A member of the Nitrous Oxide Out of Classrooms (NOOC) group, Mr Dollin is making parents aware of the hazards allegedly associated with un-flued heaters.

“They are not fitted with a chimney to direct air pollution out of the buildings where they are used and emit nitrous oxide and other toxic combustion by-products directly into classrooms,” Mr Dollin said in the leaflet.

Speaking to The Weekly, Mudgee Public School principal Mark Young said the matter had been referred to the Department of Education.

“The department has been made aware of the issue and they are following it up right away,” Mr Young said.

Members of NOOC and other groups in the state, including COUGH in the Blue Mountains, have been trying to get the heaters banned by May 15.

“We are trying to get all schools in NSW that are affected involved by handing out the information between now and May 15,” Mr Dollin said.

“Some parents are considering taking their kids out of the public school system on May 15 (if nothing is done).”

Mr Dollin said he had a call from the NSW ombudsman who said questions regarding the un-flued gas heaters would be answered in the state parliament sittings yesterday (April 7) and again on April 14.

“We are also working on getting the local P and C members and the school council on board.”

Vicki Pattison has two children attending Mudgee Public School and a third at home. She said she had noticed the effect of the heaters.

“I don’t like the gas heaters, I have walked into the classrooms and felt how stuffy it is.”

“You can see how it would make the children lethargic,” Ms Pattison said.

Mr Young said the school was following department guidelines.

“The Department (of Education) has guidelines they are using and the school is following those guidelines,” Mr Young said.

Un-flued gas heaters have already been banned in Western Australia, Victoria, Queensland, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and India.