IAQ Testing Services

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) highlights asthma as one of the most common chronic childhood conditions, affecting millions of students nationwide. In its publication Managing Asthma in the School Environment, the EPA emphasizes the importance of identifying and controlling environmental triggers to help students with asthma stay healthy and succeed academically.

The agency warns that people with asthma have extra-sensitive airways that react to a wide range of triggers — and those triggers, along with the severity of symptoms, can vary from person to person. Common environmental asthma triggers found in schools include:

• Cockroaches and other pests, such as rodents.
• Mold caused by excess moisture
• Animal dander — from classroom pets or brought in on clothing from home

Other well-known triggers include secondhand smoke and dust mites. Some indoor pollutants from everyday school items can also affect children with asthma, like:

• Unvented stoves or heaters
• Cleaning agents, perfumes, pesticides, and chemical sprays

 
Even outdoor pollutants, such as ozone, particulate matter (PM), and bus exhaust, can impact students with asthma.

“Each day, one in five Americans enters a school building, according to the EPA,” said Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President of Marketing at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “Since Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors, the indoor environment plays a major role in asthma management. Students with poorly managed asthma often miss more school and may struggle academically, but with effective asthma management programs, students can thrive because they are ready to learn.”

To help school administrators provide asthma-friendly indoor environments, EMSL Analytical offers laboratory services across North America with convenient access to expert testing and analysis of environmental asthma triggers, respiratory irritants, and airborne allergens. EMSL also provides sampling supplies, easy-to-use test kits, air monitoring instruments, and building inspection tools. The company has even sponsored an educational video about indoor air quality and asthma management in schools that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/Z2K9oe6kq8c 

For more information about EMSL Analytical’s environmental testing services or to request sampling supplies and monitoring instruments, please visit www.EMSL.com, call (800) 220-3675, or email info@EMSL.com. To view the complete line of test kits, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.

EMSL Analytical is one of the leading testing laboratories with locations throughout the United States and Canada. EMSL is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider specializing in fast laboratory results for mold, bacteria, Legionella, USP <797>, pathogens, asbestos, lead, soot, char & ash from fires, VOCs, odors, radon, formaldehyde, indoor air quality, microbiology, environmental, industrial hygiene, radiological, food, beverage & consumer products, and material testing services for the identification of unknown substances. EMSL services both professionals and the general public. EMSL maintains an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies including, but not limited to A2LA, AIHA LAP, LLC. (AIHA EMLAP, AIHA IHLAP, AIHA ELLAP), NVLAP, CDC ELITE, CPSC, CA ELAP, NY ELAP, TX DOH, NJDEP and multiple other state accrediting agencies. Please visit our website at www.EMSL.com for a complete listing of accreditations. In addition, EMSL carries a wide range of Sampling Equipment and Investigative Products for environmental professionals.