect that our two year old daughter may be developing some allergies and possibly allergy-induced asthma. While we are currently working through the process of diagnosis, etc., I suspect she may be reacting to our (chemically-based) consumer cleaning products. As I am not familiar with your Web site, can you point me in the direction of any resources regarding safer cleaning products, not only for my daughter's sake but for the environment's as well?
Tracey Mitchell: We can't endorse specific products, but it's important to read manufacturers' directions and properly ventilate the area when using any product, either by opening windows or using exhaust fans.
There's a guide on green cleaning in schools on our Web site. This may be of interest since children often spend many hours a day in school or daycare. Some of the tips may apply to your home: http://www.epa.gov/SC3/pdfs/gr-clean.pdf
From: Hal
In: Vernon, NJ
Question: Does the EPA have a minimum amount of removal of indoor allergens that they would consider to be effective at reducing the incidence of asthma in the home?
2. What kind of indoor allergens does the EPA consider significant besides dust or pet dander?
3. What claims would EPA consider to be acceptable for products that reduce indoor allergens - without requiring the product to be registered as a pesticide (under FIFRA)?
Tracey Mitchell: No, there's no agic amount that you need to reduce allergens. Allergens are specific to each person, which is why it's important to work with your doctor.
The most important thing is make your home and car smoke-free. This is doubly true if you have allergies or asthma. Even smoking in a different room is not enough.
Other indoor allergens besides dust and dander include dust mites, mold, and pests such as cockroaches.
We don't really evaluate products that make health claims – that'd be the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Thank you for joining us today-- we hope you have learned some practical tips about ways to avoid asthma triggers. EPA has many free resources to help families, health care professionals, and communities take control of asthma. We encourage you to learn more and take action to help prevent asthma attacks--because even one attack is one too many.
For further tips and resources please visit our web site http://www.epa.gov/asthma
For more information and discussions about asthma please visit these web sites:
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, www.aaaai.org
Allergy and Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics, Inc.
www.aanma.org
American Lung Association
www.lungusa.org
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
www.aafa.org
If you'd like to do asthma education and outreach in your community, please visit this web site
Communities in Action
www.asthmacommunitynetwork.org
Centers for Disease Control
www.cdc.gov
Please join us for the next Ask EPA session.