Keep Kids in School with Clean Air
Why should we care about fresh air?
“Breathing clean air shouldn’t be a luxury…” — EPA
Protect People from Harmful Pollutants
It’s only mid-September and kids are already getting sick in school. Constant illness has become common in recent years, but it isn’t normal. It’s hard on families when parents have to scramble to find care for a sick child, or take time off work themselves. And parents are becoming increasingly concerned about their children’s health when they are constantly getting sick. It doesn’t have to be this way. Improving indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools and on school buses reduces respiratory infections such as influenza, RSV and COVID-19. Plus, it protects people from wildfire smoke and many other indoor air pollutants and allergens. We saw the importance of clean air for children in June, when wildfires really did turn Toronto into The Big Smoke, and the air wasn’t safe to breathe outdoors or indoors. Health Canada states there is no evidence of a safe level of exposure for most of the pollutants in wildfire smoke. Air quality experts recommend good ventilation combined with filtering the air to protect students and education workers from preventable respiratory illnesses and air pollution. These pollutants are harmful for everyone, and they make chronic lung conditions such as asthma worse.
Parents are concerned, and several grassroots advocacy groups across Canada are calling for better IAQ in schools.
You Don’t Have to Get Sick All the Time to Be Healthy
Have you ever wondered why nobody talked about “immunity debt” until recently? It’s because immunity debt isn’t a real issue. We’re exposed to ordinary germs every day, but they aren’t the same as germs that cause illness (pathogens). Kids don’t have to get sick all the time to have a healthy immune system. Your immune system isn’t like a muscle that is strengthened by doing reps. Past infections and exposure to wildfire smoke can actually increase your risk when you’re exposed to infectious germs.
We know that many childhood viruses have a negative impact years later, such as developing shingles from Chickenpox. But, we still don’t know what impact frequent infections will have on childrens’ health. COVID-19, in particular, is a novel virus, and we won’t know its long-term effects for years to come.
“Infecting an entire generation is irresponsible. We don’t know yet what this infection does to the children’s immune system when it occurs repeatedly. As a society we cannot take the risk of mass infection in schools.” — German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach
We expect our drinking water to be filtered so we don’t get sick. We already know that fresh air is good for our health, but experts tell us that poor indoor air quality can cause serious health problems. So if we can reduce the risk and make attending school in person safer for all students by cleaning the air with the simple tools that we already have, why wouldn’t we?
Making Schools Safer Protects the Community
Schools are a dominant source of the transmission of respiratory diseases in the community. For instance, 70% of COVID cases start with a child, then spread to household members and out into the workplace or social settings. When you protect school children from infectious diseases, you’re also protecting the community. It’s not the children’s fault. It’s the poor ventilation and overcrowding in buildings that aren’t keeping them safe. Schools are aging facilities that were not designed with IAQ in mind. When children are unnecessarily exposed to germs, naturally they’re going to get sick again and again (along with the other members of their family). We’ve settled for this for years, but the pandemic and wildfires have highlighted the need to do better. Ryan Tennant stated, “Everyone needs to realize that indoor air quality and measures used to protect people against pathogens and particulate matter like wildfire smoke is an engineering problem. And we’ve solved it already.” We need to use the cost-effective tools we already have.
Equity
Since children are required to attend school by law, they should have access to a safe learning environment in buildings that are fit for purpose. Clean air is not a luxury, particularly at times when wildfire smoke is causing air pollution, builds up indoors. All children need good IAQ. It’s even more essential for children at higher risk of severe outcomes from infection because of underlying health conditions, or those who live with medically vulnerable family members. The negative effects of pollution and poor air quality are especially hard on communities with less privilege. We’ve heard a lot about how in-person education is important for mental health, and we all agree that children should be in school. What’s missing from the message is that schools also need to support children’s well-being so they can thrive. It requires more than schools simply being open. Not having to worry about getting sick, infecting family members, or falling behind is necessary for children’s mental health, too.
Private schools attract affluent students by boasting about their modern facilities and small class sizes. Enhanced IAQ for improved safety is an attractive selling feature. Don’t all students deserve that?
It’s Good for the Economy
It’s cheaper to clean the air than it is to deal with the consequences of not cleaning the air. Consider the impacts: hiring extra supply teachers, hospitalizations, taking time off work to care for sick children, reduced future earning potential due to lost learning or preventable infection-acquired disability, and reduced academic performance and mental health, to name just a few. It adds up quickly. We need to think of good indoor air quality as an investment, not an expense. A recent study showed that the benefits of investing in improved air quality outweighed the costs by up to a factor of 10. Better ventilation improves productivity and academic performance as well. That’s a good investment! In fact, it’s time to clean indoor air in all indoor public spaces, such as hospitals, daycares, long term care homes, and public transit.
“There’s no downside, so why wouldn’t we clean the air?” — Mary Jo Nabuurs.
