Environments and Contaminants - Indoor Environments

More ACE Indicators

Children spend most of their time in indoor environments and may be routinely exposed to chemicals in the air and those that accumulate in dust.

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Indicators

E5: Children exposed to tobacco smoke at home

Key Information

  • In 2010, 6% of children ages 0 to 6 years lived in homes where someone smoked regularly, compared with 27% in 1994.
  • Children with family incomes below poverty level were more likely than their peers at higher income levels to be living in homes where someone smoked regularly. In 2010, 10% of children in homes with incomes below the poverty level lived with someone who smoked regularly, as compared to 5% of children in homes with incomes at or above the poverty level.

Data Characterization

Data for this indicator are obtained from an ongoing annual survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics.

Survey data are representative of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population.

In 1994, 2005, and 2010, an adult survey participant in each sampled household was asked whether any resident smokes inside the home and the number of days per week that smoking occurred.

E6: Children living in homes with indoor lead hazards

Key Information

  • In 2005-2006, 13% of children ages 0 to 5 years lived in homes with an interior lead dust hazard, and 11% of children ages 0 to 5 years lived in homes with an interior deteriorated lead-based paint hazard.
  • In 2005-2006, 15% of children ages 0 to 5 years lived in homes with either an interior lead dust hazard or an interior deteriorated lead-based paint hazard, a slight or not statistically significant decline compared with 22% in 1998-1999. 

Data Characterization

Data for this indicator are obtained from two surveys of U.S. homes conducted by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Surveyed homes were representative of permanently occupied, non-institutional housing units in the United States in which children may live. Only surveyed homes with children ages 0 to 5 years were included in the calculation of this indicator.

About the Indoor Environments Indicators

Children spend most of their time in indoor environments and may be routinely exposed to chemicals in the air and those that build up in dust. Hundreds of chemicals have been measured in air and dust in the home including pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), phthalates, carbon monoxide, and benzene. There are many sources of pollutants in indoor environments including heat sources (e.g., furnaces, gas stoves, and fireplaces), building materials (e.g., treated wood, paint, furniture, and carpet), cleaning products, and products used for hobbies like arts and crafts. There is extensive evidence linking these indoor environmental contaminants to harmful health effects in children.

Environmental tobacco smoke or ETS, commonly referred to as secondhand smoke, is a complex mixture of gases with at least 250 chemicals known to be toxic or carcinogenic. Children can be exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes or in places where people are allowed to smoke. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, and breathing even a small amount can be harmful to human health. The Surgeon General has concluded that exposure to secondhand smoke causes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute lower respiratory infection, ear problems, and more severe asthma in children. Children's exposure to secondhand smoke has declined in recent years, due in part to fewer adults who smoke, increased restrictions on smoking in public places, and efforts to reduce the exposure of nonsmokers in homes.

Children are primarily exposed to lead through ingestion of lead-contaminated house dust, soil, and water. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) has concluded that childhood lead exposure is associated with reduced cognitive function and attention-related behavioral problems. EPA issued several regulations to address childhood lead exposure, including requiring all contractors performing renovation, repair, and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in pre-1978 homes to be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.

For historic and contextual information about indoor environments and these indicators, see the  Indoor Environments section of America's Children and the Environment, Third Edition (pdf) (1.53 MB) .

Data Sources and Methods – Indoor Environments

The National Center for Health Statistics, a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, conducts the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a series of annual U.S. national surveys of the health status of the non-institutionalized civilian population. The interviews are conducted in person at the participants’ homes by asking a parent or other knowledgeable household adult questions regarding the health status and behavior of household residents.

The American Healthy Homes Survey (AHHS) was conducted from 2005-2006 to update the National Survey of Lead and Allergens in Housing (NSLAH), which was conducted from 1998-1999. Samples of paint, dust, and soil were collected from a nationally representative sample of housing in the United States and analyzed to determine their lead content to estimate the prevalence of children who may be exposed to household lead. These surveys were conducted by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

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Last updated on December 4, 2025