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Resources
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General School Resources
- Evaluation
of Results from EPA's Schools Chemical Cleanout
Campaign (PDF) (67
pp, 321K)
- Protecting
Health and the Environment at K-12 Schools, Including
Art Programs presents two free manuals—one
is a primary environmental compliance guide for
K-12 schools, while the other serves the same
purpose for art programs at K-12 schools, colleges
and art studios. Both manuals also provide best
management practices applicable to schools' environmental
concerns.
-
Healthy School Environment Resources is your
gateway to on-line resources to help facility
managers, school administrators, architects, design
engineers, school nurses, parents, teachers and
staff address environmental health issues in schools.
- Healthy
School Environments Assessment Tool (HealthySEAT)
is a unique software tool developed by EPA to
help school districts evaluate and manage key
environmental, safety and health issues at school
facilities. Designed to be customized and used
by district-level staff to conduct completely
voluntary self-assessments of their school (and
other) facilities and to track and manage information
on environmental conditions school by school.
- National
Institute of Health (NIH) Mad as a Hatter Mercury
Abatement Campaign provides information that
you can use about NIH's campaign to eliminate
all unnecessary uses of mercury in their NIH facilities,
encourage the use of safer alternatives in biomedical
research, increase general awareness of mercury
hazards, and prevent mercury spills and pollution.
- Children's
Health Protection contains tips and information
to protect children from potential environmental
hazards.
- Healthy
Schools for Healthy Learning
lets you explore the site while learning about
indoor environmental quality, safe chemical storage
and other environmental health topics that affect
schools. The highlight of this site is the Schoolhouse
Tour. By taking this tour you can explore a variety
of classrooms and other locations of a school.
Along the way you will learn important information
about environmental health in schools.
Health and Safety Guide for K-12 Schools in Washington,
developed by the State of Washington, is a guide
for schools to use as a self-inspection tool.
It recommends good health and safety practices
to help ensure safer schools.
- Tribal
Schools Compliance Assistance Notebook provides
quick access to the many programs and resources
available to help prevent and resolve environmental
issues in schools. EPA Region 10 has compiled
these materials to assist Tribal school districts
and Tribal schools in complying with Federal laws
and regulations and maintaining school facilities
that are safe and healthy for students and staff.
- EPA's
Schools and Mercury Web site provides links
to information for school administrators, faculty,
staff, local health jurisdictions, and parent
groups on how to reduce the hazards of mercury
on children's health, avoid chemical liabilities,
develop planning tools, and establish collection
programs for mercury.
- Mercury:
An Educator's Toolkit provides detailed information
and resources related to mercury safety in schools.
- The SC3 Grant page provides information about the EPA grant to support an innovative project that advances the goals of SC3.
Developing a Chemical Management Program
General Chemical Management Program Resources
- CPSC
and NIOSH School Chemistry Laboratory Safety Guide
(PDF) (86 pp, 1.7MB)
is a safety guide for high school science and
chemistry laboratories. It provides practical
safety information in a checklist format useful
to both groups to reduce chemical injuries in
a laboratory environment.
- Idaho's
Department of Environmental Quality's Waste Management
Educational Tools: Chemical Roundup
provides fact sheets on best practices for pollution
prevention in school labs, chemical inventory,
storage, and disposal.
- Pollution
Prevention Measures for Safer School Laboratories
(PDF) (10 pp, 120K),
developed by EPA Region 8 and Roche Colorado,
is an easy to read tool kit offering tips on maintaining
an inventory, chemical purchasing, storage, and
labeling, and pollution prevention.
- The
Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Office
of Environmental Health and Safety (OEHS)
provides many resources for school officials,
including a searchable product review tool, lists
of chemicals approved by the State of California
and OEHS for use in LAUSD school laboratories,
information about its Chemical Hygiene Program
and a Science Safety Handbook for California Public
Schools.
- Rehab
the Lab
is a program King County Washington created to
help schools manage their hazardous chemicals.
You can download fully scripted lesson plans for
least-toxic chemistry labs, information on ways
to reduce chemical stockpiles in biology labs,
and a list of chemicals whose risks outweigh their
educational utility.
Chemical Inventory
- Montana
DEQ School Labs: Evaluating School Lab Chemicals
offers recommended safety procedures to follow
when conducting a chemical inventory.
- Florida
SC3
includes information on how to conduct a chemical
inventory.
