Stand for Children Fact Sheets

• Tools for Schools Basics
• Dollars and Sense
• Construction and Renovation
• Success Stories
• Lawn Care and Your Health

Tools for Schools - Basics

What is Tools for Schools?
Tools for Schools (TFS) is a preventive and proactive program that was developed by the EPA to monitor and improve indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools. TFS offers schools checklists, schedules, and information about solutions to common IAQ problems. TFS builds IAQ awareness throughout the school community, focuses on low-cost, common-sense solutions, and encourages careful resource planning so that long term IAQ issues can be remedied. TFS promotes the early detection and management of IAQ issues so that costly emergency renovations and school closings can be prevented. For details about the free TFS training offered by the EPA, contact Eugene Benoit, (617)918-1639.

Is an IAQ program really necessary?
Poor IAQ, while invisible to the eye, can lead to a range of health problems from mild to extremely serious. When IAQ problems exist, the mission of a school system—educating students—is at risk, as is the health and well-being of members of the school community. An effective IAQ program protects not only the health of the school community, but the financial investment made in its facilities as well.

Do Lexington schools have indoor air quality problems?
Like many school districts across the country struggling to maintain aging facilities during tight fiscal times, our school district has received reports of IAQ problems. Since there is no IAQ program in place at this time, we do not have a comprehensive view of the districts’ IAQ. Sample IAQ issues include:

• Injury risk due to water laden ceiling tiles
• Respiratory problems due to mold, dust, poor ventilation
• Gas seeping through aging mortar

How will Tools for Schools be implemented?
Typically, the TFS process includes:

• Approval of program by school leadership/staff
• Formation of IAQ teams, including nurses and facility managers
• Distribution and completion of IAQ checklists to staff
• Identification and prioritization of current and potential problems
• Development of plan for long term IAQ improvements

What will we gain by implementing TFS?
We would:

• Join 30 other MA towns in protecting health of students and professionals
• Unite families and school professionals on behalf of our children
• Potentially adapt procedures for all town buildings, not just schools
• Allow for proactive budget planning and facilities management
• Protect financial investment in schools and prevent potential liability problems
• Identify safer IAQ practices for all members of our community
  

Dollars and "Sense"

How much will it cost to fix IAQ in our schools?
The EPA designed Tools for Schools (TFS) to function proactively in school buildings where staff are most often forced to respond to multiple demands using limited resources. The majority of solutions offered through TFS protocols are therefore designed to be either no-cost or low-cost. TFS' primary focus is on the prevention of IAQ problems through simple checklists and basic, practical techniques; when problems are uncovered, those which cannot be remedied through simple TFS solutions are evaluated through standard school administration protocols.

Are there potentially costly fixes associated with using TFS?
Leaky roofs and ventilation systems that have been allowed to deteriorate can lead to costly repairs. Leaky roofs, which can cause water damage inside buildings, may lead to mold, fungal, and bacterial contamination. A deteriorated ventilation system can prove costly to return to its original design so that it meets building codes.

Why is it so important to be pro-active about IAQ?
School districts have spent from $200,000 to $13.1 million to correct mold problems in their buildings. Unless problems are detected in the early stages—when damage is limited—corrective measures can add up. A few examples:

• Newton, MA: 20% of the school operating budget required to fix mold problems
• Massachusetts: spent millions of school budget dollars (approx. $100,000 per school) to correct IAQ problems that resulted from record humidity levels in August, 2003
• Portland, ME: roughly $100,000 per quarter to relocate students from moldy schools into rented rooms in downtown buildings
• St. Charles East High School, IL: $13.1 million to close, clean up and repair the school after extensive mold problems were detected
• Jefferson Forest High School, FL: $750,000 to replace leaky roof, but another $1.6 million to remediate the related mold problems

How can implementing TFS save our district money?
By using TFS to monitor and address IAQ problems as they develop, districts have a better chance of avoiding the costly outcomes cited above. For example:

