(Washington, D.C.-Nov. 14, 2005) Additional air monitoring data for New
Orleans is available on EPA's hurricane response website. New
concentrations reported for metals, and volatile organic compounds in
New Orleans continue to be below health-based screening levels. These
monitoring results also include the first results of outdoor sampling
for asbestos in New Orleans. Asbestos was not detected in the air
samples collected in New Orleans for dates ranging from Oct. 9 - 23 at
nine monitoring locations.

Asbestos is the name given to a group of six different fibrous minerals
that occur naturally in the environment. Because of their resistance to

Jonathan Chase
Those who are plagued by allergies are always struggling to diminish those irritants that cause watery eyes, runny noses and rashes that sometimes translate into full-blown hives. These and other symptoms can be brought about by a number of contaminants that infiltrate the very air that people breathe within their own homes. If you're among those who are constantly being attacked by airborne allergens, there are some positive steps that you can take in order to reduce or eliminate the elements that are the catalysts to allergy attacks.

Dust mites are the cause of many allergic reactions, and must be eliminated from their most common breeding areas in order to find relief. Since they tend to live in warm and humid places, items such as beds, carpets and upholstered furniture are prime breeding grounds for those miniscule insects. Living on the skin cells that people and their pets shed, they deposit their waste in all of the areas that they gather, wreaking havoc with allergies.

THURSDAY, Nov. 10 (HealthDay News) — Want a great, green way to clean the air in your house?

A new study by a California teenager suggests that a not-so-usual suspect — the English ivy plant — might be just the ticket.

Ryan Kim, the son of an allergy researcher, found that an English ivy plant does a significant job of cleansing the air of mold particles and other nasty particulates, including canine fecal matter.

For more info click here

BEIJING, Nov. 10 -- The Sanitation Bureau of Beijing's Haidian District announced on November 6 that, from the next day onward, the area's busiest supermarkets and department stores would display real time information on their indoor air quality during holidays and at weekends, the first initiative of its kind.

Zheng Yang, from the bureau's Sanitation Supervision Institute, said levels of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde and bacteria, as well as temperature and humidity measurements, will be visible at Haidian store entrances.

The scheme, conducted jointly by the bureau and Haidian District Disease Prevention and Control Center, will enable supervisors to identify when standards are not met and advise stores on changes that need to be made.

from Ledger-Enquirer.com

• Look for drafty places on your house. Seal up cracks around doors, windows and electrical outlets on outside walls. Use draft dodgers to block incoming cold air.

• Add insulation as needed in walls, ceiling, attic and crawl space.

• Layer windows using shades, blinds or curtains. Add thermal liners to curtains. Close shades and curtains at night and open them during the day.

• Install storm windows or use plastic window insulating kits. Replace old windows with low-e (or low emissivity windows).

(Washington, D.C.-Nov. 9, 2005) As part of the nationwide effort to
improve air quality, EPA issued rules and guidance to state, local and
tribal governments on how to develop plans to reduce ozone pollution in
areas that do not meet EPA's health-based standards.

"This rule signifies EPA's commitment to working with communities to
develop cost effective plans," EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for
Air and Radiation Bill Wehrum said. "As our ozone rule and other clean
air rules take effect, Americans will be able to work, exercise and play
in cleaner, healthier air."

The Phase 2 Ozone Implementation Rule outlines emissions control and

Thane International Inc., of La Quinta, Calif., is voluntarilly recalling about 35,00 of its Perfect Air Ultra Air Purifiers.

Made by China`s Well Brain International Ltd., an overheating capacitor in these air purifiers can cause arcing in a connecting wire which poses the risk of fire.

Thane has received six reports of incidents involving these air purifiers catching on fire or melting. Thane has also received six units which were returned by customers and show some evidence of melting or charring. No injuries have been reported.

Consumers should call Thane toll-free at (800) 895-0986 to get a credit for other Thane products of comparable value.

(Washington, D.C.-Nov. 9, 2005) The existing air quality monitoring
networks in Louisiana and Mississippi were badly damaged by hurricanes
Katrina and Rita, making it difficult to measure and report air quality
status in parts of the Gulf Coast region. To provide the public with
this information, EPA, in coordination with the states of Louisiana and
Mississippi, has been working to restore the air quality monitoring
networks in the hurricane-damaged areas. Results of limited sampling,
which began the first week of October, are now available on EPA's Web
site at: http://www.epa.gov/katrina/testresults/air/index.html

The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) congratulates Bryan Falk, winner of the 2005 Ken Dillon Memorial Fellowship for Indoor Environmental Quality Design. GEI will award Falk a $3,500 fellowship for his proposed study, in line with the fellowship goal of a project on indoor environments with a focus on indoor air quality and its effect on health and/or productivity.
"We were very impressed by Bryan's proposed study and look forward to the results contributing to the body of knowledge regarding indoor air quality," says Carl Smith, GEI CEO. "It is visionaries like Ken Dillon and students like Bryan Falk that will lead the way to healthier indoor environments where people can live and work productively."

The use of Sanuvox Ultraviolet Air Purification Systems can be used as a preventative tool to limit the spread of Influenza in residential, commercial and industrial applications.

Sanuvox Technologies Inc. has been receiving many inquiries regarding the use of Sanuvox Ultraviolet Air Purification Systems on the Avian Flu. Sanuvox UV systems can be used as a prevention tool to limit the spread of Influenza in working and public environments.

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) there are many different subtypes of type A influenza viruses. When we talk about “bird flu” viruses, we are referring to influenza A subtypes chiefly found in birds. They do not usually infect humans, even though we know they can. When we talk about “human flu viruses” we are referring to those subtypes that occur widely in humans. It is likely that some genetic parts of current human influenza A viruses came from birds originally. Influenza A viruses are constantly changing, and they might adapt over time to infect and spread among humans. For more information on Avian Influenza please visit the CDC at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/facts.htm