Lead

Lead is poisonous because it interferes with some of the body's basic functions. Exposure to low levels of lead can permanently affect children. In low levels, lead can cause nervous system and kidney damage, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, and decreased intelligence. High levels of lead can have devastating effects on children, including seizures, unconsciousness, and, in some cases, death.

For more information on Lead, visit:

Lead in Paint, Dust, and Soil
Information on lead in paint, dust, and soil in mainly residential settings.

Featured Lead Resources:

Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool (HealthySEAT)
HealthySEAT is a new software tool from EPA designed to help school districts conduct voluntary, customized self-assessments of their school facilities for environmental, health, and safety hazards.
Source: EPA - Office of Air and Radiation - Indoor Environments Division
http://www.epa.gov/schools

Lead in Paint, Dust, and Soil
This page provides information on hazards associated with lead, training, brochures, and links to regional sources.
Source: EPA - National Lead Information Center
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/lead/index.html

Lead in Drinking Water in Schools and Day Care Centers
Exposure to lead is a significant health concern, especially for young children and infants whose growing bodies tend to absorb more lead than the average adult. Testing water in schools and day care facilities is important because children spend a significant portion of their days in these facilities, and likely consume water while there.
Source: EPA - Office of Water
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/schools

National Compliance Assistance Clearinghouse
The National Compliance Assistance Clearinghouse is your guide to compliance information on the Internet. It provides quick access to compliance tools, contacts, and planned activities from across EPA as well as other compliance assistance providers.
Source: EPA - National Compliance Assistance Clearninghouse
http://cfpub1.epa.gov/clearinghouse/index.cfm?Tab=Home

NCEF- Healthy School Environments Resource List
National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities resource list of links, books, and journal articles on environmentally safe and healthy school buildings.
Source: National Institute of Building Sciences - National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/healthy_schools.cfm

LEED for Schools
The LEED for Schools Rating System recognizes the unique nature of the design and construction of K-12 schools. Based on the LEED for New Construction rating system, it addresses issues such as classroom acoustics, master planning, mold prevention and environmental site assessment.
Source: U.S. Green Building Council
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1586

New Hampshire Healthy School Environments
This website provides links to resources to help schools assess and address health, safety and environmental issues in school buildings. Both a fact sheet on NH Department of Environmental Services (NH DES) efforts to customize EPA's HealthySEAT , as well as New Hampshire customization of the software may be downloaded from this site.
Source: New Hampshire Department of Envrionmental Services Air Resources Division - Air Resources Division
http://www.des.nh.gov/ARD/EHP/HSE

Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Walkthrough Video Assessment
This is a streaming-video module directed towards schools in city environments. The purpose is to help people identify potential indoor air quality problems and how to correct them. Based on EPA's Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program.
Source: Rutgers University
http://urbantfs.digiscript.com/

Rhode Island Rules and Regulations for School Health Programs
These regulations, issued by RI Department of Education and RI Deptartment of Health, address a number of environmental/health issues in schools, such as: mercury, pesticide application, asbestos, lead, radon, water supply, and chemical hygiene plans. The regulations prohibit the use of certain chemicals from schools (see Appendix A).
Source: RI Dept Education and RI Dept Health
http://www.rules.state.ri.us/rules/released/pdf/DOH/DOH_2722.pdf

Wisconsin - Green Schools Program
The Wisconsin Green Schools Program is a web based, voluntary program available to all K-12 schools across the state. The program encourages teachers, staff and students to work together to use the school, grounds, and community as learning tools to help teach sound environmental practices and promote environmental sustainability. A wide variety of environmental topics are addressed.
Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Green Schools Program
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/greenSchools

California -- Sustainable Schools
This website provides a diverse collection of sustainable building resources that will help schools create high performance educational facilities that will ensure the optimal health and productivity of students and faculty.
Source: California Division of the State Architect
http://www.sustainableschools.dgs.ca.gov/sustainableschools/

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Improving Environmental Conditions in MA Schools
This website provides links to a variety of web resources that address how to improve the school environment. Topics such as facilities management (including a wide range of environmental, health and safety issues), hazardous waste site impacts on schools, transportation, and waste reduction and recycling are addressed.
Source: Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
http://www.mass.gov/dep/service/schools.htm

Pennsylvania Green Building Operations and Maintenance Manual
This manual for environmentally preferable operation and maintenance of government buildings and associated grounds is designed to help carry out the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Executive Order 1998-1 to "incorporate environmentally sustainable practices into [Executive Agencies'] ... operations."
Source: Pennsylvania Department of General Services' Property Management
http://www.dgs.state.pa.us/dgs/cwp/view.asp?Q=118184&A=363

Environmental Health and Safety in the Arts
This environmental health and safety manual covers art education and production. This manual is available on-line in both English and Spanish.
Source: EPA - Region 2
http://www.epa.gov/region02/children/k12/artpdf.htm