- The
State of Tennessee's SC3 Inventory Procedures
Web site
provides an inventory spreadsheet and guidance
on inventory procedures.
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
An MSDS is a comprehensive fact sheet prepared by chemical manufacturers that describes the physical properties, health effects, and other characteristics of chemicals, as well as procedures for handling, storing, and disposing. The Web sites listed below offer valuable information on MSDS:
- The
NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards is
intended as a source of general industrial hygiene
information on several hundred chemicals/classes
for workers, employers, and occupational health
professionals. The information found in the Pocket
Guide can help users recognize and control chemical
hazards.
- Where
to Find MSDS on the Internet
provides MSDS resources for governments and nonprofit
organizations. Users can search MSDS resources
by product or manufacturer.
Regulatory Requirements
Many chemical management practices are often regulated at the federal, state, and/or local level. Contact your state or local health departments for more information.
- Contact your state
environmental department about specific regulations.
- Occupational
Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories
provides information on Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) regulation 29CFR1910.1450.
- EPA's
Hazardous Waste Generators and Lab
Waste at Educational Institutions sites outline
federal hazardous waste storage and requirements.
- Environmental Management Guide for Small Laboratories offers guidance on addressing environmental issues in small chemical laboratories.
Chemical Use and Management
The Web sites listed below offer valuable information on the proper handling of chemicals:
Green Cleaning
- Green Cleaning
Fact Sheet (PDF) (2
pp, 67K) explains basic green cleaning concepts
and offers tips on how to build a green cleaning
program.
- EPA's
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)
describes environmentally preferable purchasing
and provides tools for choosing and buying greener
products. Specifically the Green
Cleaning page discusses environmental attributes
and provides additional resources.
- Cleaning
Products and Services discusses where to purchase
more environmentally sustainable cleaning products
and factors to consider when purchasing cleaning
supplies.
- Green
Cleaning Pollution Prevention Calculator on
the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive's
Web site is a tool that can be used to assist
with purchasing more environmentally-friendly
cleaning products. In addition to the tool, this
Web site discusses green cleaning benefits.
- Healthy Schools Network, Inc.'s Guide
to Green Cleaning: Healthier Cleaning & Maintenance
Practices and Products for Schools (PDF) (8
pp, 261K) offers examples of policy and
practices for green cleaning.
- Healthy
Schools Campaign
contains case studies of schools that have switched
to using safer cleaning alternatives, lists of
certified green cleaners and additional resources
on purchasing safer cleaning products.
- Household
Products Database by the National Institutes
of Health, National Library of Medicine is a database
that links over 6,000 consumer brands to health
effects from Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
and allows scientists and consumers to research
products based on chemical ingredients. The database
can help answer questions regarding the toxicity
and health effects of chemical ingredients in
a specific product.
- Western
Regional Pollution Prevention Network: Janitorial
Products Pollution Prevention Project
provides information on proper storage and care
of chemicals. This project is an effort to reduce
the risk and raise the awareness of chemicals
for janitorial staff. The Web site mentions risks
associated with cleaners and ways to manage chemicals
more safely.
- INFORM's
Cleaning For Health: Products and Practices for
a Safer Indoor Environment
is a one-stop guide to environmentally preferable
cleaning products and methods that have been effectively
used in office buildings, schools, hospitals and
other facilities. It describes product evaluation
programs and lists the brands that were chosen
based on environmental and performance criteria.
It also provides a model specification, as well
as manufacturer contacts and other resources for
those who want to develop a safer cleaning program
for their buildings.
- Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology ( APIC) Guideline for Selection and Use of Disinfectants, geared towards health care personnel, provides information for selecting and properly using disinfectants.
Integrated Pest Management
- Integrated
Pest Management in Schools defines Integrated
Pest Management (IPM), how to get started with
IPM, and common pests. It also provides resources
regarding IPM, as well as comments from organizations
that are currently practicing IPM.
- National
School IPM Information Source ,
sponsored by the University of Florida and EPA,
offers valuable information on IPM and programs
in your state.
Greening Labs and Lesson Plans
The Web sites listed below offer valuable information on greening labs and lesson plans:
- Green
Chemical Alternatives Purchasing Wizard
is a web-based tool created by MIT. The wizard
is a guided process that allows the user to search
from a select list of solvents commonly used in
the laboratory, and the associated process. The
Wizard identifies less hazardous and more environmentally
benign chemicals or processes that may be substituted,
and provides journal references as well as URLs
to information that is available online.
