Local health officials in Pudong have asked authorities to have air quality monitoring systems installed in schools to help prevent pupils from getting poisoned by fumes inside classrooms.

Chen Xiaoling, the director of a health supervision bureau in Pudong New Area, told the Shanghai People's Congress that the pupils are in danger of the air pollution found in schools, reports Shanghai Daily.

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“Air pollution in classrooms has become a major threat to children who are more vulnerable to chemical pollutants than adults,” she said.

Chen explained that more than 500 different kinds of pollutants have been detected in both newly built or recently renovated classrooms. Some of these, according to her, can cause anemia or even cancer.

“Yet there are no specific regulations to supervise air quality at schools.” she added.

“New and refurbished rooms are a major source of harmful compounds,” Zeng Zheng, a fellow deputy to the congress, said. He co-presented the proposal with Chen.

He said that aside from the oil-based paints that are used on school walls, the paints that are used on classroom furniture such as desks, chairs and cupboards are also a source of the pollutants, which include formaldehyde and benzene.

Both Chen and Zeng said that the new proposed regulation should make air quality monitoring a compulsory activity on a regular basis. They added that serious punishment should be given to officials that fail to comply.

This joint proposal was made as a response to the number of 'poisoning' incidents recorded at local schools within the past year.

In September last year, 11 elementary pupils from Huinan Town in Pudong and 38 from Chongming reportedly had problems with nosebleeds, sneezing, itchy eyes and even fainting. These incidents happened after the summer holidays, with the pupils returning to their newly decorated classrooms.

The Shanghai Education Commission said that it will conduct a citywide investigation, and is yet to release its findings.

TagsPudong, Shanghai Education Commission, pollutants, poisoning, schools