Assessing Outdoor Air Near Schools
Follansbee Middle School and Jefferson Primary School - Follansbee, WV
- Understanding the Monitoring Data
- Initial Sample Results
- Initial Analysis
- Additional Sample Results
- Final Analysis
EPA selected this school for monitoring because it is located near several large industries that are sources of air toxics emissions. Based on emissions from nearby sources, EPA identified key pollutants to measure in the air near this school. The initial monitoring conducted in the fall of 2009 indicated a need to better characterize exposure to the community from the mixture of pollutants emitted by the sources. EPA conducted additional monitoring at this school over a ten month period starting in October 2011 through August 2012. We are reporting concentrations of those key pollutants in the table below. While the key pollutants at this site are benzene, arsenic and benzo(a)pyrene, other pollutants were also measured and that data is also available (PDF) (16pp, 86k).
About the Data
The table below shows the levels of key pollutants in air samples collected at the monitoring site beginning in October 2011 and continuing through August 2012. The table also includes individual “sample screening levels” for each key pollutant monitored at the school. EPA developed these screening levels to help the Agency and the community get an early sense of what the data were showing. The sample screening level is a level of pollution in the air that is below what we expect to cause health problems from short-term exposures – all day, every day over a period ranging up to at least a couple of weeks (longer, for some pollutants). These screening levels are used only as guidelines for this project.
About The Table
Compare the sample results to the short-term screening level at the top of the table. Numbers at or below that level indicate the pollutant is not likely to pose immediate health concerns.
To use the screening level, compare it to each sample result:
- a sample result at or below the sample screening level is not a concern for risk of health problems from short-term exposures.
- a sample result above the screening level does not mean that there is a risk to children and adults at the school. It is a signal for EPA to further evaluate those and subsequent results for that pollutant.
After monitoring was completed, EPA analyzed the potential for health concerns from long-term exposure. When available, this analysis will be found under the Final Analysis tab. Monitoring results are in the table below.
|Sample Screening Level||150||30||6.4|
ND = Pollutant Not Detected
–– = Sample not taken or invalid
EPA did not analyze data for acrolein as part of the initial School Air Toxics Monitoring Project. Learn more.
Also monitored (PDF) (16pp, 83k)