Air Quality in Portable Classrooms

Re “Portables Let Schools Expand Cheaply and Easily, but Some See Air Quality Risks,” Nov. 2.

Your staff writer did such a great job gathering information on this topic that after reading it I wondered why the politicians are pushing for a committee to investigate air quality in portable classrooms.

Tests ordered by a San Fernando Valley school district after an April 1998 incident found nothing wrong.

Bret Breton, who monitors safety in Ventura County schools, says problems occur only if air conditioners are turned off (and classroom doors stay shut?) or if maintenance workers don’t remember to change the filters. This was supported by Bob Phalen, director of the air pollution health effects lab at UC Irvine.

Why bother with an expensive committee? Why go with “may be at higher risk” findings generated over just one month by an environmentalist group in Washington, D.C.?

Oh yeah, that’s right. Legislators and politicians have to appear busy and concerned. Thank goodness Gov. Gray Davis last month vetoed that bill written by Assemblyman Kevin Shelley (D-San Francisco). Do we really need to spend more tax dollars on committees, studies and training courses in safety?

I would hope we could have confidence that our existing school boards and staff, especially here in Simi Valley, can handle this issue. If teachers and maintenance workers use common sense, like Mr. Phalen said, everything should be fine.

When additional portables are ordered from that company in Riverside, have them include dual-pane, lockable windows. That would take care of fresh air during the day (weather permitting), help classroom insulation and provide safety against theft at night. The principals at each school using portable classrooms could handle this with a simple memo and appropriate follow-up.

MARILYN ARNOLD

Simi Valley

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With regard to the article on portable classrooms, I would like to offer several basic engineering and health-biased observations.

One photograph shows a new portable being installed with concrete being poured around and against the structure itself. Does the concrete slope away from the building to divert irrigation or rainwater? And since this appears to be a somewhat permanent installation, was concrete also poured under the unit? Or was any type of vapor barrier installed instead? Is the “basement” of the unit vented? These steps should be taken to prevent mold growth under these “portable” buildings.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, certain molds give off unhealthy toxic gases (in addition to allergy-aggravating mold spores). These gases and spores are capable of permeating into these structures. As long as these portables are installed using dirt-basement construction, I would suggest installing vented, timer-controlled exhaust fans to keep them as dry as possible underneath (older units should have any existing mold removed first).

Another photograph inside showed the air-return vent that covers the filter area. It’s interesting to note that the vent is upside-down, so that the louver angle obscures a view of the system filter. These air filters should be upgraded (upon installation of the portable if possible) to a high efficiency, pleated, anti-microbial type filter.

Leaving the system fan in the “on” position when the building is occupied is a huge help in reducing dust, thereby reducing allergies and asthma symptoms (a good idea for any classroom).

And if the air-conditioning unit has an outside air-intake (per building codes), fresh outside air will be provided. This will also help flush out airborne chemicals from the newer portables and will keep the room from getting stuffy (caused from reduced oxygen and increased carbon dioxide levels). The filter changing and system maintenance schedule should be posted at each thermostat, or in the main office at each school.

When placing these portables in their permanent locations, adequate space should be provided between units to avoid creating shade-paths, which block out the sun. If they need to be close together, bridging the roofs together might be considered to keep the moisture levels down between and under the units.

If portable classrooms are to be permanent structures, these and other basic building practices should be applied. This is simply a pay now or pay later situation. Our governor has made “Reading by 9” a top priority, which is wonderful. But “Breathing Good Healthy Air from Grades K through 12” seems like a pretty good idea too. Implementing the EPA’s “Indoor Air Quality--Tools for Schools” in all school districts, would be a step in the right direction toward this goal.

MATT LANDRY

Oak Park