COLOMBO, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Central Environmental Authority (CEA) will formulate a set of guidelines to improve indoor air quality in an effort to minimize health impacts caused by air pollutants, local media reported Thursday.

The cabinet of ministers last week approved a three-year pilot project from 2019 to 2021 to conduct a base study and set guidelines to improve indoor air quality in schools, hospitals, public buildings, office buildings and houses covering the entire country, CEA Laboratory Services Deputy Director Hiranthi Jansz said.

Jansz said household wood-burning stoves, use of incense sticks, poorly maintained air-conditioned office environments and vehicle emissions were frequent instances of indoor air pollution.

She pointed out that the World Health Organization had recommended preparing guidelines for indoor air quality.

"Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is a growing concern. Most people spend about 90 percent of their time indoors. The quality of indoor air is important not only for occupants' comfort but also for their health," Sri Lanka's Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) said in a statement.

"Poor indoor air quality has been tied to symptoms like headaches, fatigue, trouble in concentrating, and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs. Also, some specific diseases have been linked to specific air contaminants or indoor environments, like asthma with damp indoor environments," the ITI added.