Parent and Student Notices
Below is an article from Kids News at the Herald Sun discussing the issues around idling cars and children's health.
Call to turn off car engines at school pick-up to protect kids’ health
Kieran Rooney, August 1, 2021
Parents could be made to turn off their cars at school pick-ups, with scientists warning pollution from idling* engines is damaging children’s health.
A Victorian parliamentary inquiry into air pollution has been told Australia is decades behind other countries, where laws protect the air kids breathe.
Our rising population and traffic congestion were creating a perfect storm* for asthma and other health problems, the experts warned.
As an immediate first step, the experts urged the government to stop parents from keeping their engines running as they waited to pick up their children.
But they said long-term solutions were also needed, including restrictions on childcare centres on busy roads.
With much of the world in lockdown in 2020, real benefits were seen on the environment across the globe as air pollution eased.
Clare Walter, a researcher at the University of Melbourne’s lung health research centre, said international studies had shown a 300 per cent increase in local pollution at pick-up time.
“That line of cars idling their engines outside the school creates a very localised high pollution area for those children,” she said.
“An exposure* measured in minutes is enough to precipitate* an asthma attack in children and a heart attack in adults.
“By reducing the idling you’re reducing those peak exposures in the day, so it does make a difference.
“It’s important to understand that alone won’t be enough. It’s a starting point.”
International studies have shown that local pollution increases by 300 per cent at school pick-up times.
International studies have shown that local pollution increases by 300 per cent at school pick-up times.
Ms Walter said it was common to see long lines of cars idling while parents made work calls and waited for students.
“The children then have to walk through that plume* of vehicle exhaust in order to get to the crossing,” she said.
“As a risk factor for premature* death or disease in Australia, air pollution ranks higher than second-hand exposure to tobacco.
“Yet you wouldn’t have a line of parents smoking cigarettes and blowing it into children’s faces as they walked out of the school gate. That’s not socially acceptable.”
Researcher Clare Walter says Australia is well behind other countries in protecting children from air pollution. Picture: Annette Dew
Researcher Clare Walter says Australia is well behind other countries in protecting children from air pollution. Picture: Annette Dew
Ms Walter said Australia was well behind other countries. “In most states in America it’s now illegal to idle your engine unnecessarily and the original driver* for that legislation was the protection of children’s health,” she said.
“In California it’s been more than 20 years since they implemented* a suite* of policies. This included buffer zones for schools and major roads, cleaner school buses and anti-idling laws outside schools.
“That range of mitigation* strategies has subsequently been associated with increased lung function in three cohorts* of children over 20 years.
“Which means the children are growing bigger lungs … which in turn is associated with lifelong health benefits.”
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Second Hand Uniform Shop
The second hand uniform shop will reopen for Term Four when all students are back onsite. Commencing from Thursday 28th October:
- Thursdays 3:00-4:00pm
- Friday 8:15-8:45am
Volunteers are needed for the second hand uniform shop – opportunities to assist are now open.
Please click on the following web link to go to the signup sheet:
To sign up, just follow the instructions on the page. It only takes a few seconds to do.
Thank you for volunteering!
Kate Mahony
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