This photo provided by LG Electronics Inc. shows the tech giant’s Puricare Aero Furniture.

SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s home appliance makers are releasing a variety of products that can also be used as interior props at home.

LG Electronics Inc. on Tuesday released a brand-new air purifier called the Puricare Aero Furniture that can also be used as a table.

Designed to cope with the latest trend of placing air purifiers in each room, the newly-released air purifier can be used as a table in bedrooms and living rooms.

The round pillar supporting the table serves as an air purifier, acting as a 360-degree air intake.

Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics Co. is also releasing home electronics with enhanced design factors after achieving success with the Bespoke refrigerator series, which features a variety of door color options.

Despite having a high price tag of 1.19 million won (US$898), Samsung’s The Freestyle beam projector is enjoying strong popularity among young consumers. The projector can be hung on the ceiling to display an image on a table or the floor.

The photo frame-like TV The Frame and The Sero TV that can be installed vertically like a full-body mirror are also enjoying popularity.

J. S. Shin ([email protected])

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Wondering if pretty flowers in a vase or growing in a pot in your home can actually be heavy lifters when it comes to air purification? You’re in luck. Certain blooming houseplants have more-than-meets-the-eye benefits. Gerbera daisies, bromeliads, mums (aka chrysanthemums), and azaleas are not only mood-lifters that can bring color to your interior; they’re known as types of flowers that are particularly effective at reducing unwanted air pollutants.

Gerbera daisies were highly rated in the NASA study. They can increase oxygen and humidity in homes and absorb carbon dioxide. They have been found to reduce trichloroethylene, the carcinogen found in dry cleaning and paint products. They have a two-week lifespan as cut flowers, per Eastern Floral. 

Bromeliads, low-light plants with red and orange blooms, will also increase oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide, per ProFlowers. In the American Chemical Society study on VOC reduction by four types of houseplants, these little tropical powerhouses performed best overall. They have also been used to decrease airborne mercury levels. For more brightly-lit environments, mums are annuals that like the humidity of an average home and can absorb formaldehyde, benzene, and ammonia, per Guide to Houseplants. 

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Hurricane Nicole made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane along the east coast of Florida before being downgraded to a tropical storm. This was only the third time that a hurricane has made landfall in Florida during the month of November.

Forty-five counties in Florida were under a state of emergency as powerful winds, storm surge, heavy rains and flooding caused significant damage to a number of residential, commercial and institutional properties. As residents now begin to assess the damage and start cleanup and rebuilding efforts, it’s imperative that they are aware of potential hazards they may encounter. Many of the exposure risks relate to indoor environmental quality (IEQ) issues, some of which could cause serious health and safety issues if the proper safety precautions are not taken.

“Floodwaters and storm surge can introduce chemicals, mold, bacteria and other exposure hazards into a home or building,” said Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President, Marketing at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “Even water damage from a leaking roof can support the growth of mold in just a few days. People also need to remember that many homes and buildings still contain lead-based paints and asbestos-containing materials. These can be aerosolized during cleanup and repair activities.”

With laboratories throughout Florida, and dozens more across the United States and Canada ready to offer assistance, EMSL Analytical provides testing services for mold, lead, asbestos, sewage, chemicals and other potential exposure risks in damaged properties. EMSL also has sampling supplies, easy-to-use test kits, building inspection tools, remediation equipment, air monitoring instruments and personal protective equipment (PPE) that is stocked and available for delivery.

To learn more about mold and other indoor environmental quality testing services for damaged properties, please visit www.EMSL.com, call (800) 220-3675 or email [email protected] . For access to IEQ test kits, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.

