Washington, DC  -- National Healthy Schools Day is a great day for everyone to celebrate and promote healthy and green indoor school environments for all children and staff.

For more than five years parents, personnel, advocates, and agencies have held National Healthy Schools Day activities nationwide to highlight the importance of clean indoor air in schools.  For more than five years parents, personnel, advocates, and agencies have held National Healthy Schools Day activities nationwide to highlight the importance of clean indoor air in schools.  Whether you are at the beginning stages of investigating issues or have an established IAQ program, we invite you to create an activity that educates others and celebrates your successes

According to EPA poor indoor air quality can impact the comfort and health of students and staff, which, in turn, can affect concentration, attendance, and student performance. In addition, if schools fail to respond promptly to poor IAQ, students and staff are at an increased risk of short-term health problems, such as fatigue and nausea, as well as long-term problems like asthma.

Bill Radu, senior building scientist at Pure Air Control Services takes pride in addressing indoor air quality at schools and universities stating “schools and school indoor air quality (IAQ) are special to me as a result seeing first hand the many beneficial and positive results of helping create a healthy learning environment.  The students, faculty and community all benefit incrementally and oftentimes by improving IAQ energy savings can also be improved oftentimes creating a substantial payback.”

The EPA has estimated that up to half of all schools may have problems with indoor air quality and while there are very expensive ways to fix school environments such as replacing heating and ventilating systems and removing asbestos and lead there are other things we can do to affect indoor air quality that everyone can and should do, and cost far less. For instance, we know mold infestations can provoke serious health problems. Fixing roof and plumbing leaks early can keep classrooms dry and reduce the likelihood of molds growing indoors. Carpets are commonly put in classrooms with small children, but studies have found that unless carpets are heavily cleaned on a regular basis they retain dirt. Using durable, hard surface flooring makes schools easy to keep clean; removing water-damaged or old carpeting helps eliminate threats to indoor air quality.

Another way to improve indoor air quality is to use certified green cleaning products that reduce or eliminate perfumes and toxic chemicals. Fully 25 percent of chemicals in the cleaning products used in schools are toxic and contribute to poor indoor air quality, smog, cancer, asthma, and other diseases.

National Healthy Schools Day is coordinated by Healthy Schools Network in cooperation with US EPA and the Council of Educational Facility Planners – International (CEFPI) and promotes the use of US EPA’s IAQ Tools for Schools program. It is the first day of School Building Week. For more information on National Healthy Schools Day go to www.healthyschools.org.

About Pure Air Control Services:

Pure Air Control Services, Inc. (PACS) is a nationally recognized indoor air quality consulting firm with corporate headquarters based in Clearwater, Florida. Since 1984, PACS has provided professional IAQ services and support to public, private and government organizations and agencies, and commercial clients spanning the U.S. and other countries. We are a privately-owned company with established credentials and experience in all areas of IAQ problem solving.

Pure Air Control Services is a certified by the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA) as a qualified 8(a) small business concern and is certified as a Hispanic Business Enterprise.

Pure Air Control Services, Inc. offers a full range of professional IAQ solutions to indoor air quality concerns. We provide turn-key solutions through environmental consulting, engineering and evaluation, building diagnostics protocols, laboratory support services and building HVAC system remediation services.

For more information on creating a Healthy Learning Environment at your school or university contact Alan Wozniak, President/CEO or Francisco Aguirre, Director of Building Sciences at 1-800-422-7873 ext 802 or 201 respectively or visit the website at www.pureaircontrols.com.