Healthier Homes for Families: The INQUIRE Project’s Mission to Achieve Zero Pollution Indoor Spaces

Indoor air quality is a crucial factor for maintaining healthy living environments, especially for children. The INQUIRE Project, funded by the European Union, aims to create pollution-free indoor spaces across Europe by improving air quality in homes. This effort will not only protect families but also contribute to healthier communities, particularly for households with young children who spend a significant amount of time indoors.

Why Indoor Air Quality Matters

Many of us don’t realize that indoor air pollution can be just as harmful, if not more so, than outdoor pollution. Chemical exposures within the home can lead to a variety of health concerns, including allergies, respiratory diseases, and endocrine-related effects. Young children, particularly those under the age of five, are more vulnerable to these exposures because they spend much of their time indoors.

Through INQUIRE’s initiatives, families across Europe will gain the knowledge and tools to improve the indoor environmental quality in their homes. These efforts will be vital in promoting healthier living spaces for young children and minimizing their exposure to harmful pollutants.

A Broad European Approach

Europe is a diverse continent with wide variations in housing styles, climates, and lifestyles. To ensure the project reflects this diversity, the INQUIRE team is conducting studies in eight countries: Czechia, Estonia, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. By collecting data from homes in these countries, the project can assess the indoor environmental quality across a wide range of living conditions.

Comprehensive Sampling for Precise Results

To evaluate the indoor air quality in each home, the project will use a range of low-cost air quality sensors and non-invasive sampling strategies. These strategies include:

• Passive air sampling for indoor and outdoor air quality,
• Dust sampling to assess chemical residues,
• Consumer product sampling to understand the potential sources of chemical exposure,
• Biomonitoring through urine samples to measure human exposure levels.

This wide-ranging data will provide a holistic understanding of how different factors influence indoor air quality and human exposure to harmful chemicals.

Testing Interventions for Better Air Quality

Once baseline conditions are determined, families involved in the INQUIRE Project will have the opportunity to test various interventions aimed at improving indoor air quality. These interventions may include behavioral strategies such as ventilation improvements and cleaning routines or the use of advanced air purification technologies. The project will then assess how these interventions impact chemical levels in the air and reduce overall exposure.

Creating a Zero-Pollution Future for Homes

INQUIRE’s goal goes beyond simply improving air quality in individual homes. The project aims to contribute to the EU’s Zero Pollution Ambition by providing insights that will inform future indoor air policy strategies. By gathering and analyzing data, the project will offer recommendations that can shape policies to ensure that homes across Europe become healthier and pollution-free.

The INQUIRE Project will also involve citizen science activities and maintain an open data strategy to ensure transparency and promote wider awareness of indoor pollution issues. By involving families, industry leaders, and policymakers, INQUIRE is working toward a future where every home can achieve zero indoor pollution.

Conclusion: Healthier Homes, Healthier Families

By focusing on the quality of the air we breathe at home, the INQUIRE Project is taking significant steps toward creating healthier living environments for European families. The project’s comprehensive approach to understanding and mitigating indoor pollution will not only improve the lives of children and their families but also help pave the way for cleaner, safer homes across the continent.