High CO2 levels in Marshview and Dorchester schools a ‘health and safety issue’
For two years running, two Tantramar area schools have tested high in carbon dioxide ratios for indoor air.
Marshview Middle School and Dorchester Consolidated were tested by the provincial department of education starting in 2021 because they don’t have full mechanical ventilation systems. In 2021, both schools showed peak levels of carbon dioxide above 1500 parts per million, which according to epidemiologist Colin Furness, speaking to U of T News, means staff and students are breathing “stale air.” It also means both schools qualified for another round of testing in 2022.
The province stopped testing in schools with results under 1500 parts per million, testing fewer schools in 2022 than in 2021. That’s despite the fact that some schools, such as Marshview and Dorchester, showed increases year over year. In 2022, Marshview hit 3914 parts per million, the highest of the 37 schools tested that year. Dorchester Consolidated showed peak levels of 2916 parts per million. For comparison, outdoor air is about 400 parts per million in carbon dioxide, according to Furness.
30 out of 37 school showed peak levels above 1500 parts per million, but the Department of Education says that “no concerns have been raised by Public Health about the [Indoor Air Quality] testing results.”
Meanwhile parents like Sackville’s Dave Thomas are concerned. “It’s not a good learning environment when you have CO2 readings that high,” says Thomas.… Continue