The results of an indoor air quality study conducted on over 100 households in Salt Lake, Davis, and Weber counties this past winter have raised concerns among researchers and local officials.
University of Utah professor Daniel Mendoza, along with doctors Shana Godfred-Cato and Cara Lembo, found that indoor air quality can be significantly worse than outdoor air, even on clear days. Compounds like uranium, arsenic, lead, and others were found to be pervasive in homes across the Wasatch Front.
Some homes sampled had indoor air quality ranked as “very unhealthy” on the air quality index, with particulate counts over five times higher than the World Health Organization guidelines.
Researchers emphasized the importance of taking steps to improve indoor air quality, such as correctly installing a furnace filter with a filtration rating of MERV 11 or higher, cleaning ducts, using fans, and keeping windows open while cooking.
The presence of harmful metals in residents’ air filters was attributed to transportation use, industrial activity, radon infiltration, and historical nuclear testing in Nevada that affected Utah as well.
House Minority Leader Angela Romero and state Sen. Luz Escamilla expressed support for the study’s findings, noting that air quality is a health issue that transcends political boundaries.
The researchers hope to expand the study in the future, pending funding, to capture a wider range of residents in the valley and further investigate the implications of indoor air quality on public health.
