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<ul class="summary-list"><li>RFK Jr. says under President Trump, he'll advise US water systems to remove fluoride.</li><li>The federal government is not in charge of the US water supply. It's a local thing.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/rfk-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>, the man widely expected to become a health leader in President-elect Donald Trump's White House, has promised to lobby to remove fluoride from the American water supply.Nearly 63% of the US population has fluoridated water flowing through their taps, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/php/statistics/2022-water-fluoridation-statistics.html">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> (CDC).US health experts describe fluoridated water — a voluntary practice for local water districts — as one of modern medicine's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4850bx.htm">greatest public health achievements</a>, up there with the recognition that smoking is bad for you.Meanwhile, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/robert-f-kennedy-jr-views-vaccines-autism-testing-debunked-2023-7">Kennedy</a>, a former environmental lawyer who was instrumental in the fight to clean up the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.riverkeeper.org/blogs/honoring-our-foundation-in-science/">Hudson River in New York</a>, says there's no need to fluoridate drinking water anymore since most toothpaste contains fluoride. He's not alone. An important debate over fluoride is gaining fresh steam among scientists and legal experts. Some recent studies suggest more research is still needed on safe fluoride levels for kids. Plus, a federal ruling in California this year questioned the US government's recommended dose.While many medical professionals — chiefly dentists — support some level of fluoridation, there is growing agreement that we still aren't sure how much fluoride is too much.<h2 id="73e9cfea-f185-4392-8a29-deb966cdc1f8">120 years ago, fluoride was the mystery culprit behind brown teeth in Colorado</h2><div type="image" title="woman with brown teeth" height="2752" width="1912" msid="115231235" hostid="261" sizebytes="398436"></div>The reason most Americans have fluoride in their drinking water stretches back more than a century to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/fluoride/the-story-of-fluoridation">mysterious outbreak</a> scattered across the Midwest and western US.In the early 1900s, dentists started noticing that children in specific towns, including Colorado Springs, Colorado; Oakley, Idaho; and Bauxite, Arkansas, were developing hard, chocolate-colored teeth.It took more than 20 years, but eventually, researchers discovered that these unusual brown stains were caused by high amounts of naturally occurring fluoride in the drinking water in certain areas of the country.They also found that the fluoride — a mineral compound found in rocks and dirt — was strengthening teeth. It was hardening tooth enamel and helping to repair some early-stage tooth decay.By 1945, scientists had learned enough about fluoride to harness the technique to prevent cavities for the masses. They proposed microdosing the mineral into the public water supply to give kids just enough fluoride to protect their teeth and help heal dental decay without giving them so much that their teeth would go brown.The experiment worked.In 1945, Grand Rapids, Michigan, was the first city to purposefully fluoridate its water. In the first 10 years of the program, the rate of cavities in kids decreased by more than <a target="_blank" href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1551218/?page=1">60%</a>. Thus, the idea of fluoridated water as a boon for public health was born.<h2 id="ffc42276-b971-4331-bd76-9f4c2877d29f">US water districts decide their own fluoride levels</h2><div type="image" title="tap water" height="4000" width="6000" msid="115231232" hostid="261" sizebytes="655952"></div>Kennedy has <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1852812012478398923">said</a> he'd aim to convince local authorities nationwide to remove any added fluoride from taps."I think fluoride is on its way out," Kennedy <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/video/rfk-jr-talks-health-care-agenda-following-trump-win-223717957893">told NBC</a> News the day after the election, adding: "I'm not going to compel anybody to take it out, but I'm going to advise the water districts. I'm going to give them good information about the science, and I think fluoride will disappear."The federal government does not control water supplies in the US. That task is up to states and local water systems.The US Environmental Protection Agency does mandate a limit for fluoride in tap water: four milligrams per liter. That limit is meant to prevent crippling health issues caused by excess fluoride intake, like a bone-weakening disease called skeletal fluorosis.