Ventilation
Ventilation mixes outdoor air with indoor air, diluting pollutants so they don’t build up indoors. Bringing in fresh outdoor air makes a crowded room more comfortable. For example, opening a window (natural ventilation) in good weather is helpful, as long as the air isn’t heavily polluted. But this isn’t practical for most of the school year. Mechanical ventilation (like an HVAC system) can be combined with furnace filters to remove pollutants. Mechanical ventilation may not be sufficient, especially in older buildings with HVAC systems that cannot handle MERV-13 filters. MERV-8 filters remove large particles like dust, but not viruses and fine particulate matter like wildfire smoke, so they’re just not adequate in today’s environment. Outdated standards were designed for comfort, not for removing pollutants or providing optimal learning conditions. There’s also a huge repair backlog in Ontario, so many schools don’t have HVAC systems (or even windows that open, for that matter).
We don’t know if the ventilation in schools is adequate. If the dampers aren’t open, the system may not be circulating enough air. How many times is the system cycling on and off during the day? If it isn’t running, fresh air won’t be mixed with stale air. Schools tend to turn the system off when the temperature is comfortable. The fan should always be on when people are in the room.
So how can you tell if the air is fresh? We exhale carbon dioxide (CO2) when we breathe, so checking how much of this gas is in the room with a CO2 monitor shows us how well the ventilation is working. Real-time CO2 monitoring can provide staff with the information they need to make adjustments such as opening a window.
The new ASHRAE Standard 241 specifically references how HEPA air purifiers can assist in cleaning the air and can supplement ventilation. The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers offers core recommendations and a handy checklist for following this new Standard.
HEPA Filters
When used properly, portable HEPA filters that are the right size for the classroom are a sensible way to filter the air. HEPA filters work best when they are placed where air can circulate around the unit. Experts can troubleshoot problems with HEPA filters such as units that make too much noise.
“Decades of research have consistently shown that portable air filters…can effectively reduce the transmission of airborne infectious diseases….They can also help remove particles, such as wildfire smoke and allergens from the air and improve indoor air quality for the students and teachers….The use of portable air filters is an important part of a multi-layered approach to reduce transmission of infectious diseases and improve indoor air quality, especially in buildings without centralized forced-air HVAC systems. And even in buildings with adequate systems, they can further enhance the filtration performance. I believe that they should be used more widely in buildings.” — Dr. Amy Li
CR Boxes
Do-it-yourself Corsi-Rosenthal boxes (made from a box fan and four MERV-13 furnace filters tightly sealed with duct tape) clean the air quickly and safely, and are even less expensive and more effective than conventional HEPA filters. Easy to build, CR boxes are an affordable way to clean the air in a classroom. The EPA recommends them for managing air pollution from wildfire smoke.
Are CR Boxes Safe?
“[…] with four pleated MERV-13 filters in parallel the resistance on the motor is almost the same as with no filters — it is so tiny it is difficult to measure.” — Dr. Richard Corsi
The large surface area of the cube design lowers resistance from the filters, so the fan can easily handle the MERV-13 filters. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) commissioned a study from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) to ensure these devices are safe. UL tested five models of box fans in several different scenarios (including blocked filters) to ensure that using CR boxes is not a fire hazard. UL concluded that CR boxes are safe and effective when constructed properly with a newer box fan and used as directed. UL Certification is generally accepted in Canada.The EPA provides a convenient list of Frequently Asked Questions about safety, so you can build your own box using the best practices.
“When building a DIY air cleaner, it is recommended to use only NEWER box fans (since 2012), which have the added safety features of fused plugs and thermal cutoffs.” — EPA
Why Are CR Boxes a Good Choice for Schools?
Older elementary school students and high school students can build CR boxes themselves. This is a practical STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) project. Building these boxes provides students with a hands-on, cooperative learning experience. Developing skills to build beneficial devices empowers students. Depending on the grade level, science curriculum connections include investigating physical properties of air such as air flow, plus filtration mechanisms, and electrostatic charges. Math concepts include how to design a stable 3D geometric structure and how to perform air exchange calculations. Decorating the box with a child-friendly design could even be an Art activity for younger students.
Ryan Tennant, a Ph.D. candidate in systems design engineering at the University of Waterloo, recently organized a workshop to show people how they can build these simple but powerful devices themselves. At the workshop, Dr. Amy Li stated that the use of CR boxes can reduce transmission of infectious diseases and improve air quality. Everyone deserves clean air.
Members of Ontario School Safety, a clean air advocacy group, built CR boxes and donated them to the Waterloo Region District School Board to promote healthier schools. The use of air purifiers adds an extra layer of safety in crowded spaces, even in buildings that have modern HVAC systems. WRDSB Trustees recognize that IAQ has a significant effect on student well-being, and recommended creating a special committee to define a clean air policy in their schools.
Why not become a clean air advocate, too? Clean air is a no-brainer. Everyone can do something. What places in your community would benefit from better indoor air quality?
Spread the Word
Want to know how to talk to your loved ones about protecting their health with better IAQ? Share this videoclip from Scientific American with family and friends!
When we clean the air, we can all breathe a whole lot easier.
