the company added. Lumin-Air offers a MERV- 13 equivalent filtration option with the pressure drop equiv- alence of a standard MERV-4 filter, but the dust holding capacity is several times that of a 4-inch-deep filter.
Safe Disinfecting and Lessons Learned While air treatment is an ef-
fective yet relatively untapped way to improve the air quality and treat the air that pupils breathe, school districts have been and continue to be mil- itant in how they clean and disinfect their buses. “Keeping the environment
students are in clean is vital to maintaining well-being. Ventilation and surface disin- fectants are not substitutes for one another,” explained Kelly Ward-Smith, a spokesperson for GOJO Industries, a manu- facturer of hand hygiene and skin care products such as PURELL Surface Disinfectant. “Ventilation will help keep the air fresh, but surface disinfec- tion plays a significant role in slowing the spread of germs since germs often live on sur- faces that we touch, and we can pick up those germs that may make us sick.” She continued, “Instead
of leaving this important step out, choose a safe and effective surface disinfectant because harsh chemicals like bleach or quats can cause adverse reactions. Harsh chemicals can release pollut- ants in the air that will affect students with allergies or asthma. Because many dis- infectants may leave behind residue if not properly rinsed, disinfected surfaces touched
Cleaning Agents/ Devices Used Since the Onset of COVID-19
82% Industrial cleaners/ disinfectants
65% Electrostatic sprayer
11%Household cleaners/ disinfectants
8%Bleach
7% Other (hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, opening windows for ventilation,
ultraviolet cleaning devices)
5% Air filtration systems (Out of 186 responses, more than
one answer possible)
97%said the cleaning/ disinfecting agents being
(Out of 186 responses)
10% of respondents say they have encountered
by students, even those with- out allergies or asthma, could lead to skin irritation.” As such, it’s important to
take great precautions in disinfecting buses by follow- ing regulatory guidelines. The CDC has very specif- ic guidelines on safe and best practices for applying disinfectants for school buses. At the forefront of its recommendation is to use disinfectant on the EPA’s List N: Disinfectants for Corona- virus (COVID-19). Logically, EPA advises to follow the instructions on the label to ensure safe and effective use of the product. Recom- mended actions for applying disinfectant include wearing gloves, goggles or protec- tive eyewear, and providing adequate ventilation while ap- plying disinfectant. EPA also recommends to label diluted solutions to avoid any confu- sion, and don’t mix chemicals or disinfectants. EPA empha- sizes, numerous times, to follow the label directions. The topic continues to
used are certified by the EPA as safe and appropriate to use on viruses
damaged seats, restraints or other equipment as a result of using cleaning/disinfecting agents (Out of 185 responses)
66 School Transportation News • MARCH 2021
cause anxiety among school bus component suppli- ers, who worry about a hodgepodge of chemicals de- grading their products. IMMI, the manufacturer of the Safe- Guard brand of school bus seats, seatbelts and integrated child seats, has been devel- oping its own acceptable disinfectant solution. Julie Cooley, IMMI’s vice president of corporate and marketing communications, confirmed to School Transportation News last month that field tests are ongoing. When STN surveyed trans- portation directors about the
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