Schools need to protect students and staff from radon

This January,U.S. EPA encourages you to test your school facilities for radon

Children may be exposed to radon
at school.

Radon — a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas — is one of the most hazardous indoor pollutants.

It is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. And it might be affecting your children.

Without proper mitigation, radon can enter school facilities from the soil through cracks and openings in building foundations.

Thousands of classrooms nationwide have radon levels above EPA's action level of 4 pCi/l (picocuries per liter), exposing occupants to this serious health risk. The only way to determine if your school building has elevated radon levels is to test.

Using the Framework for Effective School IAQ Management: Key Drivers can help you address radon risk as part of a comprehensive IAQ management program:

• Organize: Develop a systematic approach by using the IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit to tie your goals for radon testing to your overarching IAQ, health and environmental program goals. Establish a multidisciplinary team to plan for radon testing and mitigation, and develop district-wide radon management procedures.

• Communicate: Include radon awareness as part of your overall IAQ management training and education efforts. Share your testing results, mitigation plans and follow-up testing plans. In cases of elevated radon levels, ensure that your mitigation plan is in place so you can communicate those plans to parents and staff.

• Assess: Perform radon testing in conjunction with your regular IAQ walkthroughs. If elevated radon levels are found, survey your building for potential radon entry points and mitigate.

• Plan: Working with your IAQ team, identify your action steps and set a schedule for your testing plan. Determine what type of test kits to use and which rooms will be tested. Your state radon program can help identify next steps and offer other guidance throughout the process of testing and mitigation.

• Act: Test according to your IAQ management plan. EPA suggests initial short-term testing in all frequently-occupied, ground contact rooms. Attend radon training to learn about radon and how to effectively test, mitigate and maintain radon reduction. Empower maintenance and facilities staff to become radon champions, school district staff will likely refer to them for answers about the testing plan and mitigation actions.

• Evaluate: Determine additional testing needs and follow-up. Schedule re-testing after all major renovations, and consider how HVAC modifications or upgrades may affect radon intrusion.

Learn more about radon testing and mitigation in your school district by visiting EPA's radon home page, or contact your state radon office for local information about radon, and for state-specific recommendations for testing and mitigation.

Source: EPA

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IAQ technology: Easier way to detect mold in homes and other buildings

Some molds can affect
human health and well-being.

Mold contamination is one of the most common indoor air quality concerns in the United States – especially in millions of foreclosed homes that are abandoned without adequate ventilation.

Mold spores are a natural part of the environment, and mold contamination often occurs after some type of water infiltration in the building, which could be a flood, plumbing problem or leak.

But scientists have come up with a new, simple and fast method to detect and identify even low levels of airborne mold.

While most molds are harmless, some have been linked to health risks in humans. According to doctors, 20-30 percent of the population may be susceptible to mold.

Traditional methods of mold testing often tried to identify the spores that molds release into the air.

The scientists’ new method involves collecting air samples on a piece of commercially available aluminum foil and analyzing the spores with Raman microspectroscopy (RMS). The technique allowed the researchers to identify single spores of seven common types of mold.

The report describing the technique appears in the American Chemical Society’s journal Environmental Science & Technology.

Source: American Chemical Society

Control mold in buildings with source control, ventilation and air cleaning

Mold problems can quickly get out of hand; that is why experts suggest fixing water infiltration problems quickly, making sure that there is adequate ventilation and clean air.

Electrocorp has designed industrial-strength air cleaning systems with activated carbon, HEPA and UV germicidal filtration that can provide cleaner air and control mold.

The HEPA filter can help trap mold spores, while a UV lamp can help neutralize them and an activated carbon filter can help remove odors and mycotoxins that are associated with some molds.

Whether it’s air cleaners for mold and asbestos restoration projects or other industrial or commercial applications, Electrocorp’s wide range of units and customizable options provide the largest adsorbent surface areas, the most relevant filter media and 24/7 air cleaning.

Contact Electrocorp for more information.