Cars and Trucks and Things That Go…Put the Brakes on Traffic-Related Pollution Exposure at Schools
By Ruth Etzel, MD
Many scientific studies have found that people who live, work, or attend school near major roads appear to be more at risk for a variety of short- and long-term health effects, including asthma, reduced lung function, impaired lung development in children, and cardiovascular effects in adults. For example, a study by researchers at the University of Southern California found that children who live within 500 meters (that’s about one-third of a mile) from a freeway incur substantial and long-lasting deficits in lung development and function compared to children living at least 1500 meters (a little under 1 mile) from a freeway.
Yet nearly 17,000 of our country’s schools are located within steps of a heavily-traveled road, potentially exposing more than 6 million children to traffic-related pollution at a time when their developing lungs are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of air pollution. Because one in ten children in the U.S. suffer from asthma, that number includes many kids who may already be struggling to breathe. What’s more, low-income and minority children are disproportionately impacted by asthma and are more likely to live and attend school near major roadways. Many communities are also facing difficult decisions about where to put new schools to serve a growing student population and how to design those schools to maintain a healthy learning and teaching environment.
To help schools, parents, and communities reduce students’ exposure to traffic-related air pollution, EPA has just released a new resource: Best Practices for Reducing Near-Road Pollution Exposure at Schools. In this document, best practice solutions that schools across the country are employing to reduce kids’ exposure to traffic-related air pollution are described. This “Best Practices” document summarizes several strategies that can be used to reduce exposures including ventilation, filtration, voluntary building occupant actions, school transportation policies, school siting and site layout decisions, and the use of sound walls and vegetative barriers. The document also contains a school ventilation checklist and links to additional resources for achieving clean, green and healthy school environments, such as EPA’s Voluntary School Siting Guidelines.
EPA and our partners have had tremendous success cleaning the air over the past 45 years, cutting air pollution by 70% while our nation’s economy tripled. That’s good news for our children; research published this year found that the improving air quality in Southern California over the past 20 years has led to healthier lungs for children in the region. But we still have work to do. While vehicle emissions have decreased over the past several decades due to EPA’s emission standards, schools may still be located in areas where air pollution levels are elevated. We hope that this new resource will help schools and parents across the country find ways to reduce exposure to traffic-related air pollution at schools.
Learn what you can do: www.epa.gov/schools
Electrician NOLA
Jan 26, 2016 @ 17:18:02
I hadn’t thought much about this, but I agree that we should be working on this issue more. When I was a kid my house backed up to a middle school and an elementary school. I have asthma! Coincidence? Maybe not!
USA Background Checks
Jan 27, 2016 @ 03:36:32
Like everything else, breathing high levels of polluted air will make you sick. What is really interesting is that humans whom have grown and been exposed to those environments — somehow, somewhat develop a better resistance than those who just relocated to a big city from the clean, country air. Your mind and body is constantly tweaking itself to survive. Just don’t go around breathing from automobile tailpipes.
http://10steps.org
Jan 28, 2016 @ 10:18:18
GOOD
Latia Hennis
Jan 31, 2016 @ 22:58:29
I can not say that this directly related to adults and children that live near a freeway. Especially when sometime we are at reach due to genetic and what our parents expose us to. How can you determine that someone that has asthma is directly affected by living near a freeway especially if both their parent already have cronic asthma? This is questionable….
Alice T. Osborn
Feb 01, 2016 @ 05:36:01
A good site and work to help peoples. Good Work!
Jordan
Feb 02, 2016 @ 11:21:02
Excellent points here. I think it’s crucial that we especially make areas we know children frequent as safe as possible, including from pollutants. Thanks for sharing this.
deepakpb
Feb 03, 2016 @ 01:10:29
It is continuously becoming a serous thing on that we are not focusing. These are bad notifications for our next generation as well. Thank you so much for putting these words.
J Thompson
Feb 04, 2016 @ 09:34:24
It is very upsetting to me that EPA is anti coal for power production, however several permits have been issued for renewable sources as fuel one of which is wood waste. I believe this is a scam because in SC and NC whole forests are being cut at alarming rates and I have followed trucks with whole HARDWOOD logs that deliver to remote yard locations that only contain a chipper. As a result I think the law that states no whole trees can be used as fuel is broken by chipping these logs and then delivering them to power and industrial plants. It takes 40-60 years to replace this loss. Worse yet sometimes new PINE trees are replacing these areas and pines do not clean the air and produce the oxygen that hardwood trees do. You environmentalist are after the wrong air quality abusers when protesting coal, go after this hardwood forest loss.
mike ryan
Mar 11, 2016 @ 04:18:36
hello there,
this is a great point you make here. the unnecessary cutting of hardwood trees must be regulated. it is sad that people who profit from this practice do not understand the damage they are doing to our environment.
Tony Nelson
Feb 04, 2016 @ 23:30:09
This has been a ongoing problem everywhere I’m just glad somebody open there mouth and said it online. And just maybe more people start looking into it and doing something about it.
