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Indoor pollution damages children's health
Indoor environmental pollution poses serious risks to children's health, including inducing blood diseases, increasing asthma incidence, causing congenital abnormalities in newborns, and significantly reducing children’s cognitive abilities. Recent findings from the Indoor Environmental Testing and Control Center of the Zhengzhou Environmental Protection Industry Association highlight the alarming levels of indoor air contamination, especially in children’s rooms.
In late June, the center conducted a free testing and registration campaign, visiting homes to assess indoor air quality, particularly in children’s rooms. The results were shocking: formaldehyde and benzene levels in 10 well-decorated children’s rooms exceeded safe limits. The primary sources of pollution were furniture and wall and decoration materials.
One family had wallpaper on the walls and a composite floor, while a piano frame made of MDF emitted a strong odor. Test results showed that the formaldehyde level was 0.412 mg/m³, which is 3.1 times higher than the standard (0.10 mg/m³), and benzene reached 0.223 mg/m³, 1 time above the limit (0.11 mg/m³).
Experts explained that some companies use low-cost large-core boards under composite floors, which release high levels of free formaldehyde. While wallpaper itself may have good environmental performance, the adhesive used can be harmful. Some coatings contain PVC, which can decompose at high temperatures and release chlorine gas—dangerous for human health.
MDF, commonly used in furniture, contains a lot of formaldehyde due to the urea-formaldehyde resin used in its production. Experts recommend using solid wood furniture in children’s rooms to reduce exposure.
Another home featured full-wall wallpaper, a plasterboard ceiling, and blockboard in the room. The child’s bed was also made of MDF. The formaldehyde level was 0.441 mg/m³, 3.4 times the standard, and benzene was 0.211 mg/m³, slightly over the limit. The ceiling material and blockboard both contribute to high formaldehyde levels, and the binder in these materials often contains benzene, which can cause dizziness, nausea, and even severe health issues with long-term exposure.
Toxic substances are also found in cloth toys and sofas, so it's advisable to choose products from reputable manufacturers rather than cheap, poorly made alternatives that emit strong odors.
The more refined the decoration, the worse the pollution tends to be. According to the director of the testing center, the 10 rooms tested had relatively mild pollution because they were simply renovated. However, well-decorated homes show much worse conditions, with pollution coming mainly from new furniture, wallpaper, and fine decoration.
Experts noted that since 2006, 26 cases of leukemia linked to renovation-related pollution have been reported, with 22 of them being children aged 2 to 8. Leukemia has four main causes: chemical contamination, infections, radiation, and genetic mutations.
Ammonia is considered the “number one killer†of indoor pollution. It comes from building materials like bricks, tiles, cement, and stone, and has known carcinogenic effects.
To reduce indoor pollution, experts suggest using solid wood or electronic plug-in board furniture, keeping furniture volume below 50% of the room size to ensure proper ventilation. Avoid solvent-based paints and wallpapers, opt for paint instead. Use solid wood or bamboo flooring instead of laminate, and if using hard tiles, add a wool carpet but replace it regularly.
Curtains in children’s rooms should be made of pure cotton to improve air circulation. When decorating a child’s room, keep it simple and prioritize natural lighting and ventilation.
Light pollution can be reduced by improving ventilation. Parents are now more aware of testing before moving in, but prevention starts at the source—using non-polluting materials during renovation.
Testing is best done in winter when heating is off and windows are open for shorter periods, leading to lower pollution concentrations. Temperature increases by 1°C can raise pollution by 0.15 times, and each hour of closed windows increases it by 0.08 times. New homes less than a year old may not show high pollution levels during tests, but their average concentration is still higher than city averages.
The testing center advises that if the pollution level is within two times the standard, it’s generally safe for adults and the elderly to stay, provided there’s 3–5 hours of daily ventilation. After one year, the levels usually drop close to the standard.
If the level exceeds the standard, it’s not recommended to stay, especially for children and those with weaker immune systems. If it exceeds five times the standard, avoid staying in the house altogether.