In another sign of change in Washington, The Environmental Protection Agency will soon begin $2.25 million program to test the air in and around schools for toxins.

The program will be the first time tests are specifically aimed at air contamination near schools.

“Questions have been raised about air quality around some U.S. schools, and those questions merit investigation,” said EPA administrator Lisa Jackson.

The program will focus on toxins that are known t cause cancer, respiratory and neurological problems. THe issue is especailly important for children who are the most vunerable to toxic chemiales because they are still growing.

EPA will work with states, tribes, and local communities to ensure that monitors are deployed quickly to get high-quality data and to share results with American families. This partnership will help EPA maximize its monitoring and analytical capabilities to develop a clearer picture of any potential risks to children from toxic air pollution. This action is particularly critical in some low-income areas, which are sometimes disproportionately impacted by environmental degradation.

From 1990 to 2005, emissions of air toxics in the United States declined 41 percent. Levels of air toxins, 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.

Initially, states and local governments will monitor the air at 50 to 100 schools located near large industrial facilities or in cities where a variety of sources can lead to high concentrations of pollution.

Source
EPA