ABSTRACT
The understanding and use of environmental risk assessment has grown rapidly since the National Research Council (NRC) established its guiding principle. The EPA research into indoor air pollution began in the late 1970s. For example, the original TEAM (Total Exposure Assessment Method) studies sought to understand better the distinctions between outdoor and indoor air, and they found that indoor exposures to many air pollutants were significantly greater than expected. The Center for Indoor Air Research (CIAR) is a nonprofit corporation formed in the US in March 1988 to sponsor research on indoor air issues and to facilitate communication of research findings to the scientific community. The Center utilizes a Science Advisory Board, consisting of experts in health, science, and architecture, to develop its research agenda and to recommend proposals for funding. A number of other organizations conduct indoor air pollution research, specifically on methods related to risk assessment.