Thanks..
Adrea Gusman
Feb 05, 2016 @ 00:49:57
Thanks for taking these words that serve us well for the generation that is on its way
India
Feb 08, 2016 @ 01:11:21
India is at the top due to high pollution in the country.
Analyst
Feb 08, 2016 @ 03:06:20
Well you pick very basic and unique point ,, i think we can handle this easily.
gutter cleaning
Feb 08, 2016 @ 03:09:10
I was driving my daughter to school just the other day and we were behind a bus. The bus was stopped and we had to sit behind it at a stop light. We got so dizzy from the fumes that after we got away from the bus we pulled over to breath fresh air. I think that alot has been done to clean up the pollution in the last couple of decades, but there is still a huge fight ahead of us. We have got to find a way to get the Senate to listen. They are the real changers. Thanks for this article. I am seding the link to all of my Facebook coats.
outsourcing payroll
Feb 10, 2016 @ 07:49:50
Near road pollution is a big threat to many school children and the staff who work in the institute as well. Unfortunately, my grandchild has to feel some breathing problems and was saved from getting an asthma. I don’t about the school management who run their buses like smoke machines even after all the efforts taken by the government.
Michael Mitchell
Feb 12, 2016 @ 19:27:32
SCIN130 1001
We have heard of air pollution and the effect it is havening on the environment. People have been affect by this type of pollution in some counties and overpopulated cities. Now there is proof that this is harmful to even the youngest of our communities. It is a positive thing to all and especially to those currently affected. This is now Identified and now the government/community can take the proper action.
I understand that some best practices are been implemented, but how effective will they be. The kids will have to leave school and go back out in the communities they live. in the U.S air pollution is talked on a regular basis but instead of improving it gets worse. Now the government is been reactive instead of proactive.
James
Feb 13, 2016 @ 12:43:46
It’s so sad that we are bringing kids up in the world where pollution can potentially be so harmful to them. I get into conversations with friends over this all the time. However, what can be done? At the moment we have no control over the cards, buses or planes. We have to deal with it and hope of the best. Or move somewhere with less traffic, and luxuries. The sad thing is this also does not mean good health. Sometimes it comes to good luck..
INVOX
Feb 14, 2016 @ 08:20:13
Good
Lakz
Feb 16, 2016 @ 15:48:50
really good information on asthma!
microsoft toolkit is a great tool that unlock all the features of your windows and microsoft office. try now!
Petey Pablo
Feb 17, 2016 @ 14:02:02
You’re the best in the bis!
Filipe
Feb 19, 2016 @ 04:17:45
Hi,
protecting the environment is an issue that the world leaders have to sit down all at the same table and make important decisions to save the planet.
no doubt that the priority is to create motorized vehicles environmentally friendly.
Regards
Anuj
Mar 08, 2016 @ 13:53:20
Delhi is at the top due to high pollution in the country. Mr. Kejriwal the CM of Delhi the capital of India have to order ODD-EVEN Vehicle formula to save the city from pollution. thanks for the nice and well researched post.
Camaras de Videovigilancia
Mar 01, 2016 @ 07:27:41
There are so many places with pollution in the world and so much work to do!!..
thank you for the post
Anuj
Mar 08, 2016 @ 13:47:18
Delhi is at the top due to high pollution in the country. Mr. Kejriwal CM of Delhi have to order odd even formula to save delhi. Your post is nice and well researched thank you
Anuj
Mar 08, 2016 @ 13:49:51
Delhi is at the top due to high pollution in the country. Mr. Kejriwal the CM of Delhi the capital of India have to order ODD-EVEN Vehicle formula to save the city from pollution. thanks for the nice and well researched post.
Agen Judi Online Terpercaya
Mar 13, 2016 @ 16:47:36
Thanks for sharing .it very useful information.
Ali Sufyan
Mar 29, 2016 @ 15:48:44
yes they do it. thank you so much for taking notice on this issue.
Cam Gardner
Jun 26, 2016 @ 14:16:27
Nice article on a very underappreciated issue. We used to live about 500 yards from a fairly high-traffic freeway. The best solution I found to keep the small particulates out was a high quality flat filter that sat on top of all window meshes. If you don’t have a window mesh (open air window), you may want to keep your windows shut when not at home (and/or during the day when the freeway is at its busiest). Of course, things like standalone air filters help as well, but you’d be amazed just how important shutting windows during strategic times of the day help in the long run.
Ashley Watson
Aug 19, 2016 @ 14:45:15
Thanks for Nice Article share with us
Samaira Khatri
Nov 04, 2016 @ 06:04:37
Really Good Information about Asthma.
Air pollution is a risk factor for everyone with asthma but if your asthma is well managed and you rarely have symptoms you’ll be much more able to cope with the effects.
Thank You so much a really helpful topic Share with us.