A Guide to Resources for Healthy School Facilities
A Guide to Resources
for Healthy School Facilities
The following is a guide which includes information about a number of EPA-sponsored programs that promote healthy school buildings. These programs can be implemented at little or no cost to school districts. For additional information, and to share your ideas, you may contact the children's health coordinator, Jean Circiello, at 415/744-1631 or via email at Circiello.Jean@epa.gov.
Indoor Air Quality in Schools
Concerns about the increasing rates of asthma in children have lent urgency to the need for preventing and addressing indoor air problems in schools. EPA's voluntary Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools Action Kit offers practical guidance about no cost/low-cost steps designed to assist schools in addressing this problem. If you are interested, contact Shelly Rosenblum (415) 744-1047, or check out the Web site www.epa.gov/iaq/schools.Healthy Portables
Concerns have been raised about indoor air quality in portable or modular classrooms. Call Sid Efross (415-744-1049) for the Region 9 Fact Sheet, Tips for Portable Classrooms: What Do You Need to Know? What Can You Do?The California Department of Health Services provides guidance on the operation of portable classrooms on its indoor air. Web page: www.cal-iaq.org.
In addition, the California Interagency Working Group has published an Advisory on Relocatable and Renovated Classrooms, which can be found at www.cal-iaq.org//iaqsheet.htm#Schools.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for Schools
Careful management of pests at schools can reduce or even eliminate the need to use toxic pesticides. For information about how to manage particular pest problems at your school, ask for a free copy of Region 9's IPM for Schools: A How-to Manual, which can be found on the web site www.epa.gov/region09/toxic/pest/school. The manual includes chapters on ants, cockroaches, fleas, lawns, lice, rats and mice, spiders, scorpions, etc. Additional information for schools is available at the University of Florida's Web site www.ifas.ufl.edu/~schoolipm. Contact Mary Grisier (415) 744-1095.Head Lice
Head lice can be a major nuisance at schools, and parents are often tempted to use medicinal shampoos containing lindane, a persistent and bioaccumulative pesticide. However, these products can cause health problems and lice are becoming resistant to these chemicals. When shampoos with lindane are used, the pesticide travels through the sewer system and ends up in water bodies or in the groundwater. Some municipalities have discovered that the pesticide is causing serious water pollution problems. A less toxic approach for controlling head lice is outlined in Chapter 11 of Region 9's IPM for Schools: A How-to Manual. For a free copy, contact Mary Grisier (415) 744-1095, or visit the Web site at http://www.epa.gov/region09/toxic/pest/school.Janitorial Products
Appropriate janitorial products can play a role in promoting green buildings and a healthy learning environment. For a list of suggested products, check the Web site www.westp2net.org/Janitorial/jp4.htm managed by the Western Regional Pollution Prevention Center. For more information contact Eileen Sheehan (415) 744-2190.Energy Star
In a typical U.S. school, nearly one-third of the energy used is wasted. Energy Star offers schools a national rating system to measure their energy performance. The on-line tool shows how a school building's energy use compares to other schools nationwide, and can help identify future energy upgrades that reap additional savings. For example, San Diego Unified School District implemented Energy Star upgrades at 19 of its schools, and expects to save $5.5 million annually in utility and maintenance costs. For more information about Energy Star, call Sandy Boston (415) 744-1209, or visit the Web site www.energystar.gov.Lead Safe Buildings
Current estimates are that close to one million U.S. children have elevated blood lead levels, largely due to exposure to lead paint in older buildings. The University of California, Berkeley's Labor Occupational Health Program has put together a Lead-Safe Schools Kit, which includes a lead-safe curriculum for maintenance personnel, background information on lead, and a video on lead exposure and lead-safe work practices. To obtain a kit, contact Jill Garellick (510) 622-4959. For more information on lead-safety, call Marjorie Xavier (415) 744-1124, or visit www.epa.gov/leadInsecticidal Chalk
These chalks are marketed for killing cockroaches and other pests, but look like ordinary blackboard chalk. The chalk is sold under several labels including "Miraculous Insecticide Chalk" and "Chinese Chalk." These products are not registered with EPA and could expose students and adults to unsafe levels of pesticides. Some children have been hospitalized after eating insecticide chalk. A pesticide alert with more information is available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese. For copies call Christy Camp (415) 744-2268 or visit the Web page www.epa.gov/region09/toxic/pest/chalk.PCBs in Lighting Ballasts in Schools
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are synthetic chemical compounds consisting of chlorine, carbon, and hydrogen. PCBs are no longer manufactured in the United States, but they remain present in commercial products - such as older fluorescent lights in schools and office buildings. California's Department of Toxic Substances Control is working to remove and safely dispose of PCB-containing lighting ballasts in schools. For more information, contact Mardis Coers (916) 322-0712 or visit the Web site www.epa.gov/opptintr/pcb.SunWise
Global UV levels are rising, contributing to higher incidences of skin cancer. Most cases of skin cancer are a result of overexposure to the sun during childhood. UV can contribute to other adverse health effects such as cataracts and compromised immune systems. The SunWise program educates kids and their families about UV risks. Teachers who sign up for this program at the Web site www.epa.gov/sunwise, will receive a package of materials, including a curriculum, brochures, and a UV monitor that students can use to get real time UV measurements for their community. For more information contact Marie Broadwell (415) 744-1174.Asbestos Building Materials in Schools
Asbestos is a known carcinogen, yet is still used in building materials. If you are remodeling, repairing, or constructing school facilities, check to make sure no asbestos will be released. For more information call Pat Maravilla (415) 744-1122, or visit the Web site www.epa.gov/asbestos.Green Buildings
Building with resource efficient construction materials can save energy and protect natural resources. EPA provides procurement guidelines and specification language for recycled content building materials that should be used for school construction and renovation, playground equipment, and landscaping products. These guidelines are available at www.epa.gov/cpg. Contact Timonie Hood (415) 744-1113.Recycling
Recycling prevents wasting valuable resources and reduces heath risks associated with waste disposal. Schools can be designed with extra interior and exterior storage space for recycling bins. Information on setting up recycling programs in schools is available at www.epa.gov/kids/garbage.htm. Contact Timonie Hood (415) 744-1113.
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