EPA Region 10 Healthy Schools Team
Kids grow
and learn better
in pollution-free
schools
SERA
EPA910-N-10-002
May 2010
Washington • Oregon • Idaho • Alaska
Welcome to the Spring 2010 edition of
EPA Healthy School NEWS!
We hope you find this newsletter useful in providing
information on how to keep schools environmentally
healthy for our children. In this edition, we focus on how
you can help reduce the presence of harmful chemicals
that may be in your school. Specifically we provide
articles, tips, and links on how to reduce pesticide use,
address PCBs in caulk, use green cleaning techniques,
and participate in EPA's Chemical Cleanout Campaign.
We also continue to provide information on available
resources and happenings in your state.
We are excited about the positive response we
received from our first edition and look forward to your
continued questions and feedback. Enjoy Healthy
School NEWS, as well as the remainder of your 2009-
2010 school year!
Sincerely,
Margo Young, EPA Region 10
Children's Health & Environmental Education
young.margo@epa.gov or 206-553-1287
In This Issue
School Integrated Pest Management
Green Cleaning - Protect Human Health
without Harming the Environment
Caulk Containing PCBs May Be Present In
Older Schools and Buildings
School Chemical Cleanout Campaign
What's Happening In Your State
Hot Topic
Availability of Indoor Air Quality Monitor Stations
for Washington Schools
School Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) can affect concentration, attendance, and
student performance. Students and staff exposed to poor IAQ are at an
increased risk of short-term health problems such as fatigue and nausea,
as well as long-term problems such as asthma.
K-12 schools in Washington are encouraged to borrow one of WA
Department of Health's (DOH) free portable indoor air quality monitoring
stations to promote healthy school environments. The stations monitor
carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, humidity, temperature, and airborne
dust levels. Learn more about the loan program at DOH's School
Environmental Health & Safety Web site: http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/
ts/School/iaqmonitor.htm For general information on School IAQ or to
receive a school IAQ action kit visit: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/
index.html
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Healthy School News
May 2010
School Integrated Pest Management
EPA encourages all schools
to adopt integrated pest
management (IPM). IPM aims
to protect health by reducing
exposure to both pests and
pesticides. IPM decreases
asthma triggers, insect bites and
stings, and the possible health
effects associated with pesticide
exposure. Peer-reviewed studies
have also found IPM to be more
effective at pest control than
conventional pesticide use in an urban environment.
IPM programs work by reducing sources of food, water,
and shelter for pests and only using least-hazardous
pesticides after other methods have been exhausted.
IPM requires consistent monitoring and recordkeeping of
pests and corrective actions. A successful program also
requires the coordination and necessary training of school
staff. Examples of IPM include: excluding pests from the
building by caulking holes, vacuuming food crumbs, and
reducing clutter.
School IPM requirements vary by state. In Oregon, a bill
was passed that requires each school district to have a
school IPM plan and a designated IPM coordinator by
July 1, 2012. Contact your state agriculture agency for
more information on your state's school pest management
requirements.
For more information on school IPM visit http://www.epa.
gov/pesticides/ipm/ or contact Juliann Barta at 206-553-
1495 or barta.juliann@epa.gov
What's Happening In Your State
Idaho
Idaho Department of Environmental Quality has a program
called Idaho Chemical Roundup to assist schools in
adopting best practices for managing laboratory chemicals
and wastes. Visit http://www.deq.state.id.us/waste/educ_
tools/chemical_roundup.cfm to learn more.
Oregon
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and EPA
are currently doing air toxics monitoring at two Oregon
schools. Learn what you can do to reduce outdoor air
pollution near your school: http://www.deq.state.or.us/aq/
toxics/whatyoucando.htm
Alaska
Alaska has a School Health Program to enhance school
health programming and improve the school health
environment. Get more information and resources here:
http://www.hss.state.ak.us/dph/chronic/school/default.htm
Washington
Washington State University has created a winter edition
of the IAQ for NW Schools Newsletter: http://www.energy.
wsu.edu/documents/building/iaq/nl/10_wtr_iaq_nl.pdf
You'll find articles on IPM, Radon, Molds and
Moisture, and more. Also for those schools in or
near Washington, you may wish to check out the
Energy Facilities Conference in Leavenworth in May:
http://www.energy.wsu.edu/apps/PlantOperations/
EnergyFacilitiesConnectionsConference.aspx
Green Cleaning - Protect Human Health without Harming the Environment
Many cleaning products contain harmful chemicals that can have serious adverse effects on janitorial staff, building
occupants, and the environment. On average, custodians use 28 gallons of chemicals each year, 25% of those
chemicals are classified as hazardous chemicals. There are many effects of traditional
cleaners, including negative environmental and health impacts, increased health
insurance costs, and an increased rate of absences for students and staff.
