Family/Community Involvement

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2. As part of its mission, “…to protect human health and the environment, ” EPA is working with various partners, including schools, to share information, resources and tools about Healthy Schools and the importance of environmental health issues. 2

3. Health Education Physical Education Family/Community Involvement Health Promotion for Staff Health Services Nutrition Services Healthy School Environment Counseling, Psychological and Social Services 3

4. The average child and over 6 million adults nationally spend at least nine hours a day and over 1,200 hours each year in or around a school building. 4

5. EPA’s Healthy Schools Initiative was created to provide accessible resources/tools to prevent and resolve environmental issues in schools. 5

6. A clean building saves money and increases performance! Landmark study by William Fisk and Arthur Rosenfeld 6

7. ! Take-away messages: • What gets measured gets controlled or fixed. • You don’t know unless you look. • Find problems before they occur. • Reduce exposures. • Create a plan and build your team. 7

8. Evaluate your school building often – it will reveal early warning signals. Tools for Schools (TfS) Action Kit : http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/actionkit.html Call 1-800-490-9198 to order TfS kit 8 Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Action Kit

9. Four key tips for a Healthy School • Provide Quality HVAC • Control Moisture/Mold • Cleaning and Maintenance • Pollutant Source Control 9

10. Healthy Schools Tip #1 Provide Quality HVAC Use the Ventilation Checklist from the IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/actionkit.html 10

11. Healthy Schools Tip #2 Control Moisture/Mold • EPA HQ’s Mold website: http://www.epa.gov/mold • The publication "Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings” is available in HTML and PDF(56 pp., 1.6MB) [EPA 402-K-01-001, reprinted September 2008] 11

12. Healthy Schools Tip #3 Develop a Cleaning and Maintenance Program Purchase and use low-emitting products and use only formaldehyde-free materials. www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/clean_maintenance.html http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/envo_products.html 12

13. Healthy Schools Tip #4 • Create a plan for consistent school walkthrough inspections and implement the plan. • Test for radon. Mitigate if necessary. • Check for pests and manage pest control. Use the helpful School Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Checklist: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/pdfs/kit/checklists/ipmcklst.pdf • Inventory and safely manage school chemicals. Use the following helpful resources for school plans: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/chem_management.html Implement an aggressive pollutant source control plan 13

14. Healthy Schools Tip #4 • Implement comprehensive tobacco-free schools policies. • Establish an anti-idling school bus policy. • Use walk-off mats at building entrances. Helpful resources for school plans: www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/chem_management.html Implement an aggressive pollutant source control plan 14

15. Examples of helpful survey forms used to assess building concerns 15

16. Dry throat Cough Sneezing Shortness of breath Dizziness Nausea Warnings Signals and Common Health Impacts • Eye irritation • Headache • Sinus congestion • Nose irritation • Skin irritation • Fatigue 16

17. Chronic health effects and death can result from exposures to: Lead Radon Carbon Monoxide Asbestos Biologicals Tobacco Smoke Chemicals VOCs 17

18. Stressors That Cause Complaints Thermal discomfort Air pollutants (inside/outside) Odors Excess water/mildew/mold Poor ventilation Lighting and glare Poor acoustics Ergonomic problems Job-related problems Understanding if the problem is a “building-related” problem or an individual issue, or both, will help you best define a solution. 18

19. Remember these 4 EASY Planning STEPS STEP 1 Select an Assessment Coordinator STEP 2 Complete a scheduled school walk-around assessment – Get constant feedback from staff and students throughout the year STEP 3 Create an Assessment Plan STEP 4 Set priorities and take action 19

20. No equipment – no problem Start simple: • Clipboard • Pen • Floor plan • Put together a building floor plan • (Include roof, basement, outside, grounds, and all rooms) • Create a checklist 20

21. What you don’t monitor or measure – you don’t know! You don’t know, unless you look. Identify issues before they turn into problems. 21

22. Save the “science projects” for investigation and diagnosing difficult problems • What gets measured gets managed, controlled, fixed: If you have some funding – Consider these assessment tools: Clipboard and Assessment Checklist • Measure what YOU • can reasonably • interpret !! Temperature and RH% CO2 Tracer Smoke CO ParticleCounter Thermal Imager Moisture Meter Light Meter

23. If funding is available, consider these tools to help with your assessments: ( ) Tool Kit items Tracer smoke detector $ 50 Temperature and Relative Humidity detector $ 75 Carbon Dioxide detector $ 450 Carbon Monoxide detector $ 350 Thermal Imager$2,500 Particle counter$3,500 Moisture meter $ 300 Light meter $ 30 Decibel/noise meter $ 90 Total:($7,345) or $1,345 23

24. Key Building Blocks to a Healthy School • Dry • Clean and comfortable • Control pollutants • Deliver adequate ventilation 24

25. EPA’s Voluntary Guidelines for States: Development and Implementation of a School Environmental Health Program EPA has created these guidelines to help states establish and sustain environmental health programs for K-12 schools. Recommendations, case studies and resources are presented to help states build or enhance healthy school programs. An overview of the guidelines, as well as links to additional information and resources, is available online. For more information on the Voluntary Guidelines: http://www.epa.gov/schools/ehguidelines/ 25

26. EPA's “Voluntary School Siting Guidelines” These guidelines can help local school districts (local education agencies or LEAs) and community members evaluate environmental factors to make the best possible school siting decisions. A website includes an overview for the guidelines, as well as links to resources and additional information: http://www.epa.gov/schools/siting/ 26

27. As part of its mission, “…to protect human health and the environment,” EPA is working with various partners, including schools, to share information, resources and tools about healthy schools and the importance of environmental health issues. • Visit Region 7’s Healthy Schools website: • http://www.epa.gov/region7/citizens/schools/index.htm 27

28. Kathleen L. FentonUS EPA Region 7Office of Public AffairsHealthy Schools 11201 Renner BoulevardLenexa, KS  66219913-551-7874 (office)fenton.kathleen@epa.gov 913-551-7066 or 913-551-7872 (fax)1-800-223-0425 28