Winter of discontent

2011 is shaping as another winter of discontent for parents and pupils attending public schools in NSW due to the continued presence of unflued gas heating. The heaters are still being used in schools despite the belated release of the Woolcock Institute’s Health and Unflued Heaters Study which concluded:

“…the increased burden of symptoms and the observation of higher levels of exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) with exposure to the unflued gas heater in the sub-group with asthma, suggest an adverse effect which is best avoided. It is important to seek alternative sources of domestic and public space heating that do not have adverse effects on health but are also effective and efficient for heating and have a favourable environmental profile.”

The study was conducted during 2009 and involved 400 students. Its key findings were:

• During weeks in which the “low NOx” unflued gas heater was operating children were more likely to report that they had wheezed overnight,
• The increased risk of cough and wheeze was greater in atopic (allergic) subjects, who represent over half the population,
• Both NO2 and formaldehyde levels were substantially higher in classrooms during the operation of “low NOx” unflued gas heater.

It confounded the Department of Education’s claims that the heaters were safe and confirmed what many other scientific studies had concluded – that unflued gas heaters, which pump toxic gases such as Nitrogen Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide and Formaldehyde into classrooms, cause respiratory distress to children, especially those with asthma. This is of particular concern to the Foundation given that Australia has one of the highest prevalences of asthma in the world.

• One in 9 children and one in ten adults have asthma.
• Almost one million schooldays each year are lost because of asthma.
• Asthma is the No.1 reason while children (0-14 years) present to Accident & Emergency Departments of Hospitals.

Ironically, the dangers were first realised by NSW Health, the health arm of the NSW Government, as far back as 2004 when it campaigned with Asthma Foundation NSW to warn people about the dangers of unflued heaters in the home. There some 500,000 unflued heaters being used in NSW homes with similar ill-effect. Exposure to these gases during the first year of life has also been associated with an increased risk of asthma.

Personal stories

During the course of this campaign we have had the opportunity to talk to ordinary parents who were very concerned for their children’s health. Parents from the Blue Mountains, near Sydney, were particularly vocal. Many maintain that their children suffered ill-health and developed asthma as a result of their exposure to unflued gas heating. Two mothers, Sarah Jeffrey and Lis Bastion were willing to go on the record with their experiences.

Their belief that the unflued heaters have damaged their children’s health is supported by Dr Paul Stephens, who has been a GP in the Blue Mountains for twenty years and has dealt with a large number of asthma cases in the local area.

In July, 2010 the then Minister for Education and Training, Verity Firth, released the Woolcock report and immediately announced that the Labour Government would replace all heaters in schools, an announcement later confirmed by Premier Kristina Keneally. However, during the final six months of Labor’s term in office the matter was referred to Treasury for costing with the promise that a timetable would be announced before the election. It never was.

Their only response was to agree to replace the unflued heaters in 100 cold climate schools. This programme of works is currently being completed. While it provides relief for a small fraction of schools over 2,100 other public schools in NSW are waiting for a similar commitment.

Adrian Piccoli, the then shadow Minister for Education was openly critical of Labor’s failure to replace the heaters on many occasions and regarded the replacement of the heaters as “critical”. However, despite the Woolcock report the Liberals made no mention of it during their election campaign and have been noticeably quiet on the issue since coming to office. By not making their position clear they are leaving schools, parents and P&C’s in cruel limbo. Should they wait to see what, if anything, the Government intends to do or, should they, as some schools have done already, fund the replacement heaters themselves? Barry O’Farrell needs to make his position clear NOW.

How Can You Help?

As an organisation with a strong track-record in advocacy, Asthma Foundation NSW has been at the forefront of the campaign to persuade the NSW Government to either flue the gas heaters, which means directing the harmful fumes outside the building via a vent or flue, or replacing them with another form of heating. In an effort to force change we have formed strategic alliances with community groups such as the CAMPAIGN OPPOSING UNFLUED GAS HEATERS (C.O.U.G.H), the Green Party and the wider scientific community. However, our greatest advocates are you, parents and carers – the voting public. Without your support we never would have been able to force the previous NSW Government to admit the heaters needed to be replaced.

The best way to force the current NSW Government to honour the commitment it made in Opposition is by demonstrating that the weight of public opinion is against doing nothing, putting it off until another day.

• Take part in our online survey - it only takes 30 seconds.
• Help us send them that message by joining our petition. 

You can also help by telling us your story. The health threat posed to children’s health by unflued gas heaters may not seem real, the need for action not that urgent. Real life experiences help put complex issues in a clear human context.

Unflued gas heaters are damaging children’s health today and will be tomorrow and every day of winter 2011 across NSW. Its time the NSW Government acted to end the uncertainty and create safe learning environments in our public schools.