The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has Recognized Eight School Districts for Their Indoor Air Quality Programs.
Tamara R Pearlman
Districts for Their Indoor Air Quality Programs.
by iapnews.wordpress.com
EPA ranks indoor air pollution among the top five environmental health
risks. In addition to health effects such as headaches, dizziness, and
fatigue, students and staff exposed to poor indoor air quality
experience decreased performance and diminished concentration levels.
Poor indoor air quality can make allergy and asthma symptoms worse,
particularly for children. Asthma results in nearly 13 million lost
school days per year.
Keller ISD’s indoor air quality program features a strong asthma
management component, including changes to the physical buildings,
such as removing all carpeting from classrooms and using green
cleaning products. The school district is implementing a comprehensive
asthma trigger education program, developed by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, on all district campuses to help proactively
manage health risks.
“The protection of subpopulations, especially with regard to children,
is one of our top priorities,” said Al Armendariz, EPA Region 6
administrator. “EPA is bringing new energy to safeguarding children
and commends Keller ISD for their commitment to a healthy environment
for their students and teachers.” Nearly 20 percent of Americans, or
about 60 million people, spend their days inside 132,000 public and
private elementary and secondary school facilities. The average public
school is 42 years old, and school buildings begin rapid deterioration
after 40 years if not properly maintained. The IAQ Tools for Schools
Program provides free resources and guidance to help schools identify
and solve their AIQ problems using practical, cost-effective and step-
by-step approaches.
The National Excellence Award winners are
Keller Independent School District, Keller, Texas;
Kenosha Unified School District No. 1, Kenosha, Wis.;
North Penn School District, Lansdale, Pa.;
Wayzata Public Schools, Plymouth, Minn.; and
Westport Public Schools, Westport, Conn.
The National Model of Sustained Excellence Award Winners are
Ocean Township School District, Oakhurst, N.J.;
Omaha Public Schools, Omaha, Neb.;
Spokane Public Schools, Spokane, Wash.
The National Connector Award Winners are
Jack Levine, Amity Regional School District No. 5, Woodbridge, Conn.;
Michael Sheehan, Baldwin Union Free School District, Baldwin, N.Y.
Source – EPA Online
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