Testing services for indoor air pollutants will be available free for Shanghai residents to help them circumvent health hazards and promote green living concepts.

Residents can apply for the service by contacting the Shanghai Environmental Protection Industry Association, and families with children, the elderly and those suffering from blood diseases will be prioritized, said Li Wei, deputy secretary general of the association.

The measurement of PM2.5 was included as an indicator of the country's air quality standards in February in response to widespread public concern.

PM 2.5 - tiny particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter - can be easily absorbed into the lungs and can trigger severe cardiovascular and respiratory disorders.

People associate the pollution with factory chimneys and vehicle exhaust, said Li, but they rarely know that some indoor sources, such as kitchen smoke and cigarettes, also produce the pollutant.

Testing organizations and businesses in the association will provide the test service and absorb the costs, according to Li, and the association will also gather statistical data while providing the service.

This is the sixth year in which they have monitored indoor pollution for residents, but it is the first time PM2.5 has been included.

More than 13,000 households have benefited from the free service in the past five years, figures from the association showed.

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