How Toxic Is Your School? EPA Tackles School Air Monitoring Initiative
Air toxics samples from all 65 schools in 22 states now available online
Most people agree that to curb global warming, a variety of measures need to be taken. On a personal level, driving and flying less, recycling, and conservation reduces a person’s “carbon footprint”—the amount of carbon dioxide a person is responsible for putting into the atmosphere (National Geographic).
But what about those who aren’t in direct control of their carbon consumption?
Children don’t drive cars, choose to run air conditioners, or own large industrial plants, yet they must deal with the consequences of these “adult” decisions every day.
That’s why the EPA has launched an unprecedented school air monitoring initiative to protect children from toxic air pollution around schools., the first phase of which was completed earlier this month.
So far, the EPA has tested air quality outside 63 schools in 22 states and at two tribal schools, many of which are near large industrial facilities and in urban areas. Experts will analyze the data to understand whether air quality at these schools poses long-term health concerns for children.
The agency has posted preliminary data to its Web site throughout the project to make public the levels of the 62 air toxins the monitors are checking. To date, the agency has posted more than 22,500 sampling results for the schools.
For more information: http://www.epa.gov/schoolair
Image Credit: Flickr Creative Commons – Conspirator
Everyone should check the air pollution level of their respective areas along with asthma and allergy alerts through different website that provide such information like AAfter Search. One can then take effective preventive measures.
[...] we often forget that each day children are shipped off to schools and daycare centers where these health risks aren't given a second thought. With the population increasing at a staggering rate, many schools [...]