Emerging Science on Indoor Chemistry

Consensus

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People spend the vast majority of their time inside their homes and other indoor environments where they are exposed to a wide range of chemicals from building materials, furnishings, occupants, cooking, consumer products, and other sources. Despite research to date, very little is known about how exposures to indoor chemicals across complex chemical phases and pathways affect human health. The COVID-19 pandemic has only increased public awareness of indoor environments and shed light on the many outstanding questions about how best to manage chemicals indoors. This report identifies gaps in current research and understanding of indoor chemistry and new approaches that can be applied to measure, manage, and limit chemical exposures. Why Indoor Chemistry Matters calls for further research about the chemical transformations that can occur indoors, pathways and timing of indoor chemical exposure, and the cumulative and long-term impacts of exposure on human health. Research priorities should consider factors that contribute to measurable environmental health disparities that affect vulnerable populations, such as the age, location, and condition of buildings that can alter exposures to indoor chemicals.

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Publication information

190 pages · 7 x 10 · paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-08399-0
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-08400-8
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/26228

Suggested citation

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Why Indoor Chemistry Matters. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Explore the Emerging Science on Indoor Chemistry: Workshop Recordings Playlist

To support the dissemination of the Why Indoor Chemistry Matters consensus report, the National Academies hosted a five-part workshop series highlighting the report and its 15 recommendations. These workshops provided a platform for researchers, community leaders, practitioners, funders, and policymakers to explore how indoor environments influence human health and how future research can inform action. Recordings of all events are available in the YouTube playlist.

Webinar

Why Indoor Chemistry Matters Webinar: Past as prologue while looking to the future of indoor chemistry research

December 10, 2025

1:00 PM - 2:45 PM (EST)

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People spend the vast majority of their time inside their homes and other indoor environments where they are exposed to a wide range of chemicals from building materials, furnishings, occupants, cooking, consumer products, and other sources. These chemicals can adversely impact human health, but very little is currently known about how indoor chemicals go from their source to generating health impacts.

Please join the National Academies for a webinar on December 10 from 1:00 PM to 2:45 PM ET to take a retrospective look at the report Why Indoor Chemistry Matters, future possibilities and potential pathways for indoor chemistry research, and why it matters to human health. Paula Olsiewski (Johns Hopkins University) will moderate a discussion with Delphine Farmer (Colorado State University), Marina Vance (University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder), and Charles Weschler (Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey). The panel will be followed by a Q&A session.

Additional Information

Contact

Darlene Gros

dgros@nas.edu

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Emerging Science on Indoor Chemistry

Why Indoor Chemistry Matters Webinar: Past as prologue while looking to the future of indoor chemistry research

Featured publication

Event Recording (Video, Audio)

Additional materials

Publication information

Suggested citation

Discussion

About

Additional Information

Contact

Darlene Gros

Disclaimer

My Academies

Emerging Science on Indoor Chemistry

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Why Indoor Chemistry Matters Webinar: Past as prologue while looking to the future of indoor chemistry research

Featured publication

Why Indoor Chemistry Matters

Event Recording (Video, Audio)