Time to remove all unflued gas heaters

For more than 20 years the NSWTF has been campaigning for the elimination of unflued gas heaters in schools. Unfortunately thousands of these remain and threaten the health of students and teachers.

On Wednesday 27 May the SMH front page story details yet another report which indicates students and teachers in NSW Government schools are being exposed to dangerous levels of pollutants because of unflued gas heaters.

The NSW Department of Health website states that unflued gas heaters can release pollutants, including carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) directly into the room. These air pollutants may affect health of occupants of the room.

The NSW Department of Health recommends to home users "If gas is your preferred heating fuel, purchase a flued heater."

In 2005 the Department of Health did a study of Catholic Schools in the Hunter Valley and recommended the removal of all unflued gas heaters.

In spite of this the NSW Department of Education continues to claim there is no evidence that unflued gas heaters are unsafe or are causing any ill health in Government schools.

Since the 1988 reports a succession of Ministers have commissioned further reports to try to get evidence to support their position.

The time for commissioning reports and avoiding the issue is over, the evidence is clear for those who want to see.

It is no longer acceptable to tell schools to "keep your windows open when the heaters are on", sometimes this is just not practical.

It is time the DET replaced all unflued gas heaters in schools.

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http://www.nswtf.org.au/media/latest_2009/20090529_banGasHeaters.html
Last Modified: 29 May 2009