The researchers found that Medify Air Filters, provided to centers free of charge by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, significantly reduced concentrations of tiny particle pollution known as Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM 2.5), as well as improving Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) levels, particularly when run at high speeds.
“This study’s significance goes beyond child care centers,” said Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis, the organization’s executive director. “By demonstrating the link between improved indoor air quality and potentially reduced health issues, particularly in vulnerable populations, our findings offer valuable insight that can inform public health initiatives in diverse communities.”
Smoke, car fumes, dust, mold, pests and even cooking can produce fine particle pollution, which are smaller than a human hair and easily inhaled. Exposure to PM 2.5 can lead to health problems such as asthma, and children can be particularly vulnerable.
Philadelphia’s asthma rate among kids is almost three times the national average, according to the University of Pennsylvania.
“Children … breathe twice as much air as adults do, and they tend to be much more sensitive to these particles lodging in their lungs because they are growing, and developing, and breathing a lot, so trying to reduce particulates in their space is really valuable,” said Lorna Rosenberg, one of the study’s researchers.
Rosenberg said if child care staff better understand air quality and flow inside their facilities, they can adjust their behavior and schedules to reduce poor air quality impacts.
Among their recommendations, the researchers suggest day cares run air purifiers daily at high speeds, relocate them near kitchens while cooking, replace filters yearly for greater efficacy and invest in air quality sensors.