EMSL Analytical is one of the leading testing laboratories throughout the United States and Canada. EMSL is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider specializing in fast laboratory results for mold, bacteria, Legionella, USP 797, pathogens, asbestos, lead, soot, char & ash from fires, VOC’s, odors, radon, formaldehyde, indoor air quality, microbiology, environmental, industrial hygiene, radiological, food, beverage & consumer products, and material testing services for the identification of unknown substances. EMSL services both professionals and the general public. EMSL maintains an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies including, but not limited to A2LA, AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), NVLAP, CDC ELITE, CPSC, CA ELAP, NY ELAP, TX DOH, NJDEP, and multiple other state accrediting agencies. Please visit our website at www.EMSL.com for a complete listing of accreditations. In addition, EMSL carries a wide range of Sampling Equipment and Investigative Products for environmental professionals.

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Burning crop residue, vehicular pollution, industrial emissions, particulate matter, and meteorological conditions are just a few of the factors that contribute to smog, stated speakers at a consultative session titled ‘Clean Air Policy and Action Plan’ at Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industries (LCCI) on Monday, where Punjab Environment Protection Department (EPD) also revealed the “Provincial Climate Change Policy” report.

EPD officials informed that as much as 43 percent of air pollution was contributed by transportation, 12 percent by power, 20 percent by agriculture and other sources, and 25 percent by industry. The EDP official also informed the attendees regarding the work they are doing to reduce air pollution. Through a presentation they displayed their efforts and shown that according to morning data for December 5, 2022, the AQI at EPD was 430, in Sundar the AQI was recorded 349 At Punjab University it was decreased to 289, which is still unhealthy, from Badami Bagh 373.

Furthermore, the data analysis on June 30th revealed that a variety of vehicles, including motor cars (9.91%), motorcycles (82.25%), trucks (0.42%), delivery vans (1.42%), buses (0.54%), auto rickshaws (2.90%), tractors and others (2.56%), contributed to air pollution. Moreover, Lahore, Gujranwala, and Faisalabad divisions are the most afflicted by the smog problem, despite the fact that it affects numerous divisions of Punjab and neighbouring provinces. Between October 31 and November 28, around 2,173 vehicles, including those entering Lahore through the Saggian Area, Thokar Niaz Baig, and Ravi Toll Plaza Motorways, were inspected. Of those, 1477 received fines for emissions.

The EPD has also set up a control room to keep track of the city’s AQI around the clock. The monitoring room notifies the appropriate DCs of emission points and occurrences involving stubble burning. The PITB has also created an Application for real-time uploading of actions taken against smog-intensive areas, such as portions being sealed, FIRs filed, and fines levied. Additionally, it assists in maintaining dashboards, geotagging actions made in the control room, and keeping track of the nine anti-smog squads deployed in Lahore.

Three teams with EPD experts and light scatters are working with the transportation department to examine late-night HTVs and establish a deterrent. The important role of LWMC in dealing with fugitive dust includes the creation of a schedule, daily reporting on road washing, and water sprinkling on unpaved roads identified by ACs under DCs’ supervision. Complete prohibition of trash burning, with district administration oversight. The EPD has also revealed the Provincial Climate Change Policy and smog control plan at LCCI.

LCCI President Kashif Anwar said that Punjab’s smog problem was getting worse over time. The environmental difficulties have grown in Punjab, where industrial activity is booming and the number of vehicles is rising, and excessive urbanization and power generation methods are also stoking the fire. He said that in order to improve Punjab’s air quality index, combined efforts and military-style tactics are needed given the current levels of air pollution and smog. Burning crop residues, vehicle pollution, industrial emissions, particulate matter, and Metrologic elements that generate fog, which then mixes with the haze and causes smog, are just a few of the factors that contribute to smog, the speakers noted.

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A six-month study led by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers concludes that the use of portable home air purifiers can improve some markers of cardiovascular health in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. People suffering from COPD often experience shortness of breath, chest tightness and chronic cough. Cardiovascular diseases such as arrythmias, heart failure, stroke and heart attack commonly accompany COPD, and both COPD and cardiovascular disease are leading causes of death around the world, according to the World Health Organization.

