Kids grow
and learn better
in pollution-free
schools
&EPA
July 2020
EPA Region 10 Healthy Schools Team
Serving Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Tribal Nations
Healthy Schools: Planning Ahead
Ensuring that school is a healthy place to learn and work involves extra steps these days. As we enter the
summer maintenance season and look to next fall, schools are mapping out those action steps now. This issue of
Healthy Schools News aims to help, by providing authoritative resources. Here you will find COVID-19 guidance,
tips on maintaining healthy indoor air, and guidance for addressing stagnant water in your plumbing.
Reopening Schools - CDC and EPA Guidance
Reopening America requires all of us to move forward
together by practicing social distancing and other daily
habits to reduce our risk of exposure to the virus that
causes COVID-19. Cleaning and disinfecting public spaces
like schools will require you to; 1) develop your plan; 2)
implement your plan; and 3) maintain and revise your
plan. Here are resources to help you do that.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
and EPA have jointly developed guidance for cleaning and
disinfecting public spaces, including schools.
¦	InfoGraphic: Cleaning and Disinfecting Decision Tool
¦	Full Guidance: Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting
Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools and
Homes
GUIDANCE FOR
CLEANING & DISINFECTING
PUBLIC SPACES, WORKPLACES, BUSINESSES,
SCHOOLS, AND HOMES
± DEVELOP YOUR PLAN
DETERMINE WHAT NEEDS TO BE CLEAKED,
Arfas vfic«Lpi«l lor I or days r»*«d
orty icwtfie dealing. Mairtain emitting
cLranrig j»a<1icn lot OJtdsOr VCn.
DETERMINE HOW SHEAS WILL BE
DISINFECTED. Consider tt* type of surface
anj hew aftcn lh« urfw a
Pfioritu* damfectirg frcq««ndy touched
sulfate*.
CONSIDER THE RESOURCES AMD
EQUIPMENT NEEDED. '«*p in mind th«
avaiU&ii ty of cleaning products and otrsonM
protective equipment (PPE) app»epria«e for
cJeanus and d«s nfectants.
CLEAN VISIBLY D1ST* SURFACES
WITH SOAP AND WATER pno« to
(forfeit*or\
USE THE APPROPRIATE CLEANING
OR DISINFECTANT PRODUCT. Us*
an LPA-Jpp<"n
ircsjrjctions. »C«*p disinfectants out of
the react) o4 di4d«en.
O MAINTAIN AND REVISE
CONTINUE ROUTINE CLEANING AMD DISINFECTION,
Continue «r*v«i *oof pUn band opoa appropriate
disinfectant and fft availability. Oiity surfaces slwuld
far cleaned with jup and water p*vy to disinfection.
Rnu!in»ly rfiunWf f Im^un!^ Eoorlvd uiHvn at
feast daily.
MAIHTAM SAFE PRACTICES vmA « frequent
handwashing KMig cloth fee* coverings, and staying
home if you are wi.
CONTINUE PRACTICES THAT REDUCE THE POTENTIAL
FOR EXPOSURE. U» rrta.f social distancing, stayaig
ui fort auray from others. Reduce shaneg of common
spaces and frequently touched objects.
For more irrformjtion, ptease visit CORONAVlRUS.GOV
CDC also offers these guidance documents related to COVID-19 and schools.
¦	Child Care, Schools, Youth Programs: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/
index.html
¦	Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces, Including Schools: https://www.cdc.gov/
coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/reopen-guida nee, html
¦	FAQs for Administrators, Teachers, and Parents: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-
childcare/schoois-faq.htmi
EPA's latest guidance and frequently asked questions about COVID-19, including topics such as disinfectants and
indoor air concerns, can be found on the EPA coronavirus website. As your custodial and facilities staff ramp up
cleaning and disinfecting protocols, keep these principles
in mind:
¦	Verify that your disinfectant product is on EPA's list of
disinfectants for use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that
causes COVID-19.
¦	Train cleaning/maintenance staff on cleaning products,
protocols and procedures. Always read and follow
product labels.
¦	CDC guidance for cleaning and disinfection for
community facilities emphasizes extra focus on high
touch surfaces, common areas, and shared electronic
equipment.

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July 2020
Healthy Schools News
Page 2
Healthy Schooi 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 Andrea Lindsay at Iinds3y.andrea@ep3.gov.
To be added to or removed from the distribution list, please email lindsay.andrea@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 (800) 424-4EPA or emaii epa-seattle@epa.gov.
EPA Schools: www.epa.gov/schools
EPA Environmental Education: www.epa.gov/enviroed/
EPA Children's Environmental Health: www.epa.gov/children
Disclaimer: EPA has provided this material because it may be useful or interesting and is
being provided in a manner consistent with the intended purpose of the agency's mission.
EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of non-EPA information provided by third-party materials
or any other linked site. EPA is providing these materials for your reference. In doing
so, EPA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.
YOUR EPA CHILDREN'S HEALTH TEAM
Andrea Lindsay
Healthy Schools Coordinator
lindsay.andrea@epa.gov
206-553-1896
Bryan Fiedorczyk
Children's Environmental Health Coordinator
fiedorczvk.bryan@epa.gov
206-553-0506
Gretchen Stewart
SEE - Children's Environmental Health & Healthy Schools
Stewart.gretchen@epa.gov
206-553-0527
Maintaining Healthy Indoor	Maintaining or Restoring Water Quality
Environments in Schools	in Buildings with Low or No Use
Indoor air quality, or IAQ, is an important part of healthy
school environments. As you would at any time, employ the
strategies in EPA's lAQTools for Schools and IAQTools for
Schools Preventive Maintenance. These documents give you
tips on:
¦	Routine HVAC Systems Maintenance: Ensure school
HVAC systems are operating properly, with outdoor
ventilation air maintained at or above design
minimum values. Employ filtration and gas-phase
air cleaning strategies to further improve IAQ, in
conjunction with source control strategies. Change
filters regularly and ensure condensate pans are
draining.
¦	Communications: Develop a communications
plan with a clear process for addressing occupant
concerns. Share your IAQ preventive maintenance
program's intent, activities, results, and next steps
with your entire school community.
¦	Staff Training: IAQ Tools for Schools Webinars provide
school district staff with the knowledge needed
to start, improve or sustain an IAQ management
program. View the web-based trainings.
Many schools have not been occupied for a long time.
Closing buildings for weeks or months reduces water
usage. This can lead to stagnant water inside your
plumbing. That stagnant water can become unsafe
to drink or otherwise use. EPA recommends taking
proactive steps to protect your students and staff.
Minimize water stagnation during closures, and address
building water quality before you reopen. EPA guidance:
¦	Maintaining or Restoring Water Quality in Buildings
with Low or No Use
¦	Checklist: Restoring Water Quality in Buildings for
Reopening

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