Posted on December 8th, 2008 by Craig Maltby, Editor
Our schools are polluted and the world is ending. What are immune systems to do?
My local paper ran a HUGE story today warning that more than half the schools in the state (Iowa) ranked in 
the top half of schools nationwide located in areas with high toxic air levels. God, that sounds like Chernobyl is right next door. The real kicker, buried deep in the story, is this:
“The federal database used for the study, called the Toxics Release Inventory, has been known to include some errors and omissions, and is not subject to extensive quality control. Even before the study was released publicly today, company officials at Fawn Engineering Corp. in Clive reported that the emissions data they submitted in 2005 to state and federal authorities was inaccurate. Those emissions, which were used in the USA Today study, showed higher-than-accepted readings of a toxic lung irritant that could affect the health of teachers and students at more than 40 Des Moines-area schools. Plant representative Jamie Badger said the information was simply recorded in the wrong category, and should have been included in the company’s inventory of solid waste. The company actually discarded the waste, which was wrongly reported as air emissions.”
The data “modeling” at the heart of this story makes for a confusing piece, and it is poorly reported. But, in an effort to sell newspapers–especially in this crummy media business environment–drama and anxiety must be created.
Air quality can, indeed, impact respiratory health and overall immune health, no doubt, and we should do all we reasonably can to reduce carbon and toxin emissions. But, let’s keep things real, folks.
December 10th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
I also live in Iowa and am surprised that, despite the legislative concern over the quality of air due to smoking, that there has not been more attention paid to this issue. I noticed that, upon moving to Iowa, that I got sick more frequently- maybe there is a correlation to air quality. Does anyone know the quality of air in Minnesota as compared to Iowa?
Recently I haven’t been getting sick at all. I started to work out more, I changed my diet and I started taking a supplement called EpiCor. I have friends that work out all the time and they still get sick, I wonder if more of my recent health (*crosses fingers) has to do with the supplement.
December 10th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
I think air quality may vary by localized geography. I’ll bet the Twin Cities may have emission levels higher than, say, Bemidji, unless there is a big ol’ iron smelting plant with outdated technology in the neighborhood. I think the thing is, air quality samples were not taken. The report was created from companies self-reporting estimated chemical inventory and the applying data modeling. Now a follow up story today says state officials are going to do a more detailed analysis and also set up air quality monitors in some of the highlighted schools to see exactly what’s being inhaled.
If it turns out there is a critical air quality problem within these towns and schools, then I’ll eat my hat and give some props to that original, alarming story.
Good to hear from you, Ryan. Hope all’s cool at Drake. Congrats on beating the Cyclones, by the way.