PHOENIX — The Kyrene School District released an air quality report on Tuesday showing the air quality measurement at the Kyrene De La Sierra Elementary School was 28 times higher than what is deemed acceptable by the U.S. Green Building Council.
"It's definitely high. So normally in like, schools, offices and in your homes, you want to see it between, like 500 to 1,500. And it even says that in the report,” Amber Kraft, who has worked in air quality for the past 15 years, told ABC15.
In the classroom that was tested at the elementary school, the total volatile organic compounds, or TVOCs, were 14,000.
“It really is dependent on how your body reacts, but there's generalized symptoms when being exposed to VOC compounds,” Kraft said. “So, that's headaches, dizziness, irritation—usually it'll just go away on its own after you get out of that environment.”
Do you have a concern in your community or a news tip? We want to hear from you!
Connect with us: share@abc15.com
The school temporarily closed earlier this month following health concerns from parents for their kids and an overwhelming odor coming from inside.
"I don’t want to say I was disappointed, but I do want to say they definitely should’ve done an air quality test especially if they knew that roofing materials could be coming in, and they could be coming into the air vents and kids could be breathing that in,” said Charli, who has a child attending Sierra Elementary. “So, I do think a test should have been done before the kids went back to school.”
While the school remains closed, students have been relocated to nearby campuses. The Kyrene School District told ABC15 in a statement that the air quality will be retested before students and staff are welcomed back to campus.
