Plants battle allergies

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on September 22, 2006. It features gloxinia, or sinningia speciosa, a common house plant, which was recently proved to be most effective against the "sick building syndrome" (SBS). The syndrome is generally caused by excessive volumes of carbon dioxide and particulate materials inside buildings.

According to a report provided by Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration, most people in Taiwan stay inside buildings for at least 21 hours per day. If indoor air quality deteriorates, residents are more likely to be susceptible to the "sick building syndrome", which can cause headaches, nausea, dry eyes, runny noses, fatigue and sleepiness.

According to the Environmental Protection Administration, better indoor air quality can be achieved by using one house plant at least 15 centimeters in diameter for every 9 square meters of a property.