<h2 id="e730cbbb-f6d0-4962-9881-0475436e9095">The US lowered fluoride levels in drinking water in 2015</h2><div type="image" title="crest toothpaste vintage ad w nina simone and daughter" height="4416" width="3531" msid="115231221" hostid="261" sizebytes="896112"></div>The amount of fluoride added to a water supply varies not only by city and county but also by the individual water system supplying a given neighborhood.For many years, the federal recommendation fluctuated based on location. In warmer climates — where it was assumed that kids consumed more water to stay cool — officials recommended 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter. Colder areas were advised to add 1.2 milligrams per liter.After reviewing evidence in 2015, the US Public Health Service decided that the discrepancy wasn't needed. The recommendation for fluoridation is now set at 0.7 milligrams per liter nationwide.Most major cities in the US hover around the 0.7 figure. Some places naturally have elevated levels of fluoride in their water due to geological factors. In Lordsburg, New Mexico, for example, water samples collected earlier this year had concentrations of fluoride between <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://cityoflordsburg.com/fluoride-mcl-notice-2024/">5.2 and 6.4 milligrams</a> per liter. Authorities there advise that children under 9 years old shouldn't drink tap water.<h2 id="c03fabfb-6a1d-488a-8229-718ca0e2727d">Places with fluoride-free water generally have worse dental health</h2><div type="image" title="toothbrush with paste" height="3209" width="4813" msid="115231228" hostid="261" sizebytes="238252"></div>Proponents of ditching fluoride often point to the many European countries that do not fluoridate their water. Those countries are not 100% fluoride-free, though: unlike people in the US, many Europeans consume fluoridated salt.Hawaii is the only US state without any fluoride in municipal taps; fluoridated water is only available there on military bases. A <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://health.hawaii.gov/about/files/2013/06/Hawaii-Smiles-Report.pdf">2015 report</a> from Hawaii's health department said the state also has the highest prevalence of tooth decay among 3rd graders in the US."It's obvious; you can see it in the quality of their enamel," Anthony Kim, dental director at the Waimanalo Health Clinic, told the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.civilbeat.org/2020/02/why-hawaii-continues-to-keep-fluoride-out-of-its-drinking-water/">Honolulu Civil Beat in 2020</a>. "Sadly, especially among the kids."Researchers in Canada see the same phenomenon. The rate of cavities detected in Alberta spiked after the city went fluoride-free in 2011, according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.17269/s41997-024-00858-w">February 2024 study</a>. Calgary did the same and saw <a target="_blank" href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9542152/">similar tooth issues</a> in kids. The city now plans to re-fluoridate its water supply, but cost issues and global supply chain problems post-pandemic have <a target="_blank" href="https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/calgary-s-plan-to-reintroduce-fluoride-into-drinking-water-pushed-back-to-2025-1.6845098">created delays</a>.The military supports fluoridation. In 2016, the <a target="_blank" href="https://ilikemyteeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DoD-Fluoridation-Memo-March-2013.pdf">US Department of Defense</a> said dental decay was a "significant" reason military personnel were classified as non-deployable. As such, fluoridated water is now mandated on any military base with more than 3,300 people.Rumors have circulated that drinking fluoridated water can lead to bone cancer (osteosarcoma), but long-term studies from both <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/43/1/224/736028">the UK</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1877782111001822">US</a> haven't found any credible evidence of higher rates in areas where people drink fluoridated water.<h2 id="726f1d49-c5ff-447d-b2cc-6cf2412f9906">Is there any truth to claims of IQ issues?</h2><div type="image" title="anti fluoride protesters" height="2574" width="3594" msid="115231239" hostid="261" sizebytes="497810"></div>On November 2, Kennedy said on X that fluoride is an "industrial waste" that is linked to "IQ loss."He linked to a ruling from a federal judge in California in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cand.uscourts.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/17-cv-2162-Food-_-Water-Watch-Inc.-et-al.-v.-EPA-et-al-Opinion.pdf">October.