ABSTRACT

Air pollution is not confined to outdoor environment in cities, urban areas and industrial sites only. Now one’s home itself could be a potent source of potentially harmful chemicals. In recent years, growing demand of airtight and insulated buildings to conserve energy and use of building materials that may release hazardous chemical compounds have led to poor indoor air quality (IAQ). This chemically polluted indoor environment has been related to symptoms of illness comprise a phenomenon known as the "sick house syndrome". Sick house syndrome has become a serious social concern being faced by the health professionals, architects, researchers and housing industry today. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Family Welfare has set guideline values for 13 chemicals substances which contribute to indoor air pollution and adversely affect human health, including formaldehyde, toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene and chloropyrifos. Last year in July, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport enforced the amended Building Standard Law to regulate the use of chemical substances on sick house issues. The chemical substances covered by new regulations are formaldehyde and chloropyrifos, a termite killer, both are used in plywood and wall paper. While the law prohibits the use of chloropyrifos in buildings materials with habitable rooms, but it limits the total area of use of formaldehyde-emitting building materials. The building materials with formaldehyde, as interior finishing in habitable rooms should comply the class (grade), category, labels or documents with Japan Industrial Standards (JIS) or Japan Agricultural Standards (JAS). Furthermore, the law requires the mandatory installation of ventilation equipment satisfying certain minimum standards.