The new research, described online Oct. 26 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, is a secondary study of a larger Johns Hopkins-led project, the CLEAN AIR study. The CLEAN AIR study, which investigated the effects of indoor air pollution on COPD, found that people with COPD experienced improved symptoms after using portable air purifiers indoors.

“We’ve seen that air pollution in the home, where people spend a majority of their time, contributes to impairments in respiratory health. We hypothesized this pollution is a big driver of cardiovascular disease and cardiac events in people with COPD,” says lead author Sarath Raju, M.D., M.P.H., an assistant professor of medicine who specializes in obstructive lung diseases at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Researchers recruited 85 men and women from the original CLEAN AIR study, who were adults (average age 65) with COPD. The participants lived primarily in the Baltimore area.

First, researchers had trained technicians take air samples of indoor particulate matter of varying sizes from participants’ homes. These indoor air pollutants are composed of such things as mold and pet dander. One of the tiniest kinds of particulate matter, PM 2.5 — smaller than the diameter of a human hair — can be detrimental to respiratory and heart health by infiltrating the bloodstream through the lungs and causing inflammation. The level of PM 2.5 indoors should stay at or below 12 micrograms per cubic foot for the air to be considered healthy to breathe. Participants’ homes had an average of 13.8 micrograms per cubic foot of PM 2.5.

Then, 46 randomized participants received two portable air cleaners with HEPA and carbon filters to use at home; the other participants received placebo air cleaners that circulated air but had the filters removed.

Researchers tracked and measured several indicators of lung and heart health at the one week, three-month and six-month periods of the study using standard clinical tests, such as blood pressure and heart ultrasounds (echocardiograms). Additionally, participants wore heart rate monitors for 24 hours during each clinical testing period, to assess heart rate variability.

At the end of the experiment, all 46 participants with active HEPA and carbon filters had improved markers of heart health, specifically a 25% increase in heart rate variability. Participants without the active filters saw no increase.

Heart rate variability, or HRV, is a common measure of heart health calculated using other statistical variables, such as the standard deviation between heart beats. HRV consists of changes in the time intervals between consecutive heart beats. A healthy heart is constantly adjusting its rate to meet the body’s physical demands, and as such, has a higher heart rate variability.

Among 20 participants who used the air purifiers with active filters 100% of the time while at home, there was also a 105.7% increase in a heart health variability measure called the root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats, or RMSSD, which is associated with improved heart fitness.

The team also looked at the effects of ultrafine particles in the homes. These particles, smaller than a thousandth of a millimeter or one micron, are able to travel to the deepest part of the lungs when inhaled, and can even cross into the bloodstream.

In their evaluation of 29 participants and their homes, the researchers uncovered a correlation between an increase in ultrafine particles and poorer heart health markers, such as lower heart rate variability. The team says more research must be done in this area.

“Ultrafine particles might be the most potent particles in terms of health consequences,” says study author Meredith McCormack, M.D., M.H.S., associate professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and director of the BREATHE Center (Bridging Research, Lung Health and the Environment). “These particles and other indoor air pollutants can cause systemic inflammation in susceptible patients like those with COPD. Our study shows there’s a negative impact on cardiovascular health, as well.”

“In the future, air cleaners may be something to recommend to patients along with medications, but also can be part of a larger discussion about the importance of home environments,” says Raju.

Other researchers involved in the study include Han Woo, Ashraf Fawzy, Chen Liu, Nirupama Putcha, Aparna Balasubramanian, Cheng Ting Lin, Ronald Berger and Nadia Hansel of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Kirsten Koehler and Roger Peng of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Chantel Lemoine of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; and Jennifer Wineke of the University of Maryland Medical Center.

This research was funded by NIH/NIEHS grants (R01ES022607, R21ES025840 and F32ES029786), a NHLBI grant (K12HL143957 and K23HL164151) and a Johns Hopkins University Catalyst Award.

