Air quality in creches and schools: Ineris has already collected over 5,000 measurements since January 2018

For centres receiving children under the age of six, kindergartens and primary schools, local authorities have the choice of:
•    Implementing a programme of preventive actions relating to indoor air quality in accordance with a practical guide (new version for 2017) produced by the Ministry for the Environment with the help of Ineris;
•    Arranging for a COFRAC-accredited body to carry out a series of measurements of indoor air quality.
In the event that a local authority uses a COFRAC-accredited laboratory, the latter must send the results to Ineris which is responsible for managing the indoor air monitoring database.
After five months of operation (cf. decree of 1 June 2016 on procedures for monitoring indoor air quality in certain establishments open to the public), 53 laboratories sent a total of 5,500 measurements taken during the summer and winter, concerning 322 establishments, meaning between one and eight rooms investigated per establishment.
 
The purpose of this set of data, which continues to grow, is to ensure that air quality in schools is satisfactory; it also allows experts to significantly improve their knowledge of indoor air quality in establishments receiving children.

Distribution of the establishments that used a COFRAC-accredited body to carry out measurements (on 1 June 2018)

Types of establishment for which data were provided and their activities

At this stage, of all data available, less than 0.3% of rooms investigated reveal an excess of formaldehyde or benzyne. Fewer than 10% of spaces in question reveal a lack of fresh air (excess of carbon dioxide). For perchloroethylene, the concentration measured is still well below the limit value.
The following limit values for the various pollutants regulated must not be exceeded without action being taken:
•    Formaldehyde: 100 µg/m3 (example of sources identified in the practical guide: new furniture, cleaning products, etc.)
•    Benzene: 10 µg/m3 (example of sources identified in the practical guide: nearby car park, etc.)
•    Carbon dioxide: confinement index of 5 (example of sources identified in the practical guide: lack of ventilation)
•    Perchloroethylene: 1250 µg/m3 (example of sources identified in the practical guide: school near a dry cleaning outlet).
As part of this monitoring process, in the event of the limit value being exceeded, laboratories inform the regional prefect for the establishment in question so that the necessary action can be taken. When doing so, prefects can refer to the Ineris methodological guide on carrying out level two measures in the event that limit values for formaldehyde, benzene and/or perchloroethylene are exceeded (INERIS-DRC-15-152439-07695A).
Ineris will publish an update of this data every six months.
Generally speaking, solutions and actions to improve indoor air quality are simple to implement: open windows regularly, give preference to cleaning products with low emissions levels (environmentally friendly).

For reference, these regulations must be implemented according to the following schedule:
•    By 1 January 2018 for childcare centres for children under the age of six and infant and primary schools;
•    By 1 January 2020 for sports centres and secondary educational or vocational institutions;
•    By 1 January 2023 for other establishments.