</a> The judge, appointed by former President Obama, said that while he could not "conclude with certainty" that fluoridated water could reduce the IQ of children, there is evidence that it can be "hazardous at dosages that are far too close to fluoride levels in the drinking water of the United States."His ruling came weeks after a headline-grabbing paper in which a group of independent scientists reviewed existing evidence on fluoridation for the <a target="_blank" href="https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2024-08/fluoride_final_508.pdf">US National Toxicology Program</a>. Their review concluded that some studies of fluoride consumption have found links between higher fluoride water levels and lower IQs in kids.There are a couple of big caveats to keep in mind. First, those studies were conducted in other countries, including Canada, China, India, Iran, Pakistan, and Mexico, not the US.Second, the association with lower IQs was only apparent when children were drinking water loaded with fluoride, at more than 1.5 milligrams per liter. That's double what's recommended in the US and 50% more fluoride than what was first used in Grand Rapids in 1945."More studies are needed to fully understand the potential for lower fluoride exposure to affect children's IQ," the experts said.Those new studies are starting to trickle out. Fluoride and aluminum researcher Ashley Malin, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Florida, recently found <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38767917/">a potential link</a> between a woman's fluoride levels during pregnancy and neurobehavioral problems in her toddler three years later."At this point, I would advise that pregnant women reduce their fluoride intake," Malin told Business Insider.Malin brushes her teeth without fluoride, drinks filtered water (using a reverse osmosis water purifier or buying bottled water), and says that the most fluoride she consumes is probably from the black chai tea she occasionally drinks.<h2 id="5b5f129c-cdf6-4dba-a89c-6887474b296d">Settling on the right dose</h2><div type="image" title="retro photo of kid brushing teeth" height="3000" width="2487" msid="115231240" hostid="261" sizebytes="496682"></div>It's hard to tease out <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cochrane.org/CD010856/ORAL_does-adding-fluoride-water-supplies-prevent-tooth-decay">exactly how beneficial fluoridated water is</a> for preventing cavities, in part because fluoridating water isn't the only way that tooth care has improved dramatically since the 1940s. (The level of fluoride in many toothpastes is much higher than what's in the water.)The California ruling last month didn't get prescriptive about what the EPA should do about all this uncertainty. It only recommended some kind of "regulatory action" on fluoride."It should be noted that this finding does not conclude with certainty that fluoridated water is injurious to public health," the verdict read.A federal judge wants the EPA to better answer now whether 0.7 milligrams per liter of fluoride is safe enough.The EPA has said in the past that reviewing their fluoride numbers is a "low priority" item for the agency. Public health experts and dentists generally agree that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/news-events/nidcr-news/2024/big-hopes-little-teeth">fluoridated tap water</a> is a safe, effortless, and equitable way to ensure people get enough fluoride to prevent most childhood cavities.However, scientists haven't quite settled on the optimal fluoride level in tap water to maintain healthy teeth yet.

A brief history of America's love affair with fluoridated water — and why it's now up for debate

Thailand’s geographical proximity and affordability, along with its platter of delectable food, historical sites, pristine beaches and lively atmosphere, holds a particular appeal for Indian travellers. While tourists from India were forced to limit their travels to the Island country to a 15-day stay under a visa-on-arrival scheme until recently, the Thailand government is now extending its arms wider for us. Thailand's tourism sector has been strategically easing <keyword id="20166202" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="visa-regulations" source="keywords">visa regulations</keyword> to attract visitors from key markets like China and Russia. And now, the country has extended its visa exemption program, allowing visitors from these countries to vacation visa-free for up to 30 days until November 11, 2024. This move aims to revitalise its tourism industry, a key driver of the nation's economy. This is no doubt great news for those wanting to spend more time in the bustling city of Bangkok or immerse themselves in the rich culture and calm of its gorgeous temples. However, there are some rather glaring problems that Thailand is facing, thanks to climate change and the <keyword id="21610692" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="El-Nio-event" source="keywords">El Niño event</keyword> — that impacted India as well. <h4>Water shortage hits <keyword id="21610693" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Phi-Phi-islands" source="keywords">Phi Phi islands</keyword> </h4> For instance, the idyllic islands of Koh Phi Phi, which attract many Indians every year, are facing a real-life challenge that's anything but relaxing — a severe water shortage after a scorching heatwave gripped Asia. The private company supplying water may have to cut off service entirely, according to Wichupan Phukaoluan