Environmental Compliance and Best Management Practices Guidance Manual
This comprehensive environmental manual is available on-line in both English and Spanish.
Source: EPA - Region 2
http://www.epa.gov/region02/children/k12/

Green Buildings Portal
Green or sustainable building is the practice of creating healthier and more resource-efficient models of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance, and demolition. EPA's Green Building web portal provides links to energy, waste, water, materials, and indoor environment resources.
Source: EPA-Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response - Office of Solid Waste
http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/

Washington State School Health and Safety Program
The program provides consultation, technical assistance, and training to local health jurisdictions, schools, and parent groups on school health and safety issues.
Source: Washington State Department of Health - Office of Environmental Health & Safety
http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/school.htm

NCEF Resource List: Lead Safety in Schools
NCEF's resource list of links, books, and journal articles on lead hazards in paint, soil, and water; managing lead in schools; and lead safety and school modernization.
Source: National Institute of Building Sciences - National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/water_safety.cfm

Indiana - IDEM E-Newsletter for Indiana Educators
This newletter provides information on a range of environmental topics which schools must address.
Source: Indiana Department of Environmental Management
http://www.in.gov/idem/schoolnews

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools Kit
This Web site provides a description of the IAQ Tools for Schools Kit which shows schools how to carry out a practical plan of action to improve indoor air quality at little or no cost using common sense activities and in-house staff.
Source: EPA Region 6 - Tools for Schools Program
http://www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6pd/toolsforschools/tools4u.htm

Tox Town
An introduction to toxic chemicals and environmental health risks you might encounter in everyday life, in everyday places, including schools.
Source: National Institutes of Health - National Library of Medicine
http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/index.html

New York State Department of Education Office of Facilities Planning
Contains a wide range of resources on environmental and occupational safety and health issues affecting school facilities.
Source: New York State Education Department - Office of Facilities Planning
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/facplan/HealthSafety.htm

Massachusetts Environmental Health and Safety Issues in Massachusetts' Primary Schools
The interagency Healthy Schools Council was tasked with identifying a list of the most important issues for schools to address in terms of environmental health and safety. A multi-agency/multi-media checklist was developed addressing these issues.
Source: Massachusetts Healthy Schools Council - Massachusetts Department of Public Health
http://www.state.ma.us/dph/beha/iaq/schools/schools.htm

California - Los Angeles Unified School District Product Review Database
Searchable database of over 5,000 products evaluated by the LAUSD Office of Environmental Health and Safety to determine their suitability for use in and around Los Angeles schools.
Source: Los Angeles Unified School District - Office of Environmental Health & Safety
http://www.lausd-oehs.org/productreview.asp

EPA Guide to Protecting Children's Health in Schools
Software tool developed by EPA Region 5 and Purdue University provides information on hazards found in schools, inlcuding a virtual tour of a school, the potential effects of those hazards on children's health, planning tools, case studies, and lnks to resources to help schools prevent and fix environmental problems.
Source: EPA Region 5 & Purdue University
http://www.epa.gov/seahome/child.html

Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control
Page dedicated to providing the public information on how to control lead hazards in the home. Could also be applied to school facilities.
Source: Housing & Urban Development - Lead Office
http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/

EPA Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention
The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) establishes requirements for Federal, State and local governments, Indian Tribes, and industry regarding emergency planning and Community Right-to-Know reporting on hazardous and toxic chemicals. The Community Right-to-Know provisions help increase the public's knowledge and access to information on chemicals at individual facilities, their uses, and releases into the environment. States and communities, working with facilities, can use the information to improve chemical safety and protect public health and the environment.
Source: EPA Chemical Emergency Preparedness & Prevention - Chemical Emergency Preparedness & Prevention (CEPPO)
http://yosemite.epa.gov/oswer/ceppoweb.nsf/content/epcraOverview.htm#epcraoverview

EPA New England's K-12 Schools Website
This site discusses efforts to improve coordination and integration amongst EPA's many schools related programs, and provides links to Regional topic specific web sites, such as: asbestos, diesel school buses, drinking water, environmental management systems, energy, indoor air quality, lead, mercury and teacher and student resources. Links to national websites are provided as well.
Source: EPA Region 1
http://www.epa.gov/ne/schools

NCEF Resource List: Classroom Design
NCEF offers an annotated list of links, books, and journal articles addressing indoor air quality issues in K-12 school buildings, including building materials, maintenance practices, renovation procedures and ventilation systems. This specific site highlights various resources on classroom design.
Source: National Institute of Building Sciences - National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/classroom_design.cfm

Illinois -- Greening Schools
Greening Schools offers FREE technical assistance, workshops for teachers, administrators and facility managers, and on-line resources related to pollution prevention for all Illinois schools.
Source: Illinois Waste Management and Research Center
http://www.greeningschools.org

