Bainbridge Island students suffer in sick school buildings

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Learning the ABCs of MCS

Bainbridge Island students suffer in " sick " school buildings.

July/August 1996

by Tener

Free Press contributor

When you think about chemical exposure, what comes to mind? One might

imagine an industrial situation, a worker who isn't wearing proper

protection, an accidental spill, or maybe even a " sick " office building.

Alanna Ahern has been diagnosed with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS)

from an exposure to solvents, including naphtha. She is periodically ill

with headaches and stomach aches, and suffers from memory loss typical of

people with MCS. She may suffer with this the rest of her life. This could

be a long time, because Alanna is only 13 years old.

Alanna is one of several children and teachers who became ill since a

chemical exposure in the Blakely Elementary School on Bainbridge Island in

1993. The chemical exposure occurred as a result of an asbestos abatement

project in which mastic remover orange was used during the spring and summer

of 1993. This solvent contains naphtha, a toxic substance that can cause

permanent brain and nervous system damage according to the material safety

data sheet (MSDS).

Air Quality Problems Common

Although not usually as severe as at Blakely, air quality problems are

common in schools that have been recently remodeled. In a state-wide survey

conducted by Dr. Ellis from the Washington State Department of

Health, 33 of 62 schools that had been built or remodeled since 1989, had

indoor air quality problems since the construction. Ed Heller, the

maintenance manager for the Seattle School District, said that the air

quality was sacrificed in the 16 buildings that were remodeled since 1989 in

order to meet the energy code at the time, which specified a 5 percent fresh

air mix. This has since been changed to a 15 to 25 percent mix, depending on

the occupancy rate.

In the fall of 1993, when the problems at Blakely became exacerbated, Bill

Bleakney, the District Superintendent for Bainbridge Island, recalls that

the State Department of Health " did not do air quality. Only after the

spring of 1994 did we begin to receive help from the state. "

According to Bleakney, the source of the indoor air problems was the mastic

remover, which had soaked wallboard and " off-gassed " (released toxic gases)

during the warmer months. The school district evacuated certain classrooms,

conducted a series of tests with several industrial hygienists, and, after

removal of the soaked portions of wallboard, found levels that were

considered not toxic, according to Bleakney. In May of 1994, the District

spent over $250,000 to renovate ventilation systems in the school, and

increase the air exchange to five times per hour. However, some parents,

students, and teachers still had health problems for the next year, and did

not think that the district did enough to remedy the problem.

Slow To Respond

According to parents Ahern and Mason, school district and public

health officials were slow to respond. " There were no procedures in place to

address indoor air quality problems. We contacted over 50 state and local

agencies to come to our aid. The School District was so afraid of litigation

that they did not communicate properly with parents and respond adequately.

It took one and a half years for the problem to be identified and

remediated. During this time, our children were exposed to toxic chemicals

such as naphthalene...What the long term effects will be is unknown...

Several had to be taken out of school due to deteriorating health. "

Dr. Liliane Bartha, a physician who saw a number of children from Blakely

Elementary, has seen an increase in the number of patients, many of whom are

children, with chronic and disabling symptoms after exposure to poor quality

indoor air, building materials, pesticides and combustion materials.

According to Dr. Bartha, who is a member of the Washington State Multiple

Chemical Sensitivity Work Group, an estimated 30 percent of new and

renovated facilities have indoor air quality problems.

Dr. Bartha points out that children are more vulnerable to toxins because of

their small size, decreased ability to clear toxins, and their developing

nervous and immune systems.

Associate Professor Emeritus Breysse from the University of Washington

says that standards for children should be more stringent than the

established standards. " All of the occupational health standards mentioned

on the MSDS are inappropriate for children since they only apply to adults

at work. Almost all of the data used to develop these standards were based

on white males between the ages of 19 and 40. "

Yet even without standards, decisions can be made that protect children. Dr.

Ellis of the Washington State Department of Health recommends a

common sense approach. " We know carpets are a reservoir for mold, fungi,

bacteria, and chemicals. It makes sense to take carpets out of hallways and

cafeterias. We need to have proper maintenance of ventilation systems so the

air gets down to where the kids sit; in poor ventilation designs a

stratification effect can occur where the fresh air is pushed across the top

of the room. "

Guidelines Developed, But No Enforcement

The Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction has no specific

policies on indoor air and refers to the Department of Health for guidelines

and inspections. In response to the growing concerns about indoor air

quality, the Washington State Department of Health, under contract with the

Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction developed the School Indoor

Air Quality Best Management Practices Manual. This document provides school

districts of this state with guidelines to minimize or eliminate indoor air

pollution. Training on the manual will not be available until September of

this year. There will be one day of training for the 296 school districts in

the state.

The manual, developed by Dr. Ellis with input from parents, recommends air

quality standards that are more stringent than Labor and Industries'

standards. However, Ahern points out that " without enforcement, how

can we rely on persons to implement these guidelines? Schools will not be

safe until there is legislation to mandate safe practices. " Without training

of all school officials, will this manual be applied and used? Without

enforcement, will there be more " Blakelys " ?

Mike Curry, the Director of New Construction for the Issaquah School

District, said that their architects and engineers follow the guidelines

from the School Indoor Air Quality Best Management Practices Manual, as well

as other codes. In the Seattle School District, Don Gilmore, the project

manager for Building Excellence, a program in which 19 buildings are being

renovated, was not familiar with the manual but said that the district has

learned to buy materials that don't " off-gas " .

Ed Heller, the maintenance manager of the Seattle School District, said that

many ventilation systems in the Seattle schools are old and in need of

repair. According to Ed Heller, the city does not have the funding to follow

the guidelines in the manual. " We don't have the money to keep the roofs

from leaking. " Moisture creates mold and mildew, which contributes to poor

indoor air quality. The lack of clear standards is also a problem. " If we

were given clear standards we would follow them, but when there's a

vagueness and a lack of specificity, we will follow the least expensive

alternative because of budget constraints. "

Bill Bleakney, the Superintendent of the Bainbridge Island School District,

shares some lessons learned from Blakely. " Don't use mastic remover orange,

do the work during the summer when the kids are not around, and find someone

reputable to do asbestos abatement work. The workers must be

well-supervised. " He believes there needs to be continuing discussions to

resolve the complex problems. " The state should take more of a leadership

role. They should sponsor workshops for folks involved in construction;

facility supervisors, architects, and project managers. "

Ahern believes it is imperative that parents get involved to protect

children's health. " I advise all PTAs and PTOs to create parent safety

committees at all school sites in every school district in the country, and

that any architects hired must have a contract that stipulates that they use

non-toxic building materials. "

" We need indoor air quality laws for enforcement, and we need pediatric

standards. School districts need to prioritize children and teachers' health

above their fears of litigation and costly remediation when they encounter a

'sick' school, " Ahern said.

Awareness on indoor air quality is growing among school districts. However,

until we are willing to spend the money to provide all school districts with

training on indoor air quality, set legislative standards, and improve older

schools with leaking roofs, we may still compromise the health of our

children.

- Tener, an environmental engineer, is the host and producer of

Earthtalk, a TV series on Channel 29, Fridays at 5:00 PM, that focuses on

environmental issues.

For more info, check out:

NEA's " Healthy School Handbook " (800) 229-4200

internationally renowned environmental allergist Dr. Doris Rapp's

video " Environmentally Sick Schools " (800) 787-8780.

Contents on this page were published in the July/August, 1996 edition of the

Washington Free Press.

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