Parents worry about school's air quality

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Parents worry about school's air quality

Montreal Gazette - Montreal,Quebec,Canada*

Branswell, Gazette Education Reporter

Published: Wednesday, December 05

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=98350a82-

aa6f-487a-8a3c-47f9b89c0859 & k=8450

Jacinthe Bouchard says her daughters are healthy - outside school.

Her 10-year old has suffered from chronic headaches this fall. And

Bouchard has often had to pick up her 7-year-old at Greenfield Park

International elementary school because she has stomach aches.

" I'm sure it's something at school because when they're not at

school, they're not sick, " Bouchard said.

She isn't the only parent at the elementary school wondering if the

building is making their children sick. Parents started raising

concerns last week about their children experiencing headaches or

nausea, said Lukian, director-general of the Riverside School

Board.

Bouchard is worried about mould. At a governing board meeting

Tuesday, where about 20 parents said their children are having

headaches, many questions were about asbestos, principal Lucie Roy

said.

" There is no panic because there is nothing to be panicking about, "

said Roy, adding the school doesn't have a mould or asbestos

problem.

A letter sent home to parents Wednesday mentioned two recent repairs

at the school. The first involved a foul odour noticed in the school

basement about a month ago. A ventilation pipe needed to be capped,

and once it was done the problem was solved, Lukian said.

The other repair involved insulation that was stained around a small

section of drainage pipe. The insulation was asbestos, which Lukian

noted is not unusual in schools built before 1980.

" It was used as an insulation in those days. And as long as it's

undamaged, it's safe. But because it was stained, the protocol calls

for it to be removed, " he said.

A specialized firm was hired to do that, Lukian added.

The stain may have been from mould, although Lukian said he doesn't

know for sure.

Lukian said he doesn't believe there is a threat to students.

" And we haven't been advised of such by either the CSST (the Quebec

workplace health and safety board) or public health (authorities), "

he said.

He acknowledged he wasn't in a position to guarantee there aren't

things that may need to be looked at.

" Whatever we identify that needs to be addressed, we will address. "

Following a visit by inspectors to the school, the Commission de la

sante et de la securite du travail asked the school to perform

certain checks, including having an air-quality analysis done and

removing three ceiling tiles that might contain mould.

Bouchard said she welcomes the prospect of an air-quality

test. " That would be good for us to know what is in the air at that

school. "

Built in 1957, with an expansion in 1968, the school has 610

students. It is a joint venture with the Commission scolaire Marie-

Victorin. The Riverside board owns the building and is responsible

for its management.

" What I've recommended is that we do a good inspection of the

building and just try to identify if there are any problematic

areas, " Lukian said. " And if there are, well, we do the corrective

work, that's for sure. "

bbranswell@...