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When thinking of air quality, many people immediately think of the outdoors. Smoke and smog, plus allergens from trees, plants, and flowers, can make being outside miserable for some people. Though being inside may offer solace, some allergens and irritants can make their way in.

Your indoor air quality is just as important to create a healthy environment. While you can bring the outside air inside when you open a door or window, the inside has its own allergens like dust, mold, and pet dander, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Exposure to poor indoor air quality can lead to respiratory and heart diseases, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, as well as cognitive deficits and cancer.

One of the ways you can combat poor indoor air quality is with plants. There are many plants that remove harmful gases from the air and use them to photosynthesize. In an exclusive interview with House Digest, Liz Will, a master gardener, certified garden coach, and founder of Learn to Grow Gardens, shares the houseplants that can improve indoor air quality.

Spider plant

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Spider plants are a great go-to for beginner plant parents. They’re hardy plants that appreciate bright indirect light and moderate watering. “Not only are spider plants easy to care for, they’re excellent at removing chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene, xylene, and carbon monoxide,” says Liz Will. “Spider plants have been known to remove 95% of chemicals from the air in as little as 24 hours.” The plant also creates offshoots or identical offspring, so you can have multiple spider plants.

English ivy

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You’ve probably seen English ivy climbing up the sides of homes and trees. But this beautiful plant can thrive indoors as well. “English ivy grows well in both bright and low light rooms, and they improve indoor air by removing benzene,” Liz Will says. “A study by NASA found English ivy removed 89.8% of benzene in just 24 hours.” A trellis can help ivy climb without potential damage to your home décor.

Snake plant

ArtCreationsDesignPhoto/Shutterstock

There are about 70 varieties of snake plants that range in color, size, and patterns. “The snake plant, or Sansevieria, is an easy to grow indoor air purifier,” Liz Will explains. “Not only does it remove things like formaldehyde and xylene from the air, it’s also one of the highest producers of oxygen compared to most indoor plants.” Sansevierias thrive in both low light and bright indirect light, which allows them to be a great accent in any room.

Peace Lily

R Coates/Shutterstock

Peace Lilies are known for their lush green foliage and white blooms, which are actually modified leaves known as bracts. While peace lilies are known to be dramatic houseplants, they also offer beautiful accents to a room. “Although the Peace Lily removes common pollutants from the air,” says Liz Will, “such as carbon monoxide and formaldehyde, it also removes mold spores. The Peace Lily absorbs them into its leaves and uses them for food.” Peace Lilies also love humidity, so placing them in a bathroom or kitchen can create an ideal environment.

Philodendron

Job Narinnate/Shutterstock

Philodendron varieties are loved by house plant enthusiasts for their ease of care and beautiful foliage. With over 450 varieties, it’s one of the most popular tropical plants. “Philodendron are effective at removing formaldehyde from the air and emitting oxygen,” Liz Will explains. “Keep the dark green leaves free from dust to help the plant absorb the most indoor pollutants.” With an easygoing nature, you can place a philodendron in nearly any room in the house.

Aloe Vera

Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

Many use aloe as a relief from sunscreen and skin irritation. But the plant can also benefit your health in its fully planted form. “Aloe Vera is a common indoor succulent due to its easy care and healing properties,” says Liz Will. “Aloe Vera is also a great indoor air purifier, removing harmful VOCs and replacing them with oxygen.” VOCs are volatile organic compounds, which are chemicals often found in household products.

Parlor palm

New Africa/Shutterstock

The tropical foliage of the parlor palm makes it a favorite for those looking to add a unique houseplant to their space. This plant is one of the easier palms to grow and is great for anyone just starting a houseplant collection. But the parlor palm also has plenty of health benefits. According to Liz Will, “​​The Parlor palm removes carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and benzene from the air, and is a great option for a low-maintenance indoor plant.” With good indirect light and moderate water, you’ll have lush foliage and cleaner air.