• Monmouth Junction Elementary, NJ: resolved nearly all IAQ complaints in-house for less than $1000. Improvements included preventative maintenance, integrated pest management and the use of environmentally friendly cleaners
• Hillsborough County Schools, FL: spent only $400 on IAQ consultants after implementing TFS in 1998. Prior to 1997 that figure was roughly $250,000
• In a sample project in D.C.: an analysis showed that if the school had spent $364 per year on preventative maintenance, $1.6 million in repairs could have been avoided
  

Construction and Renovation

How does TFS improve construction and renovation projects?
TFS helps building and planning teams anticipate indoor air quality (IAQ) problems that are common during construction and renovation. The program promotes sound IAQ practices during and after the construction phase. Vigilant monitoring, timely evaluations, and school-wide information sharing are just a few of the ways TFS improves IAQ during and after construction and renovation projects.

What are some of these specific benefits?
In the next few years, Lexington is expected to spend millions of dollars constructing schools. TFS can help protect this investment by ensuring that a “whole building” approach to design is used so that energy efficiency, indoor air quality, day-lighting, materials efficiency and safety are all addressed early in building projects. TFS identifies ways to:

• Control pollutants and sources
• Reduce moisture problems that can lead to mold and mildew contamination
• Verify use of proper installation procedures
• Ensure use of proper materials and procedures
• Include environmentally-friendly wording in vendor contracts

How does TFS help during renovations?
Renovations are designed to improve our school buildings, but if they are done incorrectly, they can cause harm. TFS reduces the risk of harmful outcomes during renovations by encouraging project leaders to monitor:

• Dust and chemicals that can disperse inside the school during renovations
• Mold, wood chips and dust flakes from lead paint and asbestos
• Chemicals used in paints, glues, cleaners and insulation
• Effective communications with the entire school community, especially with "allergen sensitive" school occupants and parents

Can TFS help during painting projects?
TFS identifies typical IAQ risks associated with painting projects—for example, old lead paint can be exposed and become airborne. While new paint does not include lead, many paints release chemicals (volatile organic compounds) that can make people sick. In addition, improper disposal of paints pollute local waters. TFS recommends:

• Testing for lead in old paint
• Using new paints that have low levels of, or no volatile organic chemicals
• Painting when school is not in session
• Ensuring proper ventilation during and after painting
• Storing and disposing of paint through proper methods
• Notifying school community in advance—especially persons with sensitivities to allergens (e.g., Latex)
  

Success Stories

Has TFS really made a difference for schools?
Indoor air quality (IAQ) can either impede or assist a school in meeting its core mission—educating students. Every state in the U.S. has used the EPA’s TFS program since it first became available in 1995. In New England alone, about 1100 schools are participating in the TFS program. Roughly 500 of these schools are in Connecticut, where TFS was adopted by the State Legislature. TFS success stories include…

Burlington School District, Burlington, VT—despite tight budgets and aging facilities, became a statewide leader in promoting good IAQ for students and staff. Using broad cooperation and clever, low-cost fixes, the district achieved remarkable results, including a drop in the absenteeism rates of asthmatic students from 31 days to 2 days in just one year. Recipient, 2004 EPA Excellence Award. Other achievements:

• Worked with vendors to solve IAQ problems created by air intake locations near two schools’ loading docks
• Used multiple grants to purchase HEPA vacuum cleaners and improve several school HVAC systems
  Contact: Betsy Liley, (802) 865-5383

North Haven Public Schools, North Haven, CT—experienced mold problems in 2002 and 2003. Adverse publicity harmed district’s image. Absenteeism rose noticeably. IAQ program…

• Revealed that most problems could be addressed through simple measures, such as cleaning or equipment calibration
• Engaged parents in process and improved IAQ information sharing
• Received praise from community for quick response to IAQ issues
  Contact: Jack Levine, (203) 239-2581

