Green Grannies & Friends: February 2008

Benefits of Good Indoor Air Quality [IAQ}
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/benefits.html

Improving IAQ in schools can help:

Reduce absenteeism
Improve student and staff concentration
Improve student productivity and performance
Decrease IAQ-related health risks from exposure to indoor pollutants
Reduce environmental triggers of asthma
Reduce respiratory illness

From EPA Studies:

Schools across the country have observed many health-related benefits from implementing the IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit (Read their

Case Studies):
Improvements in comfort levels and a decrease in IAQ-related complaints (King-Murphy Elementary School, Colorado)

A reduction in IAQ complaints from one per month to three per year since 1997 (Shamona Creek Elementary School, Pennsylvania)

A dramatic decrease in absenteeism, fewer reported bronchitis cases reported by school staff, an increase in comfort, and a 25-percent reduction in the number of visits to the school nurse within the first 5 months of implementing the Action Kit (Little Harbour School, New Hampshire)

A 50-percent reduction in visits to the nurse’s office for the use of asthma inhalers (G.W. Carver Elementary School, California)

A reduction from 75 complaints related to health and faulty equipment in 1994 to fewer than 15 in 1999 (Okaloosa County School District, Florida)

IAQ problems affect building occupants’ attendance, comfort, and performance.
Decreased School Absenteeism

School funding is often directly linked to attendance, most often the average daily attendance rate.

If a school experiences high absenteeism rates, future funding could be adversely affected.

IAQ problems can result in absences because of respiratory infections, allergic diseases from biological contaminants, or irritant reactions to chemicals used in virtually every part of the school.

Some conditions in the school environment are closely associated with the incidence of sick building syndrome and asthma symptoms.

Asthma-related illness is one of the leading causes of school absenteeism.

EPA Award Winner Testimonial

Little Harbour School in New Hampshire noticed a dramatic decrease in absenteeism within the first five months of implementing the IAQ Tools for Schools Program: “We saw a significant decrease in absenteeism rates of children, especially for a child with severe asthma, since we completed the IAQ upgrades.” Priscilla Santiago,School Nurse
If schools have poor IAQ, students, teachers, and staff may miss more school days and experience decreased performance. Poor IAQ and related problems that can lead to school absences include:
Asthma - Asthma-related illness is a primary cause of school absenteeism, accounting for 14.7 million missed school days per year.
Asthma affects one out of every 13 school-aged children.
IAQ problems in schools -- the presence of mold, dust mites, cockroaches, pet dander, and certain chemicals -- can trigger asthma attacks.
Moisture - Moisture problems in schools contribute to mold and pest problems, which can affect allergic individuals and people with asthma.
Nitrogen Dioxide - Nitrogen dioxide has been associated with increased respiratory symptoms and student absences, even at levels within existing health standards.
Infiltration of vehicle exhaust - like idling school buses - is another contributor to nitrogen dioxide levels.

How Does Indoor Air Quality Affect Students’ Learning?

Fact: According to the EPA, poorly maintained HVAC Systems allow dirt, dust, mold, and debris to enter the air in the work place. This increases the incidence of absenteeism by both children and staff due to sickness.

Fact: Dirty air causes respiratory illnesses, asthma, and allergies. These illnesses not only affect student learning, but test performance is reduced and staff cannot perform their teaching responsibilities as well.

Fact: According the National Association of School Nurses and the American Lung Association, the use of inhalers in schools due to asthma

has increased to over 9 million children under age 14, which is about 3 children per classroom in the United States (2004).

Fact: Asthma is the number one chronic illness causing school absenteeism. It accounts for nearly 20 million school days lost annually, or an average of 7.6 days per year missed for each student with asthma (Rodehurst, 2003). The normal average is 3 days per year missed by students due to illness. (Tellijohann, Dake, & Price, 2004).

Fact: Exposure to indoor pollutants and inadequate management of indoor temperature and relative humidity can affect student, teacher, and staff health and performance.

Fact: Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) can cause illnesses requiring school absences and can cause acute health symptoms that decrease performance while at school

Student Performance is Increased with improved IAQ!

The Green Grannies & Friends for Clean Air & Healthy Kids support the use of the Environmental Protection Agency's [EPA] "Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools."

Below are links to two short videos of an urban school "IAQ Tools for Schools" walk through.

The videos will provide a little more understanding of the importance of indoor air quality and children's health.

Tools for Schools: Indoor Air Quality Walkthrough - Urban Part 1