Maintaining good indoor air quality in
your school means:
Controlling airborne pollutants;
Bringing in and distributing adequate
outside air;
Controlling moisture and mold;
Maintaining acceptable temperature and
humidity.
Sources of pollutants in and around
schools
Indoor Sources
Students and staff with communicable
diseases;
Classroom pets;
Excess moisture and mold;
Dry-erase markers and similar pens;
Dust and chalk;
Cleaning materials;
Personal care products;
Odors and volatile organic compounds
from paint, caulk, adhesives;
Insects and other pests;
Odor from trash;
Radon.
Potential high-pollution areas
Science laboratories;
Vocational arts areas;
Copy/print areas;
Smoking lounges;
Food preparation areas.
Outdoor Sources
Pollen, dust and fungal spores carried
in from outside on shoes and clothing;
Vehicle emissions or unsanitary debris
near building air intakes;
Dumpster odors;
Leakage from underground storage tanks.
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Poor
Indoor Air Quality Interferes with the Learning Environment
Indoor air pollution is a problem in at
least half of our nation's schools -- in classrooms and other learning
areas such as laboratories, libraries, and gymnasiums. Poor indoor
air quality (IAQ) affects your students' and your own health and comfort
in the following ways:
- Uncomfortable, unhealthy students can
be distracted and inattentive. Their concentration and
productivity suffer, which may affect their performance.
- Students with asthma or allergies are
particularly sensitive to indoor air pollutants, resulting in
increased or more severe reactions and episodes.
- Sickness and absenteeism rise.
Absent students miss out on valuable learning experiences.
- Your decrease in energy levels and performance is
preventable! You can ensure that classrooms are healthy
learning environments, and your students and their parents will be
thankful for your effort.
Ensure a Healthy Classroom for
Everyone
EPA's IAQ Tools for Schools Kit gives
your school common-sense guidance on IAQ issues. This practical
Kit explains how to identify and prevent IAQ problems and how to resolve
them if they occur. As a member of your school's IAQ Action Team,
you are key to making sure that your classroom is a healthy, comfortable
learning space for your students and yourself.
The IAQ Tools for Schools Kit is a
one-stop resource for your school building's health. The Kit
includes a teacher's checklist covering indoor air quality basics
related to classroom chalk dust and dry-erase markers, animals in the
classroom, art and science supplies, cleaning supplies, ventilation, and
classroom drains, fans, or fume hoods.
Other team members have their own
checklists; together, you evaluate potential IAQ problems and resolve
them before they become health hazards. Because you're part
of a team, this won't take much of your time. In the process, your
students can learn about good indoor air quality. For science
teachers, EPA's web site offers ideas for adding IAQ to your curriculum.
Act now to ensure comfort, health,
and reduced sick days for your students. Help lower the risk of
long-term health problems related to indoor air quality in your school.
The Issues
Indoor levels of air pollutants can be
2-5 times higher, and occasionally 100 times higher, than outdoor
levels. Nearly 55 million people, 20 percent of the U.S.
population, spend their days inside elementary and secondary
schools. And, according to a 1995 federal government report, an
estimated 50 percent of the nation's schools have problems linked to
poor indoor air quality. IAQ problems can cause discomfort and
contribute to short- and long-term health problems for students and
staff.
The Solution
IAQ problems can be much less expensive
and time-consuming to prevent than to fix. EPA's IAQ Tools for
Schools Kit provides you with resources and checklists to help evaluate
your school's indoor air quality and prevent IAQ problems. The Kit
also offers easy-to-use steps for identifying and correcting current IAQ
problems.
The Team
The awareness and effort of a team of
individuals will help ensure that your school improves its indoor air
quality. The checklists in the IAQ Tools for Schools Kit provide a
thorough but simple means for all IAQ Action Team members to contribute,
including the IAQ coordinator, administrators, teachers and staff,
facility managers, health professionals, maintenance crews, and others.
The
Rewards (in addition to good indoor air quality)
By
using the Kit successfully, your school will have the opportunity to:
- Receive public recognition for
outstanding environmental leadership through EPA's Award Program
- Serve as a role model or mentor to
other schools.
- Work with EPA to communicate success
through case studies.
- Have its website link on EPA's IAQ
page for other schools to learn from your IAQ efforts.
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