April 1, 2009
EPA Names Priority Schools for Monitoring Toxic Outdoor Air Pollution
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
From EPA Release
In an unprecedented effort to help protect children from toxic air pollution around schools, EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced a list of schools that will undergo outdoor air monitoring.
“As a mother, I understand that concerned parents deserve this information as quickly as we can gather and analyze it,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “EPA, state, and local officials are mobilizing to determine where elevated levels of toxics pose a threat, so that we can take swift action to protect our children at their schools.”
EPA, state and local agencies will work together to monitor air toxics around 62 schools in 22 states that are located near large industrial facilities or in urban areas. EPA identified these schools for monitoring based on information that raised questions about air quality. That information included the best data available to EPA scientists about air pollution in the vicinity of schools, results20of a computer modeling analysis, results from a recent newspaper analysis, and information from state and local air agencies.
Depending on the availability of staff and equipment, monitoring at some schools on the list will begin almost immediately; other schools will begin monitoring over the next 60 to 90 days. State and local air agencies will install and operate the monitors, while EPA will purchase the monitors and pay for laboratory analysis.
State and local agencies will take periodic samples of the air around the schools for a 60-day period. EPA will analyze the results of the monitoring and share the information with the schools and the public. EPA will use the information gathered in this initiative to determine how best to move forward, which could require additional monitoring or enforcement action where appropriate.
EPA and states will work with school communities to ensure they understand the monitoring results. In addition to monitoring the outdoor air quality, EPA also will help interested schools improve the quality of their indoor air.
To learn more about this program and to view the list of schools that are part of the monitoring initiative: http://www.epa.gov/schoolair
EPA MONITORING FACT SHEET
(Supplied by Cabell County Schools)
ACTION
On March 31,=2 02009, EPA released a list of priority schools for air quality monitoring, as part of an initiative to understand whether outdoor toxic air pollution poses health concerns to schoolchildren.
The initial monitoring will take place at 62 schools in 22 states. EPA selected the schools using a number of factors, including results from a computer modeling analysis, results from a recent newspaper series on air toxics at schools, in consultation with state and local air agencies.
That information raised some questions about outdoor air quality around the schools on the list. Measuring the levels of toxics in the air around the school will help EPA understand whether that air quality poses any health concerns. EPA will use what it learns from this monitoring initiative to determine its next steps as it works to protect children’s health where they live, play and learn.
EPA is following an aggressive timeline to begin sampling air outside the schools, focusing on some schools near large industries and some schools in urban areas, where emissions of air toxics come from a mix of large and small industries, cars, trucks, buses and other sources. The agency is monitoring for chemicals commonly found in many areas of the country that may have harmful =0 Aeffects if people are exposed to them at high enough levels over a long period of time.
EPA is asking state and local agencies to install and operate the monitors. The agency will redirect $2.25 million from the competitive Community Scale Air Toxics Monitoring Grants program to purchase monitoring equipment and pay for laboratory analysis of the air quality samples from each school. This partnership will help EPA maximize its monitoring and analytical capabilities to develop a clearer picture of potential risks to children from toxic air pollution.
ABOUT THE MONITORING
Monitoring at the schools will be phased in over the next three months. In some states, monitoring equipment is readily available and can be quickly moved to the schools to be monitored. EPA will purchase equipment for others.
The monitors will measure two types of pollutants in the outdoor air at the priority schools: pollutants that are in gas form, such as benzene; and pollutants that are in particle form, including metals such as hexavalent chromium, manganese or lead. The pollutants monitored will vary by school, based on the best available information about the pollution sources in the area. EPA and s tates also will install equipment to measure wind speed and direction at each school during the monitoring.
Monitors will be in place at each school for 60 days to provide a snapshot of toxics in the outdoor air. The monitors will sample air quality on 10 different days during that time. The samples will be analyzed by the laboratories EPA uses for air quality analysis. To ensure the data is sound, EPA and state air agencies will check monitors to be sure they are operating correctly, inspect the laboratories, and review the data for any anomalies.
AFTER THE MONITORING: NEXT STEPS
Once the air toxics data for a school are quality-assured, EPA will analyze the results to estimate how exposure to the outdoor air around the school might affect health over the long-term. The agency will make projections of the potential long-term health concerns related to cancer and for other chronic health effects -- especially respiratory and neurological effects, which are the most common chronic non-cancer effects from exposure to air toxics.
If EPA finds a low potential for health concerns from chronic exposure to air toxics at a school, the agency may cease monitoring at that school. If potential health concerns are high, EPA will take steps to mitigate the pollution causing the problems. If EPA cannot estimate potential effects based on the initial phase of monitoring, EPA may continue monitoring to obtain additional data.
EPA will make the results available to the public at http://www.epa.gov/schoolair.
BACKGROUND
Air toxics, also known as hazardous air pollutants, are pollutants known, or suspected to cause cancer and other serious health effects. EPA regulates emissions of 187 air toxics under the Clean Air Act.
http://www.epa.gov/schoolair
From 1990 to 2005, emissions of air toxics in the United States declined 41 percent, as a result of federal and state regulations, along with local emission reduction programs. Levels of air toxics, however, can vary widely from place to place depending upon a number of factors including the amount and types of industry nearby, proximity to heavily traveled or congested roadways, and weather patterns.
