How hazardous is school carpeting?
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Having carpets in the hallways of the school is a major health issue. When the carpets were added during the summer more than a couple people were a bit concerned, mostly because of the disadvantages which can be hard to ignore.
Valuable reasons are, because it’s harder to clean if anything is spilled, since it soaks into the carpet. Also, in the winter when everyone walks in with wet, snow covered shoes the carpets will soak, and if not dealt with properly they can start to smell and become unhygienic. They require more frequent vacuuming opposed to tiled flooring, and even then you cannot be sure that you got it as clean as it needs to be before it becomes unsafe. “I think they’re useless and they’re going to have to steam-clean them all the time.” said freshman, Allison Mooney. Carpets can be fine for a family home, where the amount of dirt and germs can be controlled, though when hundreds of kids walk over them every day, not so much. Many other reports that discuss this topic mentioned how the air conditions for asthmatic kids or any kids with respiratory disorders can become a problem, because the carpet can help trap in dust and small particles. That’s only though if it is not treated with proper cleaning techniques specifically for this issue. If that does not happen, it will become an issue for kids with respiratory issues. Things like this can trigger asthma attacks for about 40% of asthmatic kids. Do the advantages for carpeted flooring outweigh the disadvantages? Not in concern of the student’s health. We can only hope that none of these issues show up throughout the school year and that we can continue to learn undisturbed in a clean school. |