Kristina Marusic reports in Environmental Health News about a new study that shows an 83% reduction in PM2.5 (fine particle pollution) in day cares and early learning centers that use portable air filters.
Women for a Healthy Environments looked at 8 daycare centers in Philadelphia. The city gave the daycare centers portable filters during Covid to try to reduce Covid spread. Because the daycare centers had been using the air filters already, they felt it was not ethical to compare no filter to filters, so they compared low setting to max setting. The compared a week at each setting, low and max.
They found that the indoor PM2.5 levels averaged 6 μg/m3 on the low setting, and 1 μg/m3 on the high setting – an 83% reduction. An 83% reduction is amazing!
The daycare centers said there was less absenteeism, and less cough, sneezing, allergies, and asthma for children and staff.
This study is really good news! It shows a quick and easy solution that day cares and early learning centers can take to keep children and staff healthier.
We know that children are more vulnerable to air pollution because they breathe more air for their body size, and their lungs and other organs are still growing and developing. PM2.5 has been shown to affect asthma, it damages lung growth in children, and it is linked to reduced cognitive function.
We are thankful to EHN for reporting on this study, and to Women for a Health Environment for doing the study to show how to keep children and staff healthier and thriving.
#HealthyAirIsHealthCare #WeAllThriveWithHealthyAir
Please read the news article in EHN here.
Please read the scientific report from Women for a Healthy Environment here.
06/26/2024 AKMB