Srisanya, president of the Krabi Hotel Association. Island authorities are scrambling for solutions, considering bringing in water from the mainland if the dry spell persists. However, they remain optimistic that the upcoming wet season in May will bring relief, and Wichupan insists that tourists planning trips shouldn't be deterred, claiming they can manage the situation. But whispers of trouble are already reaching potential visitors. Online forums and travel reviews are buzzing with warnings from returning tourists urging others to "check if their accommodation has fresh water" before booking. Some reports even detail tap water running dry in April. While Koh Phi Phi takes centre stage, the heatwave's impact isn't isolated. <keyword id="21563893" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="koh-samui" source="keywords">Koh Samui</keyword>, another popular Thai island, has also experienced dry and scorching conditions. Although the tourism board there assures visitors haven't been affected, the island reportedly relies on water trucks, significantly increasing operational costs for hotels. <h4>Island closure due to coral bleaching </h4> A popular island in southern Thailand, <keyword id="21605630" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pling-Island" source="keywords">Pling Island</keyword>, has been hit with a temporary closure due to extensive coral bleaching. This drastic measure by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) highlights the growing threat climate change poses to our underwater wonders. Pling Island recently witnessed intense heatwaves along with many other islands across Thailand and Asia. Due to ocean warming and acidification, corals expel the algae living within them, leaving them pale and vulnerable — a process referred to as coral bleaching. Thailand’s pristine beaches and vibrant coral reefs are a major draw for visitors, generating millions in revenue. However, unregulated tourism also puts a strain on these delicate ecosystems. Thailand's proactive approach in closing Pling Island demonstrates a commitment to striking a balance between economic prosperity and environmental sustainability. While natural phenomena like El Niño contribute to warmer temperatures, scientists point to human-induced climate change as the bigger culprit. Warmer oceans are the new normal, with Asia experiencing a faster-than-average rise in temperatures. Pling Island's closure and Phi Phi’s water crisis serve as a stark reminder of that every system has a carrying capacity and we must honour it. It sends the powerful message that even paradise needs a break once in a while to ensure its future remains dazzling. While the tourism-reliant industry of Thailand could greatly benefit from more visitors, mindful travel would help secure the future of the countrymen.

Thailand is now welcoming Indians with open arms, but are its drought-hit islands really prepared for a tourism influx?

<keyword id="53848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-quality" source="Orion">Air quality</keyword> across Delhi continued to be in the 'very poor' category with AQI at 324. "With severe air quality and high level of pollution in Delhi-NCR, we are observing an increase in number of patients coming to us with complains of redness, Itching, and watering in the eyes," said Dr Ikeda Lal, Cornea and Refractory Surgery Specialist, at Delhi Eye Centre and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital New Delhi. "Patients with pre-existing dry eyes are experiencing exacerbation due to high pollution. We are observing almost increase of 40 rise in number of patients coming to us with eye related problems," he added. Dr Lal explained that pollutants and dust in the air is one of the major reasons for causing eye allergy and eye related problem. Delhi has been witnessing a steep increase in AQI levels after a marginal improvement on Sunday. The city's AQI stood at 348 at 4 pm on Monday, deteriorating from 301 on Sunday. The increase in AQI levels comes after the Centre on Saturday had removed stringent curbs, including a ban on construction work related to linear projects and the entry of polluting trucks, in Delhi following a drop in pollution levels due to favourable wind speed and direction. "The increase in the incidence of dry eye and ocular allergy is causing discomfort even in normal eyes. It aggravates the eye complaints in eyes that are prone to dryness and allergies. If care is not taken immediately, some of these eyes can have reduced vision due to this problem as well," said Dr Rajesh Sinha, Professor of Ophthalmology at RP Centre AIIMS New Delhi. While lubricating eye drops and the use of sunglasses are helpful options, contact lenses and eye makeup should be avoided until the eyes are healed completely, Dr Lal said. Doctors advised to not rub eyes if they itch, wash eyes with clean water; repeat if it still feels uncomfortable. They suggested that cold compresses can help relieve mild itching and to see an eye doctor as soon as possible and avoid prolonged exposure of eyes to pollution.