Ficus

Yaoinlove/Shutterstock

Ficus make up another plant category with plenty of variety. They are favorites of houseplant lovers for their unique foliage with distinctive shapes and colors. Liz Will also explains their benefits to indoor air quality. “Ficus are great at removing formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene, which can pollute the air as a result of painting and remodeling.” If you need to refresh your home after some interior work, fiddle leaf figs and rubber trees are among the most popular varieties.

Gerbera daisy

Andrei Lavr/Shutterstock

Flower lovers will enjoy knowing that some of their favorite blooms can also help indoor air quality. “Gerbera Daisies clean and purify the air, and release oxygen,” says Liz Will. “They remove trichloroethylene and benzene, and increase oxygen while you sleep. Keep one on your nightstand for a healthier night’s sleep.” With bright red, orange, yellow, and pink varieties, Gerbera daisies can also add a pretty pop of color to the room.

Dracaena

CoinUp/Shutterstock

Dracaena plants are popular for their tropical greenery. Growing tall and upright, they can look stunning in a space. But they also have benefits to indoor air quality. “Dracaena are known to absorb formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, and carbon dioxide,” Liz Will explains. “They are especially good at removing formaldehyde, which finds its way into our homes from paint, foam insulation, pressed-wood products and smoking.” 

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New legislation, which could ensure everyone has the right to clean air, will soon be debated in the House of Commons, after passing through Lords on Friday.  

‘Ella’s Law’, or the Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill, would ensure pollutants and pollution limits are reviewed and monitored by a variety of public bodies to clear up the UK’s air within five years. A citizens commission would also review the government’s compliance with targets.

The Bill was brought forward by Green Party peer Baroness Jones of Mouslecoomb and will be taken up by Green MP Caroline Lucas in the House of Commons.

The law is named after nine-year-old Ella Adoo Kissi-Debrah who is the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed as a cause of death.

She lived near the congested South Circular Road in south-east London and died following an asthma attack in 2013.

Baronnes Jones paid tribute to Debrah’s mother Rosamund, who was at the House of Lords when the bill was passed. She said: ‘This is quite a momentous day for me and many other people…

‘I want to pay tribute to Debrah who is with us again today and whose daughter Ella is going to give her name to this law.

‘It will establish the right to breathe clean air; confirm targets for pollutants and greenhouse gases; set deadlines while allowing postponements; encourage renewable energy and energy efficiency and ensure a proportional approach to enforcement.’

Last week, the London Assembly voted unanimously to support the Bill and secure clean air for Londoners, after Green Party Deputy Leader Zack Polanski proposed the motion.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Minister, Lord Benyon, called action against air pollution ‘an absolute necessity’ and also paid tribute to Rosamund Adoo Kissi-Debrah.

He said: ‘The government absolutely recognises the need for action on air quality and we are able to take that action, supported by our robust and comprehensive legal framework, now improved by the Environment Act 2021. This is why we have reservations in regard to how the Baroness’s Bill would be delivered.

‘But in protecting people from the effects of harmful pollutants, we must not only take action to drive down emissions but also to drive up public awareness. The Baroness’s Bill and her hard work campaigning in support of it has undoubtedly furthered this aim.’

Photo by Lucas Davies

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05/12/2022  FLIR Systems (Teledyne FLIR)

Extech’s new 42280A series temperature and humidity data logger features a number of notable enhancements over the company’s highly successful legacy model to ensure even higher performance and capability levels in indoor environmental monitoring applications. This latest-generation highly accurate and reliable meter will serve as an invaluable asset at any company looking to monitor the air quality of their production area, for example.

A direct replacement for the popular 42280 series, the new 42280A features the same large, triple LCD display showing temperature, humidity and date/time clock simultaneously. However, continuous improvement is embedded within Extech’s DNA, so the company’s newly developed model introduces a number of added-value functions, including the capability to generate PDF reports or Excel spreadsheets when plugging the device (via integral USB interface) into a Windows-based PC after data logging.