Sharon Public Schools, Sharon, MA—adopted TFS in June 1998 after acting IAQ Coordinator learned about the program at a Massachusetts Teachers Association workshop sponsored by EPA. IAQ team:

• Identified IAQ concerns by distributing questionnaires, mapping out problem areas and collecting building data
• Removed hazardous chemicals, improved ventilation system, replaced water-damaged tiles, purchased HEPA filter vaccum cleaners
• Created database for reporting IAQ-related questions and complaints
  Contact: Patricia Terrell, (781) 784-1560

Westborough Public Schools, Westborough, MA—IAQ program implemented after an unexplained outbreak of an upper respiratory infection caused a school closing for six weeks. Team accomplishments…

• Created IAQ manual that has been used by other school districts
• Received EPA Excellence Award, 2004
  Contact: Dr. Les Olson, (508) 836-7702

Norwich Public Schools, Norwich, CT—IAQ team continues to meet monthly and trains teachers, staff, custodians and maintenance personnel on IAQ management. Other achievements:

• Served as model for local, state, and regional schools implementing IAQ plans
• Commended by faculty members for IAQ improvements, particularly for increased airflow and cleanliness
• Facilities director collaborates with health, fire, and police departments to enhance school’s IAQ program
  Contact: Michael Frechette, (860) 823-4245

Chicopee Public Schools, Chicopee, MA—implemented TFS in 1996 and was first district in nation to equip all of its buildings with TFS Kits. IAQ Team includes trade union representatives, a teacher, nurse, and parent. Team also:

• Enacted short-term solutions to IAQ problems
• Established long-term IAQ practices, e.g., written procedures for pesticide and chemical use in schools, and better communication between teachers and custodial/maintenance personnel
  Contact: Ronald Simard, (413) 594-3417

Lawn Care and Your Health

How does lawn maintenance affect Indoor Air Quality?
Hazardous chemicals can be tracked into our homes when children and pets return from outdoor exposure. Children are the sector of the public most likely to be exposed to lawn pesticides. When they are exposed, they take in more pesticides relative to body weight than adults and have developing organs that are more vulnerable and less able to detoxify hazardous chemicals.

Do residential-grade pesticide/herbicides present serious health risks?
The EPA believes that no pesticide can ever be considered perfectly ‘safe.’ In 2001 alone, the EPA took two commonly used household pesticides, chlorpyrifos (DursbanTM or LorsbanTM ) and diazinon, off the market. Pesticides and herbicides are, by definition, toxic to insects, animals, or plants. Of the 36 most commonly used lawn pesticides 14 are probable or possible carcinogens, 15 are linked with birth defects, 21 with reproductive effects, 24 with neurotoxicity, 22 with liver or kidney damage, and 34 are sensitizers and/or irritants.

We only use products that say they are “safe.”
The U.S. General Accounting Office has told Congress on several occasions that the public is misled on pesticide safety by pesticide applicator statements characterizing pesticides as “safe” or “harmless.” Pesticide testing protocol was developed before science had gained a greater understanding of the human immune and/or hormonal systems. Adverse effects on those systems were not considered before some pesticide products were licensed. The Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act(FIFRA) relies on tests of active ingredients alone, without consideration of potential additives or synergistic effects with other substances.

Should we be concerned with “occasional” pesticide use ?
Homeowners apply far heavier pesticide applications per acre than most other land areas in the U.S.—including agricultural areas. As an example, 275 pesticide applications took place on a single block in Buffalo, NY during one season. Water supplies are also affected due to runoff. Since Lexington lies upstream of other communities, the chemicals we use here can enter the water supplies of other towns nearby. Even if you limit use of these products, others around you may not.

Are there safer alternatives?
Safer alternatives are available to you, or to the company that maintains your lawn. For a list of alternative products and methods, log onto www.beyondpesticides . For more information about how local lawn maintenance may impact your health, contact Town of Lexington Board of Health at (781) 862-0500, Ext. 237.