Learn the Issues
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Webinar: Meeting Current School Health Challenges and Beyond: New Tools to Assess and Address IAQ Health and Safety
Discover strategies to improve HVAC performance and reduce aerosol exposure in schools. Learn risk reduction strategies to promote effective exposure controls (face coverings, outside air, filtration, and portable air cleaners) for a safe return to school.
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Webinar: Indoor Air Quality in K-12 Schools: Addressing the Concept of Layered Risk Amidst COVID-19
Learn how proper IAQ management can help reduce health risks – including virus transmission
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Webinar: Ventilation and Virus Mitigation in Schools - Creating a Game Plan to Reduce COVID-19 Risk and Make Lasting Improvements to IAQ
Learn how proper IAQ management can help reduce health risks – including virus transmission
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Webinar: Solutions and Resources to Address COVID-19 in Schools: Establishing Lasting Improvements to Ventilation and IAQ
Improve IAQ, reduce risk of COVID-19 transmission, optimize school building energy performance, implement ventilation best practices and building design guidelines - mechanical and natural ventilation, filtration, in-room air cleaners, germicidal UV (UVGI)
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Ventilation Checklist from Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools
Ventilation IAQ Checklist
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Why should schools take indoor air quality seriously?
The quality of the indoor air can either impede or assist a school in meeting its core mission -- educating students. Failure to prevent or quickly resolve problems can: Increase the potential for short-term and long-term health problems like asthma, the number one cause of student absenteeism Increase absenteeism of…
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Evidence from Scientific Literature about Improved Academic Performance
Studies that measure school conditions using an index of several variables consistently show improved scores on standardized tests as school conditions improve. On the other hand, schools with major unmet repair needs and fewer custodial workers per square
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Moisture Control, Part of Indoor Air Quality Design Tools for Schools
Uncontrolled moisture indoors can cause major damage to the building structure, as well as to furnishings and to finish materials like floors, walls, and ceilings.
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EPA Participation in the International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action
EPA participates in the International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action, which generally takes place in October.
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Technical Resources for Energy Savings Plus Health
The Energy Savings Plus Health Guide equips school districts to integrate indoor air quality protections into school energy efficiency retrofits and other building upgrade projects. This page lists additional resources related to Energy Savings Plus Health
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Indoor Air Quality in High Performance Schools
High performance schools are facilities that improve the learning environment while saving energy, resources, and money. The key is understanding the lifetime value of high performance schools and effectively managing priorities, time, and budget.
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What You Can Do to Improve Academic Performance
Studies that measure school conditions using an index of several variables consistently show improved scores on standardized tests as school conditions improve. On the other hand, schools with major unmet repair needs and fewer custodial workers per square
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School IAQ Assessment Mobile App Frequently Asked Questions
Basic frequently asked questions page for school IAQ assessment mobile app
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Renovation and Repair, Part of Indoor Air Quality Design Tools for Schools
Renovation is one of the major causes of poor indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools, and is often conducted while the building is occupied.
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How does indoor air quality in schools affect children with asthma?
Asthma triggers can be found at school. An Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Management Program can reduce the pollutants, irritants, and triggers and help provide a healthier school for students and staff. There are many steps that a school district can take to reduce asthma triggers, such as: Have an IAQ…
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Teachers and Healthy Indoor School Environments
Teachers can be powerful advocates for creating healthy indoor environments, including improving school indoor air quality (IAQ). As they are on the front lines, teachers can perceive when IAQ changes affect students and themselves.
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Is air monitoring required in schools?
At present, EPA does not require air monitoring in schools. However, your state or local jurisdiction may have implemented some type of monitoring requirements. Learn more about indoor air quality (IAQ) laws in your state by visiting the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) website. View ELI's database of state IAQ laws…
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Are schools required to follow EPA's IAQ Tools for Schools guidance?
EPA does not require schools to use the voluntary IAQ Tools for Schools guidance, nor does it require the retention or submission of any information gathered. However, some states have recently enacted legislation that require schools to take specific IAQ actions. EPA also does not require air monitoring in schools…
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Public Comment Period Begins on Proposed Cleanup Plan for the Forest Waste Products Superfund Site
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing an interim remedy to clean up groundwater contaminated with volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, including1,4-dioxane and vinyl chloride, at the Forest Waste Products site.
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Resources, Waste, and Emissions
Making smart choices about what we buy, how we use it, and how we dispose of it can make a big difference in the amount of waste we produce and the emissions associated with our consumption.