Abstract

The protection from chronic harm provided by exposure limit values (ELVs) for indoor air contaminants varies significantly across Air Infiltration and Ventilation Centre (AIVC) member countries, revealing inconsistencies in public health protection. The concept of a regulated harm budget (RHB) is introduced, representing the total harm implicitly allowed by regulators. Spain is the only AIVC nation with an RHB of 2400 disability-adjusted life-year (DALYs)/105 person/year for contaminants of concern (CoC): PM2.5, NO2, and formaldehyde. Most AIVC countries exceed harm levels linked to smoking and alcoholism. This highlights the need to reduce indoor air contaminant harm to levels comparable to other regulated health risks. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.