- Green
Chemistry Experiments for High Schools
developed by Union University in Tennessee these
green chemistry manuals offer lab experiments
that use less hazardous chemicals.
- Green
Your Lesson Plans
discusses lesson plans that can be incorporated
into curricula on environmental topics. Topics
vary from energy to waste reduction to air quality.
Some of the topics that directly relate to chemicals
include: green chemistry, chemistry of cleaning
and chemical management plans.
- Least
Toxic Chemistry Labs: King County, Washington
features a curriculum that discusses a hazard-free
lab. The curriculum is designed for high school
chemistry classes.
- Green
Chemistry Institute: American Chemistry Society
provides activities and resources on green chemistry.
Some of the resources include lesson plans and
textbooks.
- National
Microscale Chemistry Center
describes microscale chemistry, the equipment,
and benefits.
- Science
Safety Information Guides
were developed by the Council of State Supervisors
with support from other organizations. The site
contains separate guides for elementary and secondary
science teachers on general science safety.
School Nurses
The Web sites listed below offer valuable information for school nurses:
- Children's
Health: Safe Workplaces and Healthy Working Places,
Environmentally Healthy Schools
provides information on healthy school environments
for children and provides resource links.
- EnviRN
contains information on mercury and Green Schools
of Nursing.
- The
National Association of School Nurses Position
Statement on Environmental Impact Concerns in
the School Setting
states that preventing potentially toxic environmental
exposures in children is an essential element
in promoting student health and educational success.
The paper also provides additional resources for
nurses.
Outreach
Brochures
These brochures provide potential SC3 partners with campaign information, and basic chemical management steps. Chemicals in Schools: Partner for Healthy School Environments targets community partners. Chemicals in Schools: Solutions for Healthy School Environments targets K-12 school partners.
- Chemicals in Schools:
Partner for Healthy School Environments (PDF)
(2 pp, 224K)
- Chemicals in Schools: Solutions for Healthy School Environments (PDF) (2 pp, 205K)
Public Service Announcements
These public service announcements (PSAs) target K-12 school and community partners. The PSAs can be used to promote school chemical cleanout information.
PSA for Organizations
Is Chemical Safety Part of the Equation? (PDF) (1 pg, 2.4MB)
Learn how your organization can work with schools to protect kids from chemical accidents.
PSA for Schools
You Work Hard to Keep Your Students Safe from Bullies and Drugs. But What About Chemicals? (PDF) (1 p, 7.2MB)
Mismanaged chemicals expose students and staff to unnecessary dangers. Learn about the Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign.
SC3 Video
Watch the SC3 video: Maria Vickers, Deputy Director of EPA’s Office of Solid Waste, and Maria Johnson, Science Department Chair at Wakefield High School in Arlington, VA discuss the Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign.
Partnership Agreement
The Schools Chemical Cleanout Partnership Agreement describes the actions that an organization volunteers to undertake as a program partner. The Agreement is between EPA and the partner and does not impose any legally-binding obligations on EPA, the SC3 partner, or any other entity.
Presentations
These presentations can be used by teachers, administrators, and state officials to promote safe chemical management.
- Chemical Safe Schools
in Rhode Island (PDF) (11
pp, 32K) | PowerPoint
Version (11 pp, 56K)
highlights Safe Schools in Rhode Island; discusses
utilizing schools resources, such as the chemical
hygiene officer and business officers; and mentions
accessing outside resources, such as local health
and safety officers and fire marshals.
- Improving Chemical
Management in Maine Schools (PDF) (22
pp, 1.5MB) | PowerPoint
Version (22 pp, 1.6MB)
addresses where chemicals can be found, origin
of the chemical program, costs regarding chemical
management, and the importance of business managers.
- No More " Methyl
Something": Improving Management of Curriculum
Chemicals in Schools (PDF) (42
pp, 739K) | PowerPoint
Version (42 pp, 3.4MB)
discusses where chemicals are found, the risks
of chemicals, chemical storage practices, actions
that can be taken to reduce chemical risks, and
chemical resources.
- Planning for Environmental Health and Safety Issues in Schools (PDF) (40 pp, 1MB) | PowerPoint Version (40 pp, 5.5MB) provides basic information about safe chemical management, examples of mismanaged and inappropriate chemicals in schools, and actions schools can take to address the problem.
Press Releases
- EPA Calls for Partnering on School Chemical Safety (October 23, 2007)
- No Recess for School Chemicals (March 23, 2007)