What can be done about indoor pollution?

People have a right to protection from chronic exposure to harmful pollutants and toxic substances within living spaces. Below you can find data sources to help determine your exposure levels.

EPA Resources

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – Indoor Air Quality Mitigation Resources

What’s Included:

  • Mold and moisture prevention and remediation

  • Radon testing and mitigation

  • Lead exposure reduction

  • Ventilation and air filtration

  • Carbon monoxide and combustion pollutants

  • Household chemicals and VOCs

  • Indoor air considerations during weatherization and renovations

  • Integrated pest management

  • Secondhand smoke exposure reduction

  • Healthy building and pollution-prevention practices

Overview: EPA provides guidance, tools, and programs for preventing and reducing exposure to pollutants inside homes and other buildings. These resources help residents, property owners, and communities identify indoor environmental hazards and take practical steps to improve indoor air quality and create healthier housing.

  • Overview: Provides practical actions households and property owners can take to improve indoor environmental conditions. It covers multiple pollutants and housing conditions, making it a strong general starting point for indoor-pollution mitigation.

    What’s Included:

    • Mold and moisture control

    • Ventilation improvements

    • Radon and lead

    • Combustion pollutants

    • Household chemicals

    • Smoke and other indoor contaminants

    Instructions: Open Tool > identify the indoor environmental concern > select the relevant section > review prevention and mitigation recommendations > follow pollutant-specific resources for more detailed guidance > identify actions appropriate for the household or property.

  • Overview: EPA provides guidance for preventing and correcting mold problems by addressing the moisture conditions that allow mold to grow. This adds an important mitigation component to the mold testing/research already identified for H1.

    What’s Included:

    • Moisture control

    • Mold cleanup

    • Water-damaged materials

    • Humidity management

    • Prevention of recurring mold

    • Guidance for renters and property owners

    Instructions: Open Tool > identify the mold or moisture problem > review moisture-control recommendations > determine the extent of the affected area > review appropriate cleanup guidance > correct the underlying source of moisture to prevent recurrence.

  • Overview: Provides information for detecting and reducing exposure to radon, an indoor pollutant that cannot be detected by sight or smell. EPA provides both household testing guidance and information on professional mitigation.

    What’s Included:

    • Radon testing

    • Understanding test results

    • Radon risk maps and information

    • Home mitigation

    • Radon-resistant construction

    • Finding qualified professionals

    Instructions: Open Tool > review radon information > select testing guidance > test the home according to EPA recommendations > interpret the result > if levels are elevated, review mitigation options and resources for locating qualified radon professionals.

  • Overview: Explains how energy-efficiency and weatherization projects can improve housing without worsening indoor pollution. It is especially useful for ensuring that housing rehabilitation addresses ventilation and environmental hazards at the same time.

    What’s Included:

    • Ventilation

    • Moisture control

    • Radon

    • Lead hazards

    • Pest management

    • Combustion safety

    • Low-emission materials

    Instructions: Open Tool > identify planned housing or weatherization improvements > review associated indoor-air considerations > identify pollutants that should be addressed before or during work > incorporate recommended ventilation, moisture, pollutant-control, and building practices.

HUD Resources

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) – Healthy Homes & Indoor Pollutant Mitigation Resources

What’s Included:

  • Lead-based paint hazard reduction

  • Mold and moisture mitigation

  • Radon testing and mitigation

  • Carbon monoxide exposure prevention

  • Asthma and indoor environmental triggers

  • Pest and allergen management

  • Healthy Homes interventions

  • Housing inspections and hazard assessments

  • Grants for remediation and housing improvements

  • Resources for vulnerable and lower-income households

Overview: HUD provides programs, funding, and guidance for reducing health and safety hazards associated with housing conditions, particularly in vulnerable and lower-income communities. These resources support interventions that address lead exposure and other indoor environmental hazards while improving overall housing quality.

  • Overview: HUD's Healthy Homes program addresses housing conditions that can contribute to disease and injury, particularly in lower-income households. Its approach extends beyond lead to multiple indoor environmental hazards.

    What’s Included:

    • Lead hazards

    • Mold and moisture

    • Radon

    • Carbon monoxide

    • Pest-related hazards

    • Asthma triggers

    • Healthy housing interventions

    Instructions: Open Tool > review Healthy Homes resources > identify the housing hazard of concern > select the relevant program or guidance > review available interventions and assistance > use linked resources to identify appropriate local mitigation measures.

  • Overview: Provides federal programs and funding designed to identify and remove lead-based paint hazards, particularly in housing occupied by lower-income families and children. This provides an actionable mitigation counterpart to the lead-risk data already included on H1.

    What’s Included:

    • Lead hazard identification

    • Lead-paint remediation

    • Housing rehabilitation

    • Lead Hazard Reduction grants

    • Assistance for high-risk housing

    • Healthy Homes interventions

    Instructions: Open Tool > review available lead-hazard programs > select the relevant grant or program > review eligible applicants and activities > identify supported remediation measures > use program information to identify potential funding or assistance.

  • Overview: Provides funding opportunities for communities and organizations to address multiple residential health and safety hazards. This is useful for moving from identifying indoor-pollution problems to finding resources capable of funding interventions.

    What’s Included:

    • Healthy Homes interventions

    • Lead mitigation

    • Mold and moisture reduction

    • Radon mitigation

    • Asthma-trigger reduction

    • Housing safety improvements

    Instructions: Open Tool > review available programs > select the relevant funding opportunity > review eligibility requirements > examine eligible activities > determine whether the community or organization could use the program to support housing-hazard mitigation.

RENTAL HOUSING LAWS

According to the Environmental Law Institute, renters occupy nearly 1/3 of the housing units in the U.S., placing rental housing laws as particularly important in reducing indoor exposure to air pollutants. State policies can advance housing goals by strengthening laws and regulations that establish minimum conditions in rental housing.

The Environmental Law Institute discusses 2 types of policies that address rental environmental conditions:

  • HOUSING CODES (sanitary & property maintenance codes) establish minimum conditions and maintenance requirements for rental properties, usually enforced by local housing or health agencies. Codes are typically adopted by local governments, but some states have statewide requirements for housing codes.

  • LANDLORD/TENANT LAWS establish the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants, including maintenance responsibility. Unlike housing codes, these laws are typically enforced privately, providing legal recourse for landlords and tenants to address violations, including the failure to remedy substandard housing conditions.

Additional Resources

EPA Toxics Release Inventory (TRI): Compilation of industrial management of toxic chemicals records, reported by certain industrial and federal facilities. Data are available through multiple tools that help make reported data more accessible by adding context.

HUD Office of Lead Hazard Control & Healthy Homes: Multi-scale map showing percentage of housing units built before 1950 that may contain lead.

America’s Health Rankings Housing with Lead Risks: Analysis of census data that shows state-level data for hundreds of health, environmental and socioeconomic measures. Use features on this page to find measures; view subpopulations, trends and rankings; and download and share findings.

Environmental Law Institute State Indoor Air Quality Laws: Database tracking state and local laws regarding indoor air quality. This tool can help identify which laws are in place in your state to protect you.

mitigation

The EPA Environmental Violation Reporting System allows citizens to submit information about possible violations of environmental laws and regulations in order to alert the appropriate regulatory authority or enforcement personnel.

The Department of Housing & Urban Development Lead Abatement Program provides funds to state and local governments for affordable reduction of lead-based hazards.

WHO CAN I CONTACT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT INDOOR POLLUTANTS IN MY STATE?