Clarkson Study To Look at Carpet, Dust Control

Potsdam, NY, Oct. 20, 2008--The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control Program has awarded $500,000 to Clarkson University.

The money will be used to study the re-suspension of particles from carpeted and uncarpeted floors for use in dust control and improvement of air quality.

Because carpeting is less expensive than hard wood flooring, using it has significant economic benefits for any affordable housing unit construction. The Clarkson study will help affordable housing program managers make informed decisions on flooring choices with respect to limiting exposures to particles that could cause allergens and asthma.

The researchers will quantify the re-suspension of dust particles from human activities and model human exposures associated with re-suspended particles.