Dear Alice,
I once saw a list of plants that were helpful in cleaning air
CO2 and other toxins. Do you know this list? Or, where I
should look for it?
Gasping for Breath
Dear Gasping for Breath,
Unless you have a really big home, and you are prepared to convert it
into something resembling the Amazon, don't rely on a few pretty
houseplants to clean up carbon dioxide (CO2) and other indoor
air pollutants. In 1991, NASA (National Aeronautics and Space
Administration) conducted a study to determine the extent to which
plants acted as indoor air filters. Indeed, plants do reduce
CO2 levels, but scientists concluded that it would take about
680 plants to do the trick in an average sized home. The reports and
lists that you have come across could have been generated by the
decorative houseplant industry, which has pushed their product as an air
quality-enhancer without scientific evidence to back this claim. However,
there are other ways to clean up home and office air, including proper
ventilation, dust removal, and reducing the use of toxic cleaning agents.
The Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse at 1.800.438.4318
produces a free brochure detailing these and other suggestions.
- Alice
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Indoor air quality
