Washington day cares close to polluted roads

Small children are most affected by
air pollution, experts say.

It’s a cruel fact of physiology: kids are the hardest-hit victims of air pollution.

Pound for pound, children breathe more than adults, receiving a relatively bigger toxic dose delivered to their developing bodies. And the smaller the child, the bigger the impact. What makes an 8-year-old cough could make an infant stop breathing.

That science takes on particular significance in Washington, where 126 day cares are located beside major roads and where rules about where new facilities can open are not enforced.

Researchers say air pollution from vehicle traffic can aggravate asthma, reduce lung function and boost school absenteeism, as well as promote cancer later in life and harm developing immune systems.

An additional 439 day cares sit within 500 feet of the state’s heaviest truck routes, a new analysis by InvestigateWest shows. The diesel fuel that powers these trucks can spew 100 to 200 times more soot than gasoline engines, and the exhaust is so toxic that the World Health Organization classifies it as a carcinogen.

Nationally, more than 11 million children under 5 are enrolled in regular child care.  In Washington, one-fourth of all toddlers and one-third of all preschoolers attend a licensed child care facility, according to a 2008 survey.

The pollution risks are not always reflected in where parents choose to or are able to enroll their kids.

Just south of Everett along Interstate 5, a hedge separates the playground of Kids ‘N Us Learning Academy from a highway off-ramp. Among the dozens of day cares that fall within the pollution plume of I-5, Kids ‘N Us is one of the closest, its property line just over 300 feet from the heavily traveled road.

In Washington, the murky set of guidelines governing where day cares can operate does little in practice to protect kids from air pollution risks.

State child care licensing code does not restrict where in-home day cares — limited to 12 or fewer kids — can open.

Institutional child care centers, which have an average capacity of 69 kids, are required to be on an “environmentally safe site” and in a neighborhood “free of a condition detrimental to the child's welfare,” according to a state regulation.

The licensing process for a new day care does not require a site review by health officials to determine whether a property is safe from environmental hazards like nearby freeways. Instead, the Department of Early Learning, a fire marshal and the local planning department sign off on a new location. The agency also employs four health specialists to respond to complaints and concerns.

As is the case with schools, the construction of day cares can trigger a State Environmental Protection Act, or SEPA, review. But that process emphasizes air risks stemming from construction like dust and short-term truck traffic rather than ambient air concerns like a nearby highway.

Reducing harm from near-road exposures at day cares is something of a bureaucratic hot potato, with the Washington Department of Early Learning saying it’s not its job to correct for environmental risks, and health officials saying the initial push isn’t theirs to make.

State officials acknowledge that they are a lot more worried about keeping kids safe — meaning, for starters, alive — than in heading off seemingly subtle pollution threats. The high-profile deaths of two children in state-licensed day cares — one an accidental drowning in 2004, the other a death from E. coli in 2010 — focused regulators’ attention on acute threats to children.

Editor's note: This article has been edited for length. 

Source: Investigate West

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Vinyl flooring releases contaminants at schools and daycares

Children and staff may be exposed to
phthalates coming from vinyl floors.

Large areas of vinyl flooring in daycares and schools appear to expose children to a group of compounds called phthalates, which have been linked to reproductive and developmental problems, scientists are reporting.

They published their results on the ubiquitous plastic ingredients in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology.

Chungsik Yoon and colleagues note that polyvinyl chloride (PVC), also known as vinyl, is the second most-produced plastic by volume and is commonly used in flooring.

Phthalates, which increase both the flexibility and durability of PVC, are key ingredients in PVC materials used in vinyl flooring and a wide range of other products, including toys, food packaging, medical devices, and even pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and soaps.

The problem is that these additives leach out of products into the air and dust. Concern over their potential health effects, particularly in infants and children, has spurred scientists to investigate human exposure to them indoors.

However, most studies fall short of verifying what products were contributing to indoor phthalate levels. Yoon's team set out to fill that gap.

Using a portable instrument called an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer, they tested the flooring materials in 50 public and private daycares and kindergartens in Seoul, South Korea, to test for PVC.

They also collected dust samples from various surfaces in the buildings and analyzed them.

The PVC-verified flooring was a major source of the most common phthalate that they detected, called di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (known as DEHP).

"This is the first study to verify the sources of phthalates with an XRF analyzer and to evaluate the relationship between phthalate concentrations and PVC-verified materials," the scientists state.

Source: American Chemical Society

Remove indoor air contaminants with air cleaners

Children have a higher risk of chemical exposure, since their bodies are still developing and they are breathing higher volumes of air compared to their size.

Since children and their caregivers or teachers spend the majority of time indoors, providing good indoor air quality has become an important goal for schools and daycare centers.

There three ways to help improve indoor air quality:

1. Adequate ventilation: In many schools and daycares, the existing ventilation system would need major updates to help improve IAQ. However, changing filters frequently and opening windows when possible can make a difference.
2. Source control: Schools and daycares should take stock of cleaning products and cosmetic products that are used and switch to the least toxic ones. Craft materials and school supplies should also be non-toxic.
3. Air cleaning: A portable air cleaner with activated carbon and HEPA will help provide cleaner air by removing airborne chemicals, gases, odors, particles, allergens, dust, mold, bacteria and viruses.