Green cleaning is a new approach to janitorial services that offers better environmental
performance and reduced risks to children and staff, while retaining the same sanitation
quality as traditional, more chemical-intensive methods.
There are 3rd Party Certification programs that exist to help decide which cleaning
products to choose. Look for the Green Seal, Ecologo, and EPA's Design for the
Environment logo on products.
EPA has also developed a Green Cleaning Pollution Prevention Calculator to forecast
the environmental benefits of green cleaning. Visit http://204.12.33.69/janitor/to see how
going green will affect your school.
For more information on buying green, contact Carolyn Gangmark at gangmark.
carolyn@epa.gov.
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Healthy School News
May 2010
Caulk Containing PCBs May Be Present
In Older Schools and Buildings
Between 1950 and 1978, caulk containing potentially
harmful PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) was used
in many buildings, including schools. Although PCBs
were banned in the United States in 1978, contaminated
caulk still exists in older schools that have not had the
caulk replaced. In general, schools built after 1978 do
not contain PCBs in
caulk.
PCBs accumulate
in the body in
high levels only
after prolonged
exposure to the
chemical. PCB
bioaccumulation
in children can
damage immune,
reproductive,
nervous, and
endocrine systems.
Children can be exposed to PCBs by:
Breathing in dust contaminated with PCBs
• Touching caulk and contaminated soil directly
Putting their hands into their mouths after touching
the caulk, soil, and surrounding building materials.
Restricting children from areas where PCB-containing
caulk is located, promoting safe work practices during
renovation activities in schools, and removing caulk
safely as part of a PCB removal or renovation project
reduces the potential for exposure.
For more information about PCBs in your schools caulk
call EPA's PCBs in Caulk Hotline: 888-835-5372, visit
http://www.epa.gov/pcbsincaulk/or contact Tristen
Gardner, at 206-553-6240 or gardner.tristen@epa.gov.
School Chemical Cleanout Campaign
The EPA's Schools
Chemical Cleanout
Campaign (SC3)
promotes chemical
management programs
that remove outdated,
unknown, or unneeded
amounts of dangerous
or inappropriate
chemicals from K-12 schools. SC3 also promotes
the creation of policies and practices that prevent
future accumulations of chemicals and encourages
responsible management practices of chemicals used
in schools. A chemical management program will
protect the health and safety of students and school
personnel by preventing fires, spills, and chemical
accidents, and by reducing chemical exposures.
Key components of a chemical management program
include:
1. Assembling a team of teachers, facilities staff,
school nurses, administrators, and community
partners with technical expertise to assess
chemical safety issues and set policy
2. Establishing a chemical management plan;
3. Conducting periodic chemical inventories;
4. Budgeting for chemical purchases, management
and disposal;
5. Establishing environmentally preferable
purchasing practices;
6. Encouraging school staff to use the smallest
amounts of the least hazardous chemicals; and
7. Offering chemical management and safety
training for school staff.
Visit www.epa.gov/sc3 or contact Margo Young at
young.margo@epa.gov for more tools and information
about starting a chemical management program in
your school.
Healthy School NEWS is published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 10. Region 10 includes the states
of Washington, Idaho, Alaska and Oregon and the tribes within those boundaries. For general information about school
environmental health or to provide feedback on this newsletter, please contact Margo Young at young.margo@epa.gov. To
be added or removed from the distribution list, please email pollow.george@epa.gov with your request. Contact Region 10's
Public Environmental Resource Center, the education, publication and information gateway to EPA's Region 10 Office, for free
publications and educational resources for your school. Call at (800) 424-4EPA or email epa-seattle@epa.gov.
EPA Environmental Education: www.epa.gov/enviroed/
EPA Children's Environmental Health: www.epa.gov/children
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