Carbon monoxide, also known as CO, is a colourless, odourless gas that is highly dangerous.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is a common yet preventable cause of death worldwide. Each year in Ireland there are, on average, six fatalities from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning, caused by an appliance that burns fossil fuels such as oil, gas or coal.
Other significant causes of carbon monoxide poisoning are vehicle exhausts, smoke inhalation from fires, and incidents in industrial or commercial settings.
The incomplete combustion of fossil fuels is a source of carbon monoxide. In normal conditions the combustion process will cause the carbon in the fossil fuel to combine with oxygen in the air to produce carbon dioxide (CO2), the same substance we exhale when we breathe.
However, if there is a lack of air for the combustion process or the appliance is faulty, carbon monoxide can be produced.
Carbon monoxide can also be produced by the natural decomposition of wood chips.
When carbon monoxide is inhaled into the body it combines with the blood, preventing it from absorbing oxygen.
If a person is exposed to carbon monoxide over a period, it can cause illness and even death.
Carbon monoxide is often called the ‘silent killer’ because you can’t see or smell it.
have your say