HEPA Air Purifiers
The Los Angeles Unified School District, along with several other school districts throughout California, voted in March to install HEPA air purifiers in classrooms. The move is a positive step toward protecting children from respiratory illnesses. The California Air Resources Board has a list of the top health risks for students, and the district is putting them at the forefront of its plans to improve air quality. The school’s decision is a signal to other districts to do the same.
One air cleaner cleans up to 130 square feet of space. Therefore, a school district would need eight units per 1,000-square-foot classroom. The state is also testing the new devices for formaldehyde and ozone emissions, which could increase the costs of air pollution in schools. Although the school district hasn’t canceled its contract with Johnson Controls, it has not received additional units until testing is complete.
The Sacramento City Schools have 480 UV filters in classrooms. The Sacramento Bee reported that the school district had paid $1.22 million to Johnson Controls, which manufactures the filters, to test for the safety of the product. The story highlighted the concerns about the filters, and the Sac City Teachers Association has demanded that the company remove them. The company has responded with a statement saying the new units are necessary to protect the health of its students.
California Schools Protect Students With HEPA Air Purifiers
However, despite the state’s health department’s recommendations, many schools still do not have mechanical filtration systems. This means that California schools must use HEPA air purifiers to protect their students. Using one unit will clean up an area of 130 square feet. Using eight units in a classroom with 1,000 square feet would require a total of 8 units. This decision has not affected the contract with Johnson Controls, but the district has delayed the purchase of additional units until the tests are completed.
Some schools have banned the use of air purifiers in classrooms, but some do. Some teachers are requesting portable air purifiers because the school’s ventilation systems are insufficient. Moreover, these filters are more effective than a traditional HEPA air purifier in a home, which is why many teachers have requested them. But other schools do not allow them. They are not allowed to install these devices in classrooms for safety reasons.
The California School District purchased 480 units with UV filters. The school district paid $1.22 million to Johnson Controls, which manufactured the filters. The state’s health department also ordered three hundred units in other cities. It is unclear if these systems are effective in protecting students, but in many cases, UVs do cause severe health problems for students. But these high-tech devices can help. They can reduce COVID-19 transmission by up to 95%.
