An alarming percentage of schools in the United States have problems that affect the quality of the air inside their buildings. Indoor air quality problems can adversely affect the health, well being and productivity of the estimated twenty percent of the population who spend their days in elementary and secondary school buildings. Children are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of indoor pollutants. Asthma, a condition that can be triggered by a number of indoor environmental conditions, has become the leading cause of school absenteeism due to chronic illness.
Responding to these concerns, the Environmental Law Institute® has published Healthier Schools: A Review of State Policies for Improving Indoor Air Quality. The report provides detailed information on state policies that aim to prevent school indoor air problems by promoting better maintenance and management of existing facilities, as well as better design and construction practices in new and renovated schools. The report also identifies many of the state policies that have been developed so far, describes the key components of those policies, and highlights current implementation efforts.
“With over 14,000 school districts across the country, states have an important role to play in establishing frameworks that require, facilitate and encourage local action to improve indoor air quality,” notes Tobie Bernstein, a Senior Attorney at ELI. “State policies and programs can help ensure that school facilities are maintained, designed and built in a way that promotes health and academic achievement, and that reflects the fundamental importance of schools to children, the local community and society as a whole.”
Indoor air quality problems can arise from a variety of sources. Mold contamination, for example, has led to widely publicized illnesses, school closings and costly school repairs in all regions of the country. Other problems affecting indoor air quality include emissions of volatile organic compounds from furnishings and materials; chemical emissions from improper use or storage of maintenance products or educational supplies; and insufficient fresh air due to inadequately designed or maintained ventilation systems.
The report illustrates a variety of approaches to creating healthier indoor environments in school. These range from traditional regulatory requirements, to technical assistance and financial incentives. Some policies involve adoption of new legislation, while others utilize existing statutory authorities. The report addresses general indoor air quality issues; state laws and regulations governing specific pollutants such as lead, asbestos and pesticides are not covered in the report.
“The potential health, academic and financial problems created by poor indoor air quality call for more concerted efforts to develop creative, comprehensive strategies at the state level,” says Bernstein. “While a number of states already have policies in place that address general indoor air quality issues in schools, the challenge is to build on these early efforts and continue to develop programs that will improve the indoor environment.”
Copies of Healthier Schools: A Review of State Policies for Improving Indoor Air Quality are available by calling (800) 433-5120, or can be downloaded for free from http://www.eli.org. For more information about this report or the Environmental Law Institute please visit our Web site at http://www.eli.org or call Kim Goldberg, ELI Communications Director, at 202-939-3833.