Welcome back to our series on air pollution and tourism! While we have mostly been talking about the general outdoor air quality and air pollution of the skies, such as smog, there is a more hidden form of air pollution not many of us are aware of. 

Today, we are talking about indoor air pollution, specifically, in hotel buildings. However, we must note that such pollution can occur in other types of buildings as well, including our own homes!

A highlight of travelling for some of us, myself included, is to relax at a nice accommodation or hotel after long hours of travel. No one can resist snoozing on a ready-made bed or unwinding with a warm shower. Having said that, what many of us may not know is that not everything in the hotel is clean and can have major risks to our health due to indoor air pollution. 

What are some causes of indoor air pollution in hotels and its damage to us?

Some common sources of indoor air pollution include the materials used in buildings, carpets and soft furnishings, poor air-conditioning and ventilation systems and cleaning products or chemicals. For example, if boilers and heating systems, as well as the ventilation system is not maintained properly, toxic fumes like carbon monoxide can be emitted. 

Moisture indoors can also cause further problems. Moisture can come from the gym, spa or indoor swimming pool and areas near the kitchen. These promote the growth of mildew and mould if not properly regulated and maintained. 

Improper maintenance of air-conditioning systems, shower facilities and spas can cause Legionnaires disease, a rare form of pneumonia. It can be contracted through the inhalation of droplets of contaminated water transmitted through spray form. The disease is relatively undetectable until someone falls seriously ill, and it can even be fatal. Mould and mildew can also cause allergies and cause uncomfortable reactions for those with asthmatic conditions. 

Also, not all indoor air pollutants come from within and can originate from the outdoor environment. Radon is a colourless, odourless, radioactive gas that comes from uranium in soil or rock. The natural breakdown of uranium releases radon gas which enters buildings through cracks in the concrete floors or walls. Usually when there is no building blocking the surface, radon gas will enter the atmosphere where it is quickly broken down. However,  with a building above the surface, radon will enter it and accumulate. The accumulation of radon gas indoors can increase the risk of lung cancer, especially to those susceptible such as smokers or those with respiratory conditions. The risk to human health will also increase with increased exposure (frequency and duration of time spent) in the hotel. 

There is a wide range of pollutants and their effects on our health that can be present in hotels and buildings as seen in the table below. 

What can be done about this?

Since indoor air pollutants come from a wide variety of sources, hotels have to ensure that stringent checks and maintenance of all potential sources of air pollution is carried out. Some common remedies to prevent or minimize air pollution is to carry out refurbishments to buildings and its interior designs, maintaining and upgrading ventilation systems and having higher standards of cleaning and hygiene. 

An interesting example is JW Marriott’s branch in Hong Kong that added tea tree oil into its fresh air supply system in stop mould growth. It reduced the incidence of mildew in the air and corners in the rooms, especially during the humid summer periods. 

As a tourist staying in a hotel, I would not have known of such a thing as indoor air pollution prior to this, but I do hope that after reading this and the next time you travel, you will be aware as well. What we have to hope now is that hotels and tourist accommodations will take all this into consideration and ensure the safety of their staff and guests against indoor air pollution. The impacts of air pollution on human health can be very detrimental, yet mostly undetectable.

In our last two posts, we’ve covered two usually-overlooked forms of air pollution in tourism – the air pollution generated from flying (and its impacts on us) as well as the impacts of air pollution in hotels.

But what happens when we, as tourists, become aware of air pollution around us? Stay tuned for our next post! 

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References 

Chao, C.C 2000, ‘Indoor Air Quality Issues for Hotels’, viewed on 23 September 2020, http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/HotelEzra/HIAQ.pdf

‘Indoor Air Quality’ 2007, Green Hotelier, viewed on 23 September 2020, https://www.greenhotelier.org/our-themes/indoor-air-quality/

‘Marina Bay Sands (SG Clean Certified)’ n.d., Agoda, online picture, viewed on 23 September 2020, https://www.agoda.com/en-gb/marina-bay-sands/hotel/singapore-sg.html?cid=1844104