A further important enhancement is an increase in internal memory to 48,000 points/readings, three times more than the previous model, to suit demands for extended monitoring or monitoring at high frequency rates. The Extech 42280A also sees the introduction of a Max/Min mode and the presence of Hi/Lo indication on-screen. Here, the programmable/selectable data sampling rate ensures visual and audible alarm indication in association with Hi/Lo limits.

Adaptable to almost any situation, further features of the new Extech 42280A include a ‘mark’ function that enables users to read out the memory contents starting from a defined time without reprogramming the log. As a point of note, data remains secure within the logger at all times and can be password-protected if required.

Extech is also releasing its new 42280A-NIST version. This model features calibration traceable to NIST standards for indoor environments where it is necessary to demonstrate accurate and reliable measurements, supported by calibration reports that users can download to a PC.

Critical components of any indoor environmental monitoring system, both the 42280A and 42280A-NIST meters offer a temperature range from -20 to +70°C and a humidity range from 0 to 100%. The devices measure just 120.7 x 88.9 x 38.1mm and weigh only 163g. Users can choose from wall, desktop or tripod mounts in line with individual requirements. Salt bottles for relative humidity calibration are available in kit form (33% and 75%) as optional accessories.

Extech supplies the 42280A and 42280A-NIST complete with Windows compatible software, USB cable, universal AC adaptor, four AA batteries, user guide and two-year warranty for complete peace-of-mind. The meters are shipped fully tested and calibrated and, with proper use, will provide years of reliable service.

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An oilfield disposal practice on the decline in California will again come under regulatory scrutiny this month by air quality officials asking whether new emissions-control technology can feasibly be applied to local wastewater treatment.

A scoping meeting being hosted next week by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District will look at ways to contain volatile organic compounds escaping from outdoor sumps used for evaporation and sometimes percolation of “produced water” that comes up with oil.

Sumps have come under greater regulatory pressure in recent years, leading in some cases to facility closures that force their customers in local oil production to find an alternative disposal method. Usually that’s underground injection, which is far more common, costlier and has, during about the same period, faced its own regulatory challenges.

The difference between those cases and the focus this month is the type of pollution at issue: Instead of groundwater protection, next week’s scoping meeting will look at air quality impacts and what can be done to reduce them in an economically reasonable way.

Oil and water brought up from the ground typically get separated in large tanks where crude floats to the top and gets skimmed off. Separation tanks are equipped with vapor control systems, but produced water left in the open air lets off VOCs that can cause a variety of health effects. Injection wells are not subject to the upcoming regulatory proceeding.

Under state and federal clean-air rules, the air district is required to review new technology that might lead to cleaner air for the region. Before making changes, though, there must be a finding that any new regulations are economically feasible.

The last time the district made changes to its rules on sump emissions control was about 10 years ago. Staff there say that while they’re not close to determining whether modifications are in order, they suspect improvements could be made.

“We think there may be some potential opportunities to lower the levels under which we consider the fluid to be classified as clean produced water,” Deputy Air Pollution Control Officer Morgan Lambert said.

The scoping meeting, intended for stakeholders, the general public and vendors, will kick off what Lambert said will be a year-long series of public workshops.

Oil industry groups were largely unaware of the subject of this month’s scoping meeting and were unable to offer comment. Nevertheless, CEO Rock Zierman of the California Independent Petroleum Association said the trade group looks forward to participating.

“The California Independent Petroleum Association members have invested hundreds of millions of dollars to operate under the strongest environmental and health laws in the world,” Zierman said by email Friday. “Our members constantly review the best available technology and practices and produce the only climate-compliant oil in the world.”

The air district has scheduled the scoping meeting to start at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at 1990 E. Gettysburg Ave. in Fresno. There will be a video link to the district’s Bakersfield office 15 34946 Flyover Court. Participation over Zoom videoconferencing is also an option (webinar ID 823 8276 8557, password 935686). Documents on the proceeding are to be posted at valleyair.org/workshops.

