Proximity of California public schools to busy roads - Children's Health

Environmental Health Perspectives, Jan, 2004 by Rochelle S. Green, Svetlana Smorodinsky, Janice J. Kim, Robert McLaughlin, Bart Ostro

Once schools are located near busy roads, mitigation of exposure may be difficult. Possible measures might include regular maintenance of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, use of the HVAC system during commute hours in addition to normal use for heating and cooling, use of a filter with good efficiency (e.g., 60-90% efficiency at removal of particles; California Air Resources Board 2003), fixing building air leaks, and avoiding placement of air-intake vents close to busy roads, loading docks, or parking areas.

If possible, schools should locate outdoor school activities on a part of the campus farther from the traffic corridor. More important, policy makers must continue their efforts to reduce motor vehicle emissions so that exposures can be mitigated at the source.