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 Form IAQ team, appoint IAQ coordinator
2 Distribute checklists, questionnaires
3 Conduct walk through of school
4 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) 490-
9198

“I think it’s interesting that cologne rhymes with alone”
Demetri Martin