Indoor Environmental Testing

Cinnaminson, New Jersey, May 15, 2023

Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month takes place in May and the 2^nd of the month is recognized as World Asthma Day. The month is dedicated to increasing awareness about the disease and how asthmatics can manage the condition by preventing or mitigating exposure risks to environmental asthma triggers, allergens, and respiratory irritants.

The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute reports: About 25 million Americans are living with asthma - 5 million of them are children. Rates of asthma are highest among African Americans and Puerto Ricans, young boys, and people living below the poverty line. Each year, asthma leads to more than 1.6 million emergency department visits and 170,000 hospital stays.

“Asthma affects the lungs and causes repeated episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing,” said Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President of Marketing at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shares that asthma is one of the most common lifelong chronic diseases with 1 in 13 Americans living with it. While this sometimes-life-threatening disease cannot be cured, it can be controlled by avoiding exposure to triggers in the environment.”

There are a number of common allergens and respiratory irritants that can act as asthma triggers. While these vary from person to person, some of the most common ones include tobacco smoke; dust mites; outdoor air pollution; chemical irritants; cockroach, cat, and dog allergens; mold; nitrogen dioxide; and smoke from burning wood or grass. Identifying the presence of these and others airborne pollutants in an asthmatic’s home, school or work environment can be significant because the information allows them to take precautions to better manage their condition and possibly prevent future asthma attacks.

Helping with these efforts are the air and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) experts at EMSL Analytical. Their laboratories, located across the United States and Canada, offer IEQ testing services for a wide range of environmental asthma triggers, allergens, and respiratory irritants. They also provide sampling supplies, easy-to-use test kits and air monitoring instruments. Several years back, EMSL sponsored an educational video about Asthma Awareness Month and World Asthma Day that can still be seen at: https://youtu.be/37Ss6i9ohtM

To learn more about environmental asthma trigger, allergen and respiratory irritant testing services, supplies or products, please visit www.EMSL.com, email info@EMSL.com or call (800) 220-3675. To access IEQ test kits, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com. 


About EMSL Analytical, Inc.

EMSL Analytical is one of the leading testing laboratories with locations throughout the United States and Canada. EMSL is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider specializing in fast laboratory results for mold, bacteria, Legionella, USP <797>, pathogens, asbestos, lead, soot, char & ash from fires, VOCs, odors, radon, formaldehyde, indoor air quality, microbiology, environmental, industrial hygiene, radiological, food, beverage & consumer products and material testing services for the identification of unknown substances. EMSL services both professionals and the general public. EMSL maintains an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies including, but not limited to A2LA, AIHA LAP, LLC. (AIHA EMLAP, AIHA IHLAP, AIHA ELLAP), NVLAP, CDC ELITE, CPSC, CA ELAP, NY ELAP, TX DOH, NJDEP and multiple other state accrediting agencies. Please visit our website at www.EMSL.com for a complete listing of accreditations. In addition, EMSL carries a wide range of Sampling Equipment and Investigative Products for environmental professionals.