Transcript Indoor Air Quality

What is Indoor Air Quality
(IAQ)?
• Chemical, biological pollutants in the air
• Temperature, humidity
• A good IAQ Management Plan controls
indoor air pollutants, brings in adequate
outside air and maintains comfortable
temperature and humidity levels.
So how does Tools for Schools
fit in?
• Tools for Schools is a VOLUNTARY
program, a low cost-no cost tool to help
schools improve their IAQ
• Organizes cleaning, maintenance activities
that a school is (or should be) already doing
• TfS is not intended to be a crisis
management tool
• It’s free, effective (800) 438-4318
History of Tools for Schools
• Late 1980’s – extent of problem with IAQ
in schools realized
• 1995 – Tools for Schools kit developed
• Currently – ~50% of schools use either
Tools for Schools or an IAQ plan that meets
EPA guidelines.
Tools for Schools – 5 steps
1
2
3
4
Form IAQ team, appoint IAQ coordinator
Distribute checklists, questionnaires
Conduct walk through of school
Prioritize repairs – what gets fixed now,
what can wait
5 Develop IAQ management plan
Why is IAQ in Schools
important?
• We spend 80-90% of our lives indoors
• 55 million Americans spend their days in
schools
• There are no laws, no indoor air standards
that protect students, staff from poor IAQ
• Indoor levels of air pollution can be 2-5
times (even up to 100 times) more polluted
than outside air. The reasons……
Radon
• Occurs naturally
• EPA Estimate – 23,000 lung cancer deaths per
year
• Test kits – (800) 557-2366, or for a few free
kits, (702) 798-2430
• If over 4 pC/liter, consider remediation
• Radon caves in Montana!
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
• 500 deaths each year CO poisoning
• A byproduct from fuel combustion
• What you can do: annual appliance checks,
don’t use fuel burning things indoors
(hibachis, gas powered generators, etc.)
• Buy a CO detector
Volatile Organic Compounds
(VOC’s)
• Can be built into a school (carpets, paints,
cabinets etc.)
• Can be intentionally introduced (air
fresheners, scented candles, perfumes, after
shaves)
• VOC’s can trigger asthma attacks,
aggravate respiratory problems
• Formaldehyde – a probable carcinogen?
Indoor Pollution Sources
•
•
•
•
•
Copy machines, faxes give off ozone, particulates
Pesticides
Cleaning products
Perfumes, candles, room fresheners
Dirty, malfunctioning A/C, swamp coolers
Mold – 300% increase in lawsuits in past 5 years
Add all these pollutants to a
poorly ventilated, insulated box
Why should schools be
concerned about poor IAQ?
The Asthma Epidemic
• Asthma rates have doubled since 1980
• 1 in 13 school children has asthma
• 10-13 million school days missed each year
• Tools for Schools helps identify, remove
common asthma triggers from classrooms
More reasons that schools should
be concerned about poor IAQ
•
•
•
•
Health, morale of staff
Poor IAQ, high CO2 = lower performance
Liability issues
Loss of funding when students are absent
• You can’t teach kids that are medicated or absent
What are challenges for schools?
• Funding
• Test scores, student safety, discipline, etc.
• Why draw attention to an IAQ problem?
(if we ignore the problem, no one will notice)
How can Tools for Schools
address these concerns?
• Increased attendance = more funding
• Improved IAQ, lower CO2 levels = better
learning environment (www.epa.gov/iaq)
• Don’t think of it as drawing attention to a
problem, think of it as being proactive
Prioritize your needs into….
• What can be done now to improve IAQ?
Simple, quick fixes
• What can we do soon? Low cost fixes that
can be done with existing budget/staff
• What can we do when we have more $?
Have an inventory of what the IAQ needs of
the school are
For new school construction….
• IAQ Design Tools for Schools
www.epa.gov/iaq/schooldesign
For a comprehensive healthy schools
approach:
• Healthy Seat
www.epa.gov/schools/healthyseat
Who can help schools get
started?
• The EPA – Regional offices, symposiums
(www.epa.gov/iaq)
• Contractors working through the EPA
• American Lung Association state offices
• State Health Departments
• State Energy offices or Energy Performance
Contractors (www.escperform.org)
• Ron Schiller (303) 312-6017
To get more information or materials
on indoor air in schools, contact
• Ron Schiller (303) 312-6017
• EPA Publications Warehouse (800) 4909198
“I think it’s interesting that
cologne rhymes with alone”
Demetri Martin