DOCUMENT RESUME ED 472 772 EF 006 200 AUTHOR Davis, Ben TITLE. Healthy Schools for Healthy Kids. A Parents' Guide for Improving School Environmental Health. INSTITUTION Vermont Public Interest Research Group, Montpelier. SPONS AGENCY Environmental Protection Agency, Boston, MA. New England Regional Office. PUB DATE 2001-08-00 NOTE 68p. AVAILABLE FROM Vermont Public Interest Research Group, 141 Main St., Suite 6, Montpelier, VT 05602. Tel: 802-223-5221. For full text: http://www.vpirg.org/ downloads/Healthy_Schools.PDF. PUB TYPE Guides Non-Classroom (055) EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF01/PC03 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Air Pollution; Educational Facilities Improvement; Environmental Standards; Hazardous Materials; Indoor Air Pollution; Parent Materials; *School Buildings; Ventilation IDENTIFIERS *Environmental Health; Vermont ABSTRACT Asserting that few people recognize that concentrations of toxic pollutants are often many times higher inside buildings than outdoors, this guide offers advice on improving school environmental health in Vermont. Its chapters are: (1) "Indoor Air Pollution is a National Problem"; (2) "School Environmental Health in Vermont"; (3) "Act 125: The School Environmental Health Bill"; (4) "Health Implications of School Indoor Air"; (5) "The Precautionary Approach to School Environmental Health"; (6) "Getting the School Community Involved"; (7) "Basics of Indoor Air Quality and School Environmental Health";(8) "Evaluating Products for Health and Environmental Impacts";(9) "Pesticides"; and (10) "General Guidelines." (Appendices contains the School Environmental Health Act, an environmental health audit form, and the draft school diesel idling policy for Vermont schools. Contains 82 references.) (EV) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Healthy Schools for Healthy Kids AParents' Guide. to Improving School Environmental Health PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS Office of Educational Research and Improvement BEEN GRANTED BY ED ATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization Susanne Hiller originating it. 1:1 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. Vermont Public Interest Research Group 141 Main St. Suite 6 Montpelier, VT 05602 802.223.5221 www.vpirg.org Full text available at: http://www.vpirg.org/downloads/ Healthy_Schools. PDF EST COPY MAMA LE 2 Healthy Schools for Healthy Kids Organize and involve the and particulates at the building perimeter, whole community in the healthi while reducing dusting and mopping needs in the building interior. :-offhe-school 0 Save future dusting by using triple walled Clean and healthy school buildings are a vacuum cleaner bags. shared community responsibility. Get 0 Vacuum carpets thoroughly at least three people talking and working together to times per week. ensure a healthy learning space for children 0 Examine all chemical maintenance prod- in your community. See page 23, Getting the ucts, assemble and review MSDS sheets, School Community Involved. and implement a process to identify and phase in least-toxic supplies. Do a School Environmental 0 Replace aerosols with cleansers dispensed Health Audit out of lower cost trigger sprayers. 0 Eliminate bleach from cleaning applica- Take a walk through the school as the tions. While bleach is a powerful and first of many regular environmental health inexpensive sanitizer, it is a poor cleaner audits of school buildings. Participants and a highly dangerous and irritating should include custodians, teachers, admin- product. istrators, the school nurse, parents and Initiate a process for purchase, use and students. Look for ways to make the build- disposal of chemicals, art and lab supplies. ing and grounds more child-health friendly. Material Safety Data Sheets should be re- Keep the community informed. Involve viewed. Clear plans should be made to students. return or dispose of unwanted, waste, or -A -few easy to implement pre- excