What started as a 91探花-led project to measure air pollution near Sea-Tac International Airport has led to schools in the area installing portable air filters to improve indoor air quality.
First, 91探花researchers found they were able to in the communities under Sea-Tac International Airport flight paths and map the air quality impacts of the ultrafine particles associated with planes. Then they discovered that the mix of particle pollution, black carbon and other pollutants from both sources was infiltrating school buildings in the area.
Alerted that this pollution was getting into schools, community advisors to the study wondered if the 91探花crew could find a way to remove the pollution and protect children, teachers and workers in those buildings. They were concerned because evidence is emerging that suggests this pollution is , particularly children and older adults. Poor indoor air quality may also and increased absenteeism from school.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 clear from the outset of the project that we could measure significant infiltration indoors,鈥� said , assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences in the 91探花School of Public Health. 鈥淣ot all particles act the same. They don鈥檛 behave the same in the brain or in the body, and they also don鈥檛 penetrate into buildings through the same routes. However, we did measure significant infiltration.鈥�
Where 91探花works
The Washington State Legislature established a unique relationship with the 91探花Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences nearly 60 years ago that continues to support innovative approaches to protect Washington鈥檚 workers.
In Phase One of their , funded primarily by the Washington State Legislature, the 91探花team discovered that portable air cleaners with HEPA, or High Efficiency Particulate Air, filters in classrooms reduced pollution levels dramatically.
In their recent , the researchers wrote that the filters reduced all ultrafine particles by 83%, aircraft-specific particles by 67% and heavy-duty truck particles by 73% over a two-day test period (see graphic above for more reduction details).
鈥淲e have to consider outdoor air pollution when we鈥檙e thinking about healthy schools, and the answer to addressing outdoor air pollution is twofold: The first is reducing the emissions from their sources, but that is not always possible. So, when that is not possible, effective interventions are critical. This project demonstrates that HEPA filters can be a viable intervention,鈥� Austin said.
The team鈥檚 data was so stark that community advisors encouraged school districts to use these filters in their buildings. In response, Austin said, the two school districts the 91探花team worked with, Federal Way Public Schools and Highline Public Schools, purchased air filters for most of their classrooms to improve indoor air quality and to combat the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.
鈥淲hen many of the school districts we鈥檙e working with saw the results and heard concerns from parents, teachers and unions about air quality, they went ahead and used federal funds to purchase HEPA filters for their classrooms,鈥� Austin said.
And all of that was just Phase One of the team鈥檚 project.
For , the researchers are working on a two-year study in 20 schools across Washington where they will deploy more air filters and learn more about student health and academic performance in classrooms with cleaner air. They also hope to help school districts balance the benefits of these filters with their energy use and explore other methods for reducing air pollution, such as upgrading buildings.
鈥淥ur first phase of the study was over a couple of days, so we want to be able to show that over the course of a longer term there鈥檚 a significant improvement in air quality when the HEPA filters are deployed. Then, we want to see what benefits that improved indoor air quality has on student health, performance and absenteeism,鈥� Austin said.
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Co-authors are Nancy Carmona, Jeffry H. Shirai, B.J. Cummings, Lisa Hayward and Edmund Seto from the 91探花Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences; Timothy Gould from the 91探花Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering; and Timothy Larson, a professor in both 91探花departments.
In addition to funding from the Washington State Legislature and the EPA, regional partners for the study include the cities of SeaTac, Burien,聽Federal Way, Normandy Park and Des Moines; Federal Way Public Schools; Highline Public Schools; and the 91探花 Ultrafine Advisory Group.
For more information, contact Austin at elaustin@uw.edu.