Advocates urge more support for EPA to help sick schools

Jan 12, 2010

The National Coalition for Healthier Schools has released a report called “Sick Schools 2009” containing data from policy advocates in 20 states and Washington, D.C. to provide evidence for how air pollution in and around schools increases absenteeism, increases health care costs and reduces test scores. These findings have caused advocates to urge more support for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from the Environment Committee.

According to the report, mold infestations, lead in drinking water, and chemical spills are harming millions of children each year, negatively affecting their health and their chance at a productive future. Unhealthy school conditions can lead to failing health and failing grades. Schools in low income communities are disproportionately affected by environmental hazards like mold, asbestos and poor air quality. These unhealthy conditions are made more dangerous during construction and renovation work, affecting not only the children, but the entire school population: teachers, administrators, food service workers, custodians, maintenance workers, administrative assistance, bus drivers and others.

Contributors to the report call for a variety of things that could make schools healthier: federal guidelines and funding for action plans to deal with sick schools, switching to “green” cleaners to reduce asthma and save money, creating a systematic national state by state survey of school conditions, and calling on Congress to support the EPA’s prioritization of school environments. One health policy researcher added that providing a healthier environment for our children to learn in will save billions of dollars in avoidable healthcare costs to treat environmentally related health conditions like asthma. It is estimated that 32 million students are at high risk every day solely due to the unhealthy conditions of their schools.

For the full story, go to PR Log.

Latest News Stories