Safe schools everyday

Children spend hundreds of hours in the classroom every year with the goal of learning and development. But, air pollution disrupts this growth and learning of young children the most. The major source of air pollution comes from outdoor sources like particulate matter (PM1) and nitrogen oxide (NOX) from vehicle fumes so school areas in heavy traffic zones are hit badly. Another source of air pollution is volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which come from building materials, cleaning or teaching products, and certain types of paints. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there is no ‘safe level of exposure to VOCs.’ The harmful air can penetrate through buildings or can simply enter into the classroom through open doors and windows. Amid COVID-19, the school conditions have changed drastically as many have opted for virtual classrooms, but it is more important than ever to ensure that children are exposed to clean air as they start to return to school.

WHAT IS PM1? READ MORE

Why are young children most vulnerable to the impact of air pollution?

Young children’s immune systems are still developing, and their lungs are still growing. With every breath, children take in more air per unit of body weight than adults. By extension, when air is
toxic, they take in more toxic air per unit of body weight than adults.

Moreover, the impacts have ripple effects on other critical aspects of children’s lives. For example, when children get sick, they might miss school, further limiting their learning and development potential.

Source: UNICEF (Danger in the air)

The solution for the indoor air in schools

Apart from exposure to external traffic fumes, schools are particularly prone to poor IAQ because they are often older buildings that can release radon, a colorless gas naturally produced by soil and asbestos fumes which is toxic and associated with lung problems and cancer.

With the concentrations of some pollutants inside a building are to 50 times higher than outside, it is essential that schools do more to protect their pupils (and staff). (Learn more insights on air pollution)

Ventilation or air circulation through fully opened classroom windows is not sufficient. The risk of infection in the classroom decreases when stationary air purifiers with integrated high-performance filters are installed. Our City range of air purifiers can help reduce the risk of airborne virus transmission. Our air purifiers are designed with increased air changes and improve filtration efficiency in mind. The pathogens contained in the aerosols are captured via high-performance air filters (HEPA filters, H14), with an efficiency of removing 99.995% of contaminants classified as submicron particles such as the COVID-19 virus (removes particles ranging from size 0.06 to 0.1 μ). The air purifiers of the City series are quiet, as they are specially designed for use in offices or classrooms.