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EPA Names Priority Schools for Monitoring Toxic Outdoor Air Pollution
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
From EPA Release
In an unprecedented effort to help protect children from toxic air pollution around schools, EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced a list of schools that will undergo outdoor air monitoring.
“As a mother, I understand that concerned parents deserve this information as quickly as we can gather and analyze it,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “EPA, state, and local officials are mobilizing to determine where elevated levels of toxics pose a threat, so that we can take swift action to protect our children at their schools.”
EPA, state and local agencies will work together to monitor air toxics around 62 schools in 22 states that are located near large industrial facilities or in urban areas. EPA identified these schools for monitoring based on information that raised questions about air quality. That information included the best data available to EPA scientists about air pollution in the vicinity of schools, results20of a computer modeling analysis, results from a recent newspaper analysis, and information from state and local air agencies.
Depending on the availability of staff and equipment, monitoring at some schools on the list will begin almost immediately; other schools will begin monitoring over the next 60 to 90 days. State and local air agencies will install and operate the monitors, while EPA will purchase the monitors and pay for laboratory analysis.
State and local agencies will take periodic samples of the air around the schools for a 60-day period. EPA will analyze the results of the monitoring and share the information with the schools and the public. EPA will use the information gathered in this initiative to determine how best to move forward, which could require additional monitoring or enforcement action where appropriate.
EPA and states will work with school communities to ensure they understand the monitoring results. In addition to monitoring the outdoor air quality, EPA also will help interested schools improve the quality of their indoor air.
To learn more about this program and to view the list of schools that are part of the monitoring initiative: http://www.epa.gov/schoolair
EPA MONITORING FACT SHEET
(Supplied by Cabell County Schools)
ACTION
On March 31,=2 02009, EPA released a list of priority schools for air quality monitoring, as part of an initiative to understand whether outdoor toxic air pollution poses health concerns to schoolchildren.
The initial monitoring will take place at 62 schools in 22 states. EPA selected the schools using a number of factors, including results from a computer modeling analysis, results from a recent newspaper series on air toxics at schools, in consultation with state and local air agencies.
That information raised some questions about outdoor air quality around the schools on the list. Measuring the levels of toxics in the air around the school will help EPA understand whether that air quality poses any health concerns. EPA will use what it learns from this monitoring initiative to determine its next steps as it works to protect children’s health where they live, play and learn.
EPA is following an aggressive timeline to begin sampling air outside the schools, focusing on some schools near large industries and some schools in urban areas, where emissions of air toxics come from a mix of large and small industries, cars, trucks, buses and other sources. The agency is monitoring for chemicals commonly found in many areas of the country that may have harmful =0 Aeffects if people are exposed to them at high enough levels over a long period of time.
EPA is asking state and local agencies to install and operate the monitors. The agency will redirect $2.25 million from the competitive Community Scale Air Toxics Monitoring Grants program to purchase monitoring equipment and pay for laboratory analysis of the air quality samples from each school. This partnership will help EPA maximize its monitoring and analytical capabilities to develop a clearer picture of potential risks to children from toxic air pollution.
ABOUT THE MONITORING
Monitoring at the schools will be phased in over the next three months. In some states, monitoring equipment is readily available and can be quickly moved to the schools to be monitored. EPA will purchase equipment for others.
The monitors will measure two types of pollutants in the outdoor air at the priority schools: pollutants that are in gas form, such as benzene; and pollutants that are in particle form, including metals such as hexavalent chromium, manganese or lead. The pollutants monitored will vary by school, based on the best available information about the pollution sources in the area. EPA and s tates also will install equipment to measure wind speed and direction at each school during the monitoring.
Monitors will be in place at each school for 60 days to provide a snapshot of toxics in the outdoor air. The monitors will sample air quality on 10 different days during that time. The samples will be analyzed by the laboratories EPA uses for air quality analysis. To ensure the data is sound, EPA and state air agencies will check monitors to be sure they are operating correctly, inspect the laboratories, and review the data for any anomalies.
AFTER THE MONITORING: NEXT STEPS
Once the air toxics data for a school are quality-assured, EPA will analyze the results to estimate how exposure to the outdoor air around the school might affect health over the long-term. The agency will make projections of the potential long-term health concerns related to cancer and for other chronic health effects -- especially respiratory and neurological effects, which are the most common chronic non-cancer effects from exposure to air toxics.
If EPA finds a low potential for health concerns from chronic exposure to air toxics at a school, the agency may cease monitoring at that school. If potential health concerns are high, EPA will take steps to mitigate the pollution causing the problems. If EPA cannot estimate potential effects based on the initial phase of monitoring, EPA may continue monitoring to obtain additional data.
EPA will make the results available to the public at http://www.epa.gov/schoolair.
BACKGROUND
Air toxics, also known as hazardous air pollutants, are pollutants known, or suspected to cause cancer and other serious health effects. EPA regulates emissions of 187 air toxics under the Clean Air Act.
http://www.epa.gov/schoolair
From 1990 to 2005, emissions of air toxics in the United States declined 41 percent, as a result of federal and state regulations, along with local emission reduction programs. Levels of air toxics, however, can vary widely from place to place depending upon a number of factors including the amount and types of industry nearby, proximity to heavily traveled or congested roadways, and weather patterns.
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