Is it safe for kids to spend all day in an old school building?

What's actually in it

PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) were banned in 1979, but building materials installed before then keep emitting. Caulk around windows, floor tiles, old light ballasts, and some paints continue to release PCBs into indoor air for decades. PCBs are neurotoxic, endocrine-disrupting, and probable human carcinogens.

Kids spend thousands of hours a year inside their school building. Breathing air with detectable PCBs throughout childhood is a real exposure pattern.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Environ Sci Technol measured widespread emissions of PCBs from building materials in Vermont schools. Airborne PCB levels were detectable in most schools tested, with a meaningful share having levels above EPA public health guidance for children. The main source was pre-1980 caulk and light ballasts.

As a parent, you can ask the school administration: has this school been tested for PCBs? If yes, what were the results and remediation steps? Districts that have acted on this use encapsulation, removal, or replacement of PCB sources. Small wins for kids regardless: keeping kids outside for more of the school day, portable HEPA air cleaners in classrooms (many donated programs exist), and opening windows daily when weather allows. A school with modern HVAC and recent renovations has much better air than the old building next door.