Inventory of Federal School Environmental Health Activities
This inventory was prepared by the Schools Workgroup of the President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children and includes descriptions of major school related programs and activities of EPA and other Federal departments and Agencies.
Source: EPA -- President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children
http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/Inventory.htm/$file/Inventory.pdf

Florida -- Brevard County Public Schools Office of Plant Operations and Maintenance
The Office of Plant Operations and Maintenance for Brevard Public Schools in east-central Florida provides information to school administrators and facility managers on a wide range of environmental health and safety topics.
Source: Florida Brevard Public Schools - Environmental Health and Safety
http://plant-ops.brevard.k12.fl.us/

EPA Region 7: Chemical Management and Usage
Proper chemical management is critical to preventing and/or controlling a variety of Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) issues within any facility. Understanding the materials present at the school will enable you to understand the issues associated with these substances. Properly recognizing and controlling the hazards inherent to these materials will enhance your ability to create a safe school with minimal environmental liabilities.
Source: EPA Region 7- Burlington Board of Health
http://www.epa.gov/Region7/education_resources/teachers/ehsstudy/ehs1.htm

Massachusetts Preventing Indoor Air Quality Problems During Construction and Renovation
Renovation can adversely impact Indoor Air Quality in occupied building areas. Symptoms include headache, eye, throat, and respiratory irritation, and an increase in asthma complaints. The following recommendations have been successful in reducing Indoor Air Quality complaints during building renovation activities.
Source: Commonwealth of Massachusetts - Department of Workforce and Labor Development - Division of Occupational Safety
http://www.state.ma.us/dos/iaqdocs/IAQ-388.htm

Pennsylvania What Schools and Day Cares Should Know About Lead in Drinking Water
Fact sheet with information about lead in drinking water and what these facilities can do to reduce the risk of lead contamination in drinking water.
Source: Pennsylvania - Department of Environmental Protection
http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/watermgt/wc/subjects/cvmp/default.htm

California Evaluating and Cleaning Up School Sites
DTSC's Schools Property Evaluation and Cleanup Division is responsible for assessing, investigating and cleaning-up proposed school property sites. The Division ensures that selected properties are free of contamination or, if the properties were previously contaminated, that they have been cleaned-up to a level that protects the students and faculty who will occupy the new school.
Source: California - Department of Toxic Substances Control
http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/Schools/

Massachusetts Healthy Schools Web site
The Massachusetts Healthy Schools Web site is a resource for promoting healthy indoor air environments and environmentally sustainable school buildings in Massachusetts.
Source: Massachusetts Public Health Association - Massachusetts Healthy Schools Network
http://www.mphaweb.org/pol_schools.html

Indiana's 5-Star Environmental Recognition for Day Care Facilities
Program to identify and recognize "green" day care facilities. Includes a multi media self assessment that includes air, water, safety, hygiene, etc.
Source: Indiana Department of Environmental Management
http://www.IN.gov/idem/kids/5star/index.html

Lead Paint in Schools
Frequently asked questions about lead paint in schools from the National Resources Defense Council.
Source: Natural Resources Defense Council
http://www.nrdc.org/health/kids/qleadsch.asp

Working in a Lead-Safe School
Facts for school maintenance workers from the University of California at Berkley's Lead-Safe Schools Project.
Source: University of California at Berkley - Lead-Safe Schools Project
http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~lohp/graphics/pdf/LEADSAFE.PDF

Children's Environmental Health Program
This Web site describes the Children's Environmental Health Program of the National Safety Council that serves to educate the public on children's environmental health issues like asthma, sun exposure, and lead poisoning.
Source: National Safety Council - Environmental Health Center
http://www.nsc.org/ehc/chldhlth.htm

Children's Environmental Health Legislation Database
The Children's Environmental Health Legislation database includes state legislation on topics such as asthma, mercury, lead poisoning, pesticides and indoor air quality.
Source: National Conference of State Legislatures - Washington Office
http://www.ncsl.org/programs/environ/envHealth/cehdb.htm

12 Steps Toward a Healthier School
Children spend an enormous amount of their waking hours in the school environment. Children are a vulnerable population due to their small size and special physiology, and therefore it is important that schools be as environmentally safe as possible. Listed here are twelve areas of special concern.
Source: Environment & Human Health, Inc. -
http://www.ehhi.org/reports/12schools/

Environmental Education
EPA's Office of Environmental Education builds partnerships in order to achieve the following goals: link environmental education (EE) to reform efforts, build the capacity of EE provider organizations, and catalyze research that examines EE's effectiveness in achieving environmental protection and education goals.
Source: EPA - Office of Environmental Education
http://www.epa.gov/enviroed

U.S Department of Labor: Occupational Safety & Health Administration
Occupational Safety and Health Standards
Source: U.S. Department of Labor - Occupational Safety & Health Administration
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owastand.display_standard_group?p_toc_level=1&p_part_number=1910