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Two school districts in Nassau County will ask residents this week to approve bond proposals that, if passed, would lead to sweeping renovations and upgrades of school playgrounds, buildings and other capital projects. 

Wantagh residents will vote Dec. 6 at the district’s three elementary schools to approve a more than $69.5 million bond referendum that has been broken into three separate parts. Voters go to the polls from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

North Bellmore residents will vote Dec. 8 at Newbridge Road School to approve a more than $39 million bond referendum. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

In Wantagh, the proposed bond will be presented as three propositions, but the first proposition must pass before the other two could be approved.

WHAT TO KNOW

• Two school districts in Nassau County will ask residents this week to approve bond referendums.
• Wantagh residents will vote Dec. 6 at the district’s three elementary schools to approve a more than $69.5 million bond referendum that has been broken into three separate parts. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. 
• North Bellmore residents will vote Dec. 8 at Newbridge Road School to approve a more than $39 million bond referendum. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The first proposition addresses core infrastructure districtwide, replacing components that are original or haven’t been replaced in decades, such as windows and unit ventilators. It includes upgrades to electrical, central heating and air conditioning for all instructional spaces. The proposal — at more than $39 million — is budget neutral, meaning it will not have an impact on local taxes. 

The second proposition focuses on enhancing areas of play and creativity, including upgrades to the athletic fields at the secondary campus, which includes the middle and high schools and Forest Lake Elementary School; a complete renovation of districtwide auditoriums, and new playground equipment for all three elementary schools. District officials estimate the $16 million proposition, if approved, would cost the average homeowner an additional $11 per month.

The third proposition proposes a renovation of the library media center and cafeteria at Wantagh High School; creation of outdoor eating spaces for the middle and high school; kitchen replacements at each elementary school, and districtwide bathroom renovations. This proposition, at $14 million, would cost the average homeowner an additional $9 a month.

The projects were part of a strategic five-year plan, Superintendent John McNamara said. The timing is right to offer a bond referendum, he said, because the district has some existing debt service coming off the books for projects from about 15 years ago.

“When we did our facilities plan about five years ago, we targeted this point in time,” he said.

The average age of the buildings in the district, which has about 2,800 students, is about 65 years old. A district committee prioritized projects in Wantagh, and the school board wanted to offer one budget-neutral option to residents, McNamara said. 

If approved, some of the initial work could begin in the summer of 2023, with the bulk being done in summer of 2024. 

“And we’re projecting that it would take about five years from bond approval to the completion of the work, so we’re projecting out to about 2028,” he said. “The conversation we hear in the community is, ‘Why do it now? Why not wait?’ It’s just one of those things that the longer you wait to put it out for consideration … it just continues to push it further down the road.”

In North Bellmore, a more than $39 million bond would provide for projects including districtwide upgrades to heating, ventilation and air conditioning, as well as electrical systems; ADA elevator installations at John G. Dinkelmeyer and Saw Mill Road elementary schools, and playground improvements at all six elementary schools. The elementary district serves about 2,100 students in grades K-6.

Additional projects would focus on areas noted in a Building Conditions Survey, including chimney reconstruction, skylight replacement and door replacement in district buildings.

If approved, the average homeowner would pay $16.47 more a month. That figure would decline in 2028-29, when existing debt service is retired, to $13.69 per month.

“Our buildings are aging, ranging from 65 to nearly 100 years old,” Superintendent Marie Testa said. Overhauling the district’s HVAC systems will “guarantee clean, fresh air and adequate filtration, as well as the ability to properly regulate temperature and indoor air quality,” she said. It also will be more cost-effective and energy efficient.

The upgraded playgrounds would be open to community residents when school is not in session.

District officials said that, if approved, work could start in the summer of 2023 and completed by 2025, but that could extend to 2026 depending on costs and other construction factors.

Joie Tyrrell is a Long Island native and covers education for Newsday, where she has worked since 1998.

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