POLAND (WGME) — Some families in the Poland school district are furious after learning their kids’ schools have elevated carbon dioxide levels.
Breathing too much carbon dioxide can harm your health.
“Well, I have a headache, and then I get light-headed,” RSU 16 middle school student Scott Lyman said.
Scott Lyman goes to Whittier Middle School in Poland but left early again Thursday after getting three nosebleeds.
“Nosebleeds don’t happen at home, but they’re happening almost every day at school,” mother Amber Lyman said.
His mom believes elevated levels of carbon dioxide in classrooms are to blame for her son’s health issues.
“Who knows what long term this is going to do to my son?” Amber Lyman said.
In fact, tests taken last year found CO2 levels in all five RSU 16 schools were two to three times higher than what industry experts consider a safe level for prolonged exposure.
Rae Irish says her son and his classmates at Elm Street School often get sick.
Some families in the Poland school district are furious after learning their kids’ schools have elevated carbon dioxide levels. (WGME)
“Headaches, nosebleeds,” Irish said.
Mechanical engineers say aging boilers and poor ventilation systems are to blame, but parents say they only found out about this problem Wednesday.
“This information just being released yesterday is a little much, because they’ve had it for a year,” Irish said.
Too much CO2 in your blood can cause headaches, shortness of breath and seizures.
The superintendent and operations director told families, “Carbon dioxide levels in their schools are still ‘below the CDC’s threshold at which CO2 becomes dangerous to life and health after eight continuous hours of exposure.’ Regarding the data release, please know it was never our intent to withhold information. While prolonged exposure can affect cognitive performance, the situation did not constitute an immediate life-threatening emergency.”
“Honestly, kids should be pulled,” Irish said.
For now, the district’s answer is to open windows to let fresh air in.
Some families in the Poland school district are furious after learning their kids’ schools have elevated carbon dioxide levels. (WGME)
“But it’s also winter in Maine,” Amber Lyman said.
School officials say they will continue to closely monitor CO2 levels in all the schools. They are also pricing CO2 detectors along with fans to temporarily improve ventilation in classrooms.
The superintendent and operations manager weren’t available to speak with CBS13 Thursday.
They’ve told families HVAC upgrades are costly and there’s no money now to make needed changes.
“I understand it’s down to money, but something needs to be done,” Amber Lyman said.