Laboratory Air Quality Is Nothing to Sneeze At
Allergy and asthma cases have been increasing dramatically over the past few years. Currently in the United States, about 5.1 million children younger than age 18 have asthma. (Centers for Disease Control [CDC] and Prevention 2020. 2019 National Health Interview Survey Data. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/nhis/2019/data.htm). In 2002, 187 children aged 0–17 years died from asthma, or 0.3 deaths per 100,000 children, compared to 1.9 deaths per 100,000 adults aged 18 and older. (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/asthma/asthma.htm#:~:text=In%202002%2C%20187%20children%20aged,and%20160%25%20higher%20than%20Hispanics)
Additional statistics related to respiratory issues for children younger than age 18 include the following from the CDC:
- Number with reported hay fever in the past 12 months: 5.2 million
- Percentage with reported hay fever in the past 12 months: 7.2%
- Number with reported respiratory allergies in the past 12 months: 7.1 million
- Percentage with reported respiratory allergies in the past 12 months: 9.6%
- See https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/allergies.htm for more information.
The varieties of allergens include dust, pollen, ragweed, peanuts, chemicals (e.g., pyrethrum, gelatin, glues, gums, diazomethane, toluene), latex, and more. Schools—and specifically science and technology education/engineering laboratories—have contributed to air quality and health-related allergy problems over the past few decades. Safety Data Sheets can be helpful because they list allergy symptoms from exposure to hazardous chemicals.
Knowledge/awareness of allergen sources in middle and high school science, technology education/engineering, and STEM laboratories can help with efforts to improve indoor air quality and reduce allergen levels for both students and teachers.