40% rise in eye related problems due to pollution, say Delhi doctors

<ul class="summary-list"><li>An ag-tech company has developed an army of resilient crops by growing them with salt water.</li><li>These crops are better at surviving salty soils, which is a growing problem in our warming world.</li></ul>Saltwater is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/potato-farmers-destroy-potatoes-covid19-even-in-a-food-shortage-2020-6">bad news for most crops</a>, but not for a series of tomatoes, alfalfa, onions, and rice sprouting in a lab in Israel.These crops are the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/things-that-wouldnt-exist-without-gmos-2015-8">non-GMO</a> brainchild of Ṛcā Godbole, a plant molecular biologist and co-founder of SaliCrop. And they don't just grow, they thrive on salt water.Over the last four years, SaliCrop has been testing its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-soil-health-fights-climate-change-2023-6">seed enhancement technology</a> on tomatoes in southern Spain, where devastating drought has triggered severe salinization, the process where soils become too salty for crops to grow efficiently.<div type="image" title="An aerial view of a harvesting truck loading tomatoes into a trailer." height="675" width="900" msid="108901209" hostid="261" sizebytes="209370"></div>With SaliCrop's seeds, however, participating tomato farmers have seen a 10% to 17% increase in crop yields, earning them an extra $1,600 per hectare, SaliCrop CEO Carmit Oron told Business Insider.Spain is just one of many places worldwide with a serious salinization issue. A perfect storm of years-long irrigation, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/world-hottest-year-ever-history-climate-crisis-2024-1">warming global temperatures</a>, and sea level rise have made 20% to 50% of irrigated soils worldwide too salty to be fertile. This costs the global economy an estimated $27 billion per year in lost crops.Meanwhile, the number of mouths to feed continues to grow with the global <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/graphics-showing-population-change-world-2019-7">human population</a> projected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, the UN estimates. "How do we grow more on lands that are becoming degraded? This was the main question and the motivation for establishing SaliCrop," Oron said.Godbole founded SaliCrop with Sharon Devir, an agricultural engineer, with a grand mission: Help farmers who face the challenges of our rapidly changing world and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/crispr-genetic-modification-agriculture-food-2018-4">prevent starvation</a> for potentially billions of people."We believe this solution is a must," Devir told BI.<h2>SaliCrop's saltwater success</h2>Scientists at SaliCrop are developing an army of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wild-seeds-of-domesticated-crops-boost-food-security-2019-12">resilient crops</a> that can grow under the stresses of our changing world, like saltier soils and warmer temperatures.Salt naturally occurs in soils everywhere, but too much of it can make it <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/woman-who-fed-people-during-housing-crisis-finds-garden-ruined-2023-4">harder for plants to absorb water</a> and nutrients, which stunts their growth, reduces crop yields, and ultimately threatens global food production.<div type="image" title="Rice seedlings planted in salty soil." height="1414" width="2121" msid="108901214" hostid="261" sizebytes="602392"></div>Across the globe, more than 1.5 billion people live with soils that have become too salty to grow crops efficiently. And it's predicted to only get worse.In India, for example, 44% of the land is already saline, and researchers estimate that salinization will affect 50% of the country by 2050.The problem farmers worldwide can't escape is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/climate-change-global-warming-extreme-heat-inflation-global-economy-impact-2024-3">warmer average temperatures</a>, which speed up evaporation in the soil, concentrating the salt within that soil — especially in arid regions.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sea-levl-rise-flooding-risk-higher-estimates-2019-10">Flooding from rising sea levels</a> also poses a threat, particularly to coastal farmlands, because it deposits more salt into the soil and groundwater. Poor irrigation practices, such as insufficient water application, using saline water, and not maintaining adequate drainage can also lead to salty soils.<div type="image" title="Irrigation machines watering a grassy farm field." height="1414" width="2121" msid="108901218" hostid="261" sizebytes="256520"></div>To help farmers combat all these factors, SaliCrop is working to bring its solution to eight different countries, and is already fielding calls from seed companies in Europe, India, and Africa that are seeking immediate solutions to improve their crop yield, Oron said."Plants have certain environmental stress-inducible genes that act as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/plants-talk-to-each-other-scientists-record-for-first-time-2024-1">internal alarms</a>," Godbole explained in a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/salicrops-novel-seed-enhancement-tech-makes-deserts-bloom-302060421.html">press release</a>. "When there is too much salt, or too much heat, these alarms go off and the plant enters defense mode."Godbole figured out a way to harness those alarm bells by exposing plants to stress early in their growth cycle. In this case, that means watering crops with salt water in their lab. That way, when they're planted in salty soil, the crops already have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/plants-shriek-with-high-pitched-ultrasonic-clicks-when-stressed-study-2023-3">their defenses up</a>, which makes them less sensitive to salty conditions.Based on their test data, this strategy cuts crop losses due to stress in half, and it only takes about a year to achieve that result, Devir said."We calibrate our technology to each crop, to each species, and even to each batch of species," Devir said. This allows them to precisely target the best resilience response and maximize yield for each type of crop.