NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & SportsAir Pollution Monitors May Be Coming Local School Yard

Air Pollution Monitors May Be Coming Local School Yard

(AP) WASHINGTON - Three Ashland, Kentucky, elementary schools are among schools in 22 states that will be receiving air pollution monitors in their school yards.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced today a list of 62 schools nationwide where the outdoor air will be tested for toxic air contaminants. Monitoring will begin in three months.

While the EPA and state and local governments already operate air pollution monitoring networks that collect information on a variety of air pollutants, this will be the first time school-yard air quality will be the focus of their investigations.

The contaminants to be tested vary depending on the school. But the focus is toxic chemicals that are known to cause cancer, respiratory and neurological problems -- especially in children.

The schools were chosen because of their proximity to industrial facilities or other sources of pollution.

The full list of schools that will be monitored can be found on the EPA's Web site.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)