EPA grants $4.5 million to improve indoor air quality; reduce respiratory illnesses
EPA has announced the funding of eight grants which will be awarded to U.S.-based organizations as a way of promoting public health through the reduction the exposure to indoor pollutants such as radon, as well as other environmental factors in homes, schools, offices and public buildings that may trigger lung diseases like asthma. With a total of $4.5 million in grants provided, the EPA is particularly focusing this new funding on supporting low-income, minority and tribal communities.
The “National Indoor Environments Program: Reducing Public Exposure to Indoor Pollutants” will establish three-year cooperative agreements with the institutions, with the main purpose of preventing future deaths due to lung cancer through the reduction of exposure to radon and mitigating the current risks that lead to asthma attacks and visits to the hospital through the improvement of infrastructures. In addition, the grants also seek to address other poor health consequences by improving the quality of indoor air and promoting best practices and policies.