<h2>Seeding the future with non-GMO crops</h2>"We believe that it's a matter of one to two years until we will have a global footprint with our solution," Devir said. So far, SaliCrop has been working with farms 25 acres to 250 acres in size. Globally, over 3,700 acres — just over four times the size of NYC's Central Park — of farmland grow SaliCrop seeds.<div type="image" title="Aerial view of a tractor harvesting alfalfa." height="1409" width="2127" msid="108901219" hostid="261" sizebytes="299864"></div>But SaliCrop isn't the only company targeting a non-GMO solution. Red Sea Farms, for example, is a Saudi Arabian company that uses selective breeding to grow crops that can be irrigated with salt water. In Sweden, a company called OlsAro is growing salt-tolerant wheat by using AI to select traits that improve its resilience.Worldwide, up to 783 million people <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/global-food-crisis-higher-prices-shortages-civil-unrest-2022-8">face chronic hunger</a>. The UN has set an ambitious goal to eradicate hunger by 2030, but it'll need innovative solutions to improve agricultural productivity in the face of climate change.Non-GMO resilient crops are one possible answer. "SaliCrop is a good example of how you can bring to the world a cheap, reliable solution with no negative environmental effect, just to produce more food," Devir said. "We believe in it."

Scientists are growing crops with salt water that could help save us from starvation 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Some buildings in the UK were made with a type of concrete called RAAC that's now unsafe.</li><li>The "crumbly concrete" was used in hundreds of schools and some have been shut over fears of collapses.</li></ul>More than 100 schools in the UK have been closed because the type of concrete used to build them has become unsafe and means they could collapse.The announcement was made just as the new school year began and it's caused havoc for many parents and teachers – and ignited a debate about what the government knew, and when.<h2>What's happening?</h2>The UK government said more than 100 <a target="_blank" href="https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/09/06/new-guidance-on-raac-in-education-settings/">schools</a> faced closure because they contained reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), a material typically used in roof planks and wall panels."RAAC is now life-expired. It is liable to collapse with little or no notice," the Health and Safety Executive <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hse.gov.uk/education/raac.htm">wrote</a>.The concrete has repeatedly been blamed for roof collapses and has been the subject of several reports warning of the risks. These issues have only become more apparent as the material, mostly constructed some decades ago, has aged.The decision to close some schools, or stop using certain buildings, comes at the start of a new school year, exacerbating a policy crisis for the UK government.Most schools have made alternative arrangements such as moving students to other sites, the government said, but nearly 40 have either resorted to pandemic-style remote learning, or delayed the start of their school term altogether.There are now questions over how many other buildings might be fitted with RAAC, and whether those too might be forced to shut. A report in June by the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nao.org.uk/press-releases/condition-of-school-buildings-and-dfe-sustainability-overview/">National Audit Office</a> identified 572 schools with a potential RAAC problem.Other structures such as hospitals, theaters, universities and some apartment buildings are also being checked for the concrete. Several theaters have partially or fully closed because they contain RAAC, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2023/sep/08/uk-theatres-close-concerns-over-crumbling-concrete-raac">The Guardian reported</a>, forcing productions to shut down.Heathrow and Gatwick, Britain's two biggest airports, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/f15ddf6b-8b2b-48c6-8f90-eb8b4f601fc9">told the Financial Times</a> they had found the concrete in some of their buildings.Matthew Byatt, president of the Institute of Structural Engineers, told the FT that a building containing RAAC "could be at risk of collapse with little or no warning."Two of the UK's busiest international airports, Heathrow and Gatwick, told the Financial Times that they had detected the sometimes-fragile concrete on their estates.The crisis has reignited a debate about "austerity," with the opposition Labour party blaming cost-cutting by the ruling Conservatives for creating a ticking time bomb.<h2>Why is the concrete crumbling?