SHOULD BUILDING MANAGERS BAN OFFICE PLANTS?

In 1989, as part of their Clean Air Study, NASA released a list of common indoor plants they determined were able to “play a major role in removal of organic chemicals from indoor air.” The chemicals used in this study were benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde, which occurred during longterm space flights, and have been known to cause headaches and eye irritation. The NASA report identified around 20 plants that were most effective for air filtering, including English ivy, peace lily, and Boston fern. But that report was misleading. Detailed research done by other researchers right after that report was filed, noted that the number of plants needed to remove indoor contaminants would fill a room, and then the room would reek of wet dirt odors. But that’s not what the press heard! And that’s not what indoor landscaping people sell.

When a building tenant gets an indoor plant, they are usually motivated by visual appeal. Indoor air quality doesn’t often occur to them, but it really should. Having plants around can certainly improve the viaul look of an area, but only if the plants are well cared for. Unfortunately, when our team at Building Air Quality finds a plant that is not flourishing indoors, more often than not that plant proves to be the source of endless troubles.

Many tenants worry about overwatering their plants, but for all the wrong reasons. They only see the immediate damage overwatering causes — mainly leaking water that ruins desks and nearby documents. To fix this, some tenants will stick a folded paper towel beneath the potted plant to absorb the excess water. Problem solved, right? Wrong! As the paper towel absorbs extra moisture, it becomes an excellent growth medium for the development of mold.

We recently responded to a tenant complaint from someone with mold allergies. She had been suffering from a bad reaction whenever she filed paper in some low lateral filing cabinets. When our team arrived, one of the first things they noticed was a set of large potted plants sitting on top of the filing cabinet. They each had paper towels underneath them. Each plant was moved to the side and sure enough there was a ring of black colored mold hiding beneath, growing in the paper towel.

Keep in mind, it’s not just a poorly placed paper towel that causes IAQ problems. Mold can also grow in the soil of overwatered plants. And underwatering a plant can be just as troubling. As plants die, they release pollen spores that can negatively impact people with allergies or asthma. Dying plants also attract insects.

Considering how much trouble indoor plants can cause, some building owners and property managers may consider banning them altogether. But this could also generate bad will. A better course of action is to remind tenants that IAQ is a shared responsibility. Encourage tenants to do some research and be certain they will be able to properly care for their plant before bringing it into the space. There is a handy resource you can provide tenants about maintaining indoor plants at savvygardening.com/how-to-water-indoor-plants.

And for heaven’s sake, don’t let someone stick paper towels under their potted plants!