Out of breath on the school stairs? Trouble concentrating in class? Headaches walking the hall? You’re not alone and it’s not your fault! New findings suggest Kingston Secondary School’s unhealthy high carbon dioxide levels may be the cause.
Testing conducted by the Bears Bulletin on each of KSS's three floors reveals that CO2 levels peak at over double the maximum exposure level recommended by Health Canada! At these levels, students’ ability to learn is under threat. More than the risk to academic performance – these heightened CO2 levels indicate that poor air circulation at KSS is undermining student health in important ways, from aggravating respiratory symptoms to increased infectious disease transmission.
CO2 concentration is generally measured in “ppm” (parts per million), and the average level of CO2 outdoors is about 420 ppm. Health Canada’s suggested maximum for indoor spaces is an average of 1000 ppm. Chronic exposure to levels of CO2 above this threshold is associated with serious health consequences. Even exposure to lower
levels for prolonged periods of time are a health risk.
But our testing indicates that levels on the third floor surpass limits by over 50%! Tests run on the first and second floor are also concerningly high. The charts below show the CO2 levels on each floor over the course of an ordinary school day. CO2 levels are running high in our classrooms, at times peaking over 2500 ppm.
The tests run on the first floor were done with class sizes ranging from 8-16 students; floors 2 and 3 were done with normal class sizes. Tests were done over the course of three days, using an Aranet4 monitor. Testing days: Tuesday (10/08/24), Wednesday, (10/09/24), and Thursday (10/10/24).
What does it mean to have levels over 1000 ppm?
Dr. Dick Zoutman, Emeritus Professor in the School of Medicine at Queen’s University spoke to the Bears Bulletin on this very subject. According to Dr. Zoutman, “Research has shown that chronic exposure to elevated CO2 levels has negative health
impacts, especially on cognitive brain functions.”
Zoutman pointed to The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers’ core
recommendations for safer indoor air. These experts in ventilation and indoor air quality, recommend that CO2 levels in schools shouldn’t exceed 1150 ppm.
But “800 [ppm] is better” Mr. Joey Fox, professional engineer and chair of the task force writing the core recommendations, told CBC News in 2023. His comments were in response
to similarly high CO2 levels in New Brunswick schools.
Concentrations above the suggested level of 1000 ppm are known to cause fatigue, lack of concentration, bloodshot eyes, headaches, and general unwellness. Canada Health reports that for every 100 ppm increase, odds of experiencing symptoms increase significantly.
Is bad air making us stupid?
Dr. Zoutman referred our journalists to the ample published research to support the damaging effects of high CO2 concentrations.
High CO2 significantly impairs people’s ability to learn, focus, and engage. A recent year-long multinational study in office buildings in six countries found significant negative consequences on cognitive processing with elevated CO2 levels.
A 2016 study found that high CO2 ppm (even below our extreme levels at KSS) is associated with a 50-61% decrease in cognitive performance. Essentially, each breath we take at school may be limiting our ability to learn.
Have you noticed you get sick more frequently at school?
These CO2 concentrations don’t just create an unwelcoming environment on their own, they are also indicative of extremely poor air circulation in the school.
One study conducted in Portuguese schools, classrooms with CO2 concentrations from 1000-1942, reported increased coughing, sneezing, asthma attacks, and sinus irritation.
And high levels of CO2 in
indoor spaces promote the
transmission of respiratory
viruses such as COVID-19.
“Elevated CO2
levels allow the virus that
causes COVID-19 to survive
in the air longer,” Zoutman
told the Bears Bulletin.
KSS presents itself as an inclusive, welcoming space for all, regardless of ability. Yet, this ‘bad air’ disproportionately affects people who are immunocompromised or who have pre-existing respiratory conditions (like asthma or chronic bronchitis).
Why do we have this problem?
One of the major ways that buildings circulate air is through the flow through windows and doors. But the windows of KSS are sealed shut. This means we are dependent upon the school’s ventilation system to expel the bad air and replace it with fresh air with sufficient frequency to keep the CO2 levels, viruses and other nasty pollutants within a safe range.
Inadequate ventilation allows viruses to linger in the air, increasing transmission risk in poorly ventilated classrooms. A study of 10,000 Italian classrooms found that schools that had better ventilation had up to 80% less risk of COVID infections in their students!
But KSS is a new school, built in the last six years – shouldn't it have the most advanced ventilation system? One would think that with all of the resources invested in new school construction, that the well-being and safety of students and staff would be top priority. It is hard to imagine why our air quality isn’t up to snuff.
We can only hope that the Limestone District School Board will show KSS students, staff, and parents/guardians full transparency and take appropriate action without delay to address these unsafe learning conditions.
What have you or your child been experiencing as a result of KSS air quality? The Bears Bulletin wants to know! Reach us thebearsbulletin@gmail.com or fill out our poll.
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