Study shows pollution levels in some kitchens are higher than
city centre hotspots A study by the University of Sheffield has
found that the air we breathe inside our own homes can have
pollutant levels three times higher than the outdoor
environment, in city centres and along busy roads. Researchers
from the University’s Faculty of Engineering measured air
quality inside and outside three residential buildings with
different types of energy use (gas vs. electric cookers). They
found that nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels in the kitchen of the
city centre flat with a gas cooker were three times higher than
the concentrations measured outside the property and well above
those recommended in UK Indoor Air Quality Guidance1. These
findings are published in the Journal of Indoor and Built
Environment. "We spend 90 per cent of our time indoors and work
hard to make our homes warm, secure and comfortable, but we
rarely think about the pollution we might be breathing in," said
Professor Vida Sharifi, who led the researc