Electrocorp has designed a wide range of air cleaners for schools, universities and daycare facilities. The air purifiers come with a deep-bed activated carbon filter, a HEPA filter and optional UV germicidal filtration.

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EPA stresses a healthy environment in schools

Poor indoor air quality impacts students as well as
teachers and school staff, experts warn.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has long been a promoter of good indoor air quality in schools as well as greener administration practices, and helps schools make changes for the better with their Tools for Schools guidance.

In a recent webinar on Green Ribbon Schools (GRS), a US Department of Education project, experts demonstrated why indoor air quality is so important for a healthy school environment as well as for academic success.

Environmental health is one of the main pillars of GRS, and focuses on integrated pest management (employing healthier alternatives to pesticides), ventilation and contamination controls of indoor air pollutants such as chemicals, tobacco smoke, mold, radon and more.

IAQ often overlooked

According to the webinar experts, indoor air quality can affect the students, teachers’ and administrators’ health, comfort and ability to perform.

IAQ is a major component of the school’s physical environment that is the most easily overlooked, they said.
In schools, IAQ should always be a priority because children are more vulnerable to environmental pollution.

Indoor air pollution can cause or aggravate asthma.

They breathe more air than adults in relation to their body size and their immune systems and organs are still developing.

Health effects of poor IAQ can be immediate or long-term. For example, many indoor air pollutants can cause or trigger asthma, or aggravate the symptoms.

With one out of every 10 school children suffering from asthma, the missed school days also affect their overall performances.

Academic performance linked to IAQ

The experts cited scientific evidence that showed how improved indoor air quality increases productivity, the ability to concentrate and recall information and can reduce respiratory illnesses.

It can also save schools money, as better academic performances may mean increased funding for the district. A healthy school environment in a well-maintained school also means fewer costly, major repairs have to be done. Schools also have to spend less on substitute teachers, if there are fewer health-related absences.

The experts gave the following tips for schools:

• Change the HVAC filters regularly
• Fix water infiltration problems immediately to avoid mold and mildew
• Implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices
• Keep rooms clean and free of clutter
• Store hazardous products safely
• Ban idling vehicles outside
• Use healthy cleaning agents and materials
• Conduct regular inspections

Source: EPA

Air cleaners for schools, daycares and universities

Children and staff need to be protected from indoor air pollutants. Aside from making the changes outlined above, learning institutions can use affordable and portable air cleaners to help provide cleaner and healthier air.

Electrocorp’s air cleaners for schools and universities feature a deep-bed activated carbon filter for chemicals, gases, odors and fumes, a HEPA filter for particles, dust and pollen, and optional UV germicidal filtration for biological contaminants such as mold, bacteria and viruses.

The air cleaners can be placed in individual classrooms, or they can be attached to existing HVAC systems.

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Association asks for ban on toxic chemicals in schools, daycares and hospitals

Children have higher exposure levels to
PVC and phthalates, studies show.

The American Public Health Association (APHA) wants action to protect the most vulnerable groups in our communities – children, the elderly and the sick.

At a recent meeting in Washington, DC, more than 13,000 public health professionals came together at the annual public meeting and passed a major policy resolution: Reducing PVC in Facilities with Vulnerable Populations.

The policy resolution urges government officials to consider phasing out flexible PVC in building materials, consumer products and office suppliers to

• Schools
• Daycare facilities
• Medical care facilities
• Nursing homes
• Public housing
• Special needs facilities
• And other facilities with vulnerable populations

By passing this resolution, the Association officially recognized the hazards that PVC and phthalates pose to children health in schools and daycare centers, a spokesperson said.

What is PVC?

The plastic PVC is commonly found in building materials (flooring, carpeting, roofing), computers, cell phones, backpacks, lunchboxes, binders, medical devices, and many other products.

PVC is used in many
commonly used products.

A 2011 study found PVC is the most widely used hazardous plastic in the world. 

It becomes soft and flexible when chemicals such as phthalates are added, but these are released from PVC products such as vinyl over time and have become substances of concern.

While everyone is exposed to phthalates, the levels tend to be higher in children. Some studies have shown that high concentrations of phthalates may affect hormone levels and cause birth defects.

Many large companies have taken steps to phase out PVC from their product lines and packaging and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently developed a “chemical action plan” for phthalates, over 90% of which are found in PVC products.

Source: Lund Report

Remove dangerous chemicals and pollutants from the air

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By offering a wide range of air cleaner models and sizes as well as customizable options, Electrocorp ensures that it can solve virtually any IAQ problem.

Electrocorp offers a number of air cleaners for schools, universities and daycare. They are user-friendly and stand-alone air cleaners that can be moved around easily and will clean the air 24/7.

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