| Introduction | | | | from the Australian Department of the |
| People have worked indoors for many | | | | Environment, which gives details on the |
| centuries, but it is only in the last | | | | VOCs indoors and their health effects. |
| few decades that the indoor environment | | | | John Bergs in a study in the Netherlands |
| is generally totally sealed, air | | | | found that health complaints by office |
| conditioned, and filled with synthetic | | | | workers have been on the increase since |
| materials that can out gas chemicals | | | | the seventies, and found that on average |
| into the air. These chemicals called | | | | some 35% of office workers are |
| VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, can | | | | dissatisfied with the interior |
| have concentrations several times higher | | | | environment and 20% suffer from health |
| then that present in outdoor city air, | | | | complaints such as eye complaints and |
| and are recognized as having a | | | | nose and throat irritations. In the same |
| deleterious effect on the health of | | | | study he showed the benefits that can |
| people working in this environment. | | | | accrue from having indoor plants in the |
| Over the last twenty years it has become | | | | office. |
| recognized that indoor plants have the | | | | It is well to remember that indoor air |
| ability to remove these VOCs from the | | | | could be found to be under the control |
| indoor air, or at least substantially | | | | of the employer and as such the employer |
| reduce their concentration. | | | | may have responsibilities and potential |
| This article out lines the health effect | | | | liabilities. |
| thought to be caused by these VOCs in | | | | Indoor Plant Hire Benefits. |
| indoor air, and looks at the research | | | | Over the last twenty years, it has been |
| behind the removal of these compounds | | | | proven that healthy indoor plants, as |
| using indoor plants. As the most | | | | used in indoor plant hire, have the |
| effective way to keep plants healthy in | | | | ability to remove VOCs from the indoor |
| offices is indoor plant hire, it is | | | | air. Research has shown that the system |
| suggested that indoor plant hire is the | | | | in action is the biological interaction |
| preferred option of maintaining plants | | | | between the plant roots and the potting |
| in offices. | | | | mix, enhancing micro organisms present |
| Air quality inside offices | | | | to "eat up" the VOCs. Further more; |
| The use of synthetic building materials, | | | | their appetite seems to increase with |
| printers, computers, cleaners and | | | | increased exposure to VOCs. |
| personal care products, combined with | | | | As early as 1980, Dr. Wolverton working |
| the practice of air conditioning | | | | for the NASA space program discovered |
| buildings, has resulted in the build up | | | | that indoor plants could remove VOCs |
| of chemicals called volatile organic | | | | from sealed test chambers. This was part |
| compounds in buildings. Below are some | | | | of a NASA study into clean air inside |
| building materials and the chemical they | | | | closed life support systems. |
| exude: | | | | In 1990 Dr. Wolverton in association |
| Adhesives, ceiling tiles, paints, | | | | with the Plants for Clean Air Council in |
| printers Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl Benzene | | | | the U.S. tested fifty indoor plants for |
| and Xylene. | | | | their ability to remove various VOCs |
| Photocopiers, particle board | | | | from sealed test chambers. These finding |
| Formaldehyde | | | | were published in Dr. Wolverton's book |
| It will be shown later in this article | | | | "ECO friendly house plants", published |
| that the indoor plants used in indoor | | | | in 1996. |
| plant hire can remove the above | | | | A lot of recent research on the subject |
| chemicals. | | | | has been carried out by Ronald Wood and |
| Amongst other contaminants, over 300 | | | | Associate Professor Margaret Burchett |
| VOCs have been found in office air | | | | from the U.T.S. in Sydney. Research in |
| (Weshler Shields 1996) as well as other | | | | test chambers, progressed to experiments |
| toxic gasses such as nitrogen oxide and | | | | in real office situations in Sydney, and |
| carbon monoxide (Ross 1996). | | | | the results were published in their |
| Frequently no single pollutant having | | | | paper entitled "The potted plant |
| toxic potential is present in unhealthy | | | | microcosm substantially reduces indoor |
| amounts, yet combined they form part of | | | | air VOC pollution: 1. Office field |
| a chemical soup, which when combined | | | | study" February 1996. Some of the |
| with ozone can produce hydroxyl radicals | | | | conclusions were: |
| (Weshler 1996). | | | | Where indoor TVOC load was above 100 |
| In Australia the CSRIO can sample air | | | | parts per billion, indoor plants reduced |
| within buildings and is able to measure | | | | the level by up to 70% |
| a large range of potential pollutants. | | | | Reducing the number of plants per test |
| Health effects of VOC exposure | | | | location did not reduce the VOC levels |
| Research in Europe and the U.S. shows | | | | removed, pointing to increased activity |
| that most people in cities spend 90% of | | | | by the micro organisms. |
| their time indoors (Hodgson, Mann and | | | | Research in Europe ( John Bergs and Tove |
| Cavello 1997), and productivity losses | | | | Fjeld) and the United States (Virginia |
| of up to 6% have been shown in buildings | | | | Lhor 1996) have shown that in offices |
| where the indoor air quality is poor. | | | | with indoor plants ( as compared to |
| The Minnesota Department of Health in | | | | offices without plants) worker |
| the U.S. lists the following health | | | | productivity increases of up to 12% have |
| effects from VOC exposure: | | | | been measured, and on average health |
| " | | | | complaints related to sick building |
| Acute | | | | syndrome reduced by 20%. |
| * Eye irritation / watering | | | | The above results have all been produced |
| * Nose irritation | | | | with healthy indoor plants. Whilst in a |
| * Throat irritation | | | | home situation it is feasible to |
| * Headaches | | | | adequately maintain indoor plants, this |
| * Nausea / Vomiting | | | | requires a professional indoor plant |
| * Dizziness | | | | hire service in an office situation, |
| * Asthma exacerbation | | | | where other duties take priority. The |
| Chronic | | | | author has seen many offices were the |
| * Cancer | | | | staff "looked after" the plants. In |
| * Liver damage | | | | ninety nine per cent of these situations |
| * Kidney damage | | | | the indoor plants were unsightly and as |
| * Central Nervous System damage | | | | good as dead. This fact has been |
| Most studies to date have been conducted | | | | recognized by the Green Building Council |
| on single chemicals. Less is know about | | | | in Australia where, in order to gain 2 |
| the health effects of combined chemical | | | | points under their Green Star rating |
| exposure. The best health protection | | | | system a two year professional |
| measure is to limit your exposure to | | | | maintenance scheme needs to be in place. |
| products and materials that contain VOCs | | | | Good Indoor Plants for removing VOCs |
| when possible. If you think you may be | | | | The following is a list of the plants |
| having health problems caused by VOC | | | | that recorded the highest VOC removal |
| exposure consult an occupational | | | | rating in Wolverton's tests. The list |
| environmental health physician who | | | | only includes common plants used in the |
| specializes in this area " | | | | indoor plant hire industry. |
| The following link is to a Fact Sheet | | | | |