During Indoor Air Quality Awareness Month, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and Allergy Standards Limited (ASL) came together to celebrate the 2019 US-Ireland Research Innovation Award. The two organizations recently received the award for the development of the asthma & allergy friendly® Certification Program. This program helps people make informed purchases for a healthier home. They test and certify household products and services against strict standards. If the products and services pass the tests, they earn the CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly® mark.

“Celebrating this award during such an important month for our community is quite timely,” stated Kenneth Mendez, CEO and President of AAFA. “It is important to recognize that so many individuals deal with asthma attacks and allergic reactions due to poor indoor air quality. AAFA remains steadfast in its determination to provide the resources and programs that help people understand the importance of indoor air quality and how to make their indoor environments healthy.”

The quality of indoor air can sometimes be worse than outdoor air, which is especially harmful for people with asthma and allergies. Household air pollution causes about 3.8 million deaths each year, contributing to 7.7% of deaths around the world. This number is much too high, and actions need to be taken to reduce this number.

To reduce indoor air pollution, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recommended three simple ways to improve indoor air:

• Control your contact with indoor allergens
• Ventilate your indoor areas well
• Use air cleaners
  
  

By following these recommendations and using CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly® products, you can create a healthier home and reduce your exposure to asthma and allergy triggers.

Many products promise to help control allergens but not all of them do. When you are shopping for products for your home, look for the CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly® mark. It indicates the product has passed our testing standards to help you have a healthier home.

Visit aafa.org/certified to search for CERTIFIED products. There you can also learn more about the asthma & allergy friendly® Certification Program.