en a perfectly designed and adjusted furnace or water heater (or any kind of combustion device) will eventually begin producing toxic/lethal amounts of CO if it operates in a closed space and/or where insufficient fresh air is available. Table three lists some of the effects of CO to humans. TABLE 3 CO concentration in Parts Per Million or as as percentage of air % of CO in air Inhalation time and toxic symptoms developed 0.0001% Normal background levels 0.0009% Maximum allowable concentration short term in living area 0.0025% Maximum exposure TWA (Time Weighted Average) in the workplace. 0.005% Maximum exposure allowed (OSHA) in the workplace. 0.02% Mild headache, fatigue, nausea and dizziness. 0.04% Serious headache - other symptoms intensify. Life threatening after 3 hours. 0.08% Dizziness, nausea and convulsions Dead within 2 to 3 hours 0.16% Headache, dizziness and nausea. Death within 1 - 2 hours. 0.32% Headache, dizziness and nausea. Death within 1 hour. 0.64% Headache, dizziness and nausea. Death within 25 - 30 minutes. 1.28% Death within 1 - 3 minutes. Control of Air Pollution The Regulations The early air pollution laws were passed within small communities and concerned the color and density of the smoke that comes out from the stacks. They first appeared in Chicago and Cincinnati and later on began to show up also in other communities. A special chart determined the level of smoke. The chart showed smoke with different shades of gray and black. At a particular level violations would be set. No national air pollution legislation appeared until the 50's. The first federal legislation appeared in 1955 when the Air Pollution Control Act was passed. In 1965 the Motor Vehicle Air Pollution Act was passed, establishing national automobile emission regulations for the first time. Then the Air Quality Act of 1967 was passed, providing funds for additional federal research and designating air quality control regions to help establish a...