</h2>RAAC is dangerous because its components are vulnerable to water seepage, rusting the reinforcing bars the concrete surrounds and reducing their structural integrity.When RAAC was used on flat roofs, the danger was more pronounced as water could remain for extended periods after rainfall.There have long been concerns that these issues would eventually make RAAC building unusable. A collapse in the 1980s was blamed on the concrete and some buildings were subsequently ordered to be demolished.Way back in 1999, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cross-safety.org/sites/default/files/1999-01/scoss-review-1997-99.pdf">the Standing Committee on Structural Safety</a> published a report advising the inspection of any structures built with RAAC before 1980.Fresh concerns were raised in 2018 after a school collapsed in Kent.The Standing Committee <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cross-safety.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/failure-reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-planks.pdf">published</a> another report in 2019 with a fresh warning about the dangers of RAAC, saying that those made before 1980 were now past their use-by date.<h2>Why was the concrete used?</h2>RAAC became popular in the second half of the 20th century amid a construction boom. Before its dangers became apparent, the material – which originated in Sweden in the 1920s – was seen as a cheaper and easier construction method.RAAC was particularly popular between the 1960s and 1980s, which <a target="_blank" href="https://www.lboro.ac.uk/news-events/news/2023/march/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated--concrete-raac/">Professor Chris Goodier</a> of Loughborough University said was the period of most concern to policymakers.Unfortunately, this was also when many UK schools were constructed, owing to the baby boom and an increase in the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2753/EUE1056-493404010265?journalCode=meue19#:~:text=The%20effect%20of%20raising%20the,of%20com%2D%20pulsory%20school%20age.">school-leaving age</a> to 15 in 1947, and to 16 in 1972.According to a <a target="_blank" href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/989912/Condition_of_School_Buildings_Survey_CDC1_-_key_findings_report.pdf">survey</a> by the Department for Education (DfE) published in 2021, nearly 10,000 school buildings were constructed in the 1960s, and about 8,000 in the 1970s.<h2>What's being done?</h2>The government is scrambling to take action, but the crisis was a long time in the making.The Tories took power in 2010 after 13 years of Labour and the financial crisis of 2007/8 with a promise to revive the economy on a policy of aggressive spending cuts labelled austerity.According to the think-tank the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/school-concrete-crisis">Institute for Government</a>, those cuts are linked with schools' RAAC closures. It estimates that the DfE's capital budget dropped by more than a third between 2007/08 and 2020/21, from £7.9 billion to £5.1 billion.As part of the cuts, the government scrapped Labour's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.oecd.org/unitedkingdom/buildingschoolsforthefutureintheunitedkingdom.htm">Building Schools for the Future programme</a>, which might have replaced some of those now affected. Maintenance of school buildings is the responsibility of local councils and academy trusts, but many have also suffered cuts to their funding, further complicating the picture.In the House of Commons on Wednesday, Labour leader Keir Starmer likened prime minister Rishi Sunak's Tory government to "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/sep/06/keir-starmer-likens-government-to-cowboy-builders-over-concrete-crisis-raac">cowboy builders</a>" over the crisis.In an article for the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/it-s-not-just-concrete-the-government-s-it-is-cracking-up-too-7kbrs5q8r">The Times of London,</a> NAO chief Gareth Davies also criticized the government's cavalier approach to maintaining schools."The underlying challenge is that adequately funding responsible capital programmes for our public services leaves less for higher-profile projects. Failure to bite this bullet leads to poor value, with more money required for emergency measures or a sticking plaster approach," he wrote.The Education Secretary <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/education-secretary-addresses-parliament-on-raac-in-education-settings">said</a> the government would fund emergency maintenance measures and longer-term rebuilds where necessary.<h2>What happens now?</h2>Despite making spending cuts over the past decade, the repair bill could be huge.An estimate by the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/ebc33f14-6af9-4c76-acba-46dde8e2b73d">Financial Times</a> suggested the cost of rebuilding blocks at the 572 affected schools could be just over £3.1 billion ($3.9 billion.)Some see the crisis as another blow to the UK's standing as a well-run first-world country, and follows ongoing problems with the National Health Service, soaring cost of living and issues connected with the departure from the European Union.A column in the current issue of the right-leaning political magazine The Spectator is headlined <a target="_blank" href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/broken-britain-what-went-wrong/">Broken Britain: what went wrong?</a>While he's in India this weekend for the G20 summit, the crumbly concrete conundrum will still be waiting for Rishi Sunak upon his return.<div type="image" title="Indian prime minister Narendra Modi welcomes his UK counterpart Rishi Sunak to the G20 summit in New Delhi on Saturday." height="3287" width="4931" msid="103538313" hostid="261"></div>

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