EU study: 'Ventilation systems ineffective'

European research has found that ventilation systems are not an effective means of extracting chemicals from the air in indoor areas.

The study by the EU’s Joint Research Centre warns of serious potential health effects from chemicals in the air in homes, schools and workplaces.

It said that fans and extractors did little to remove these chemicals from the air.

The research is likely to be interpreted as a setback for publicans in Ireland, who have claimed that ventilation systems are adequate to deal with the potential health effects caused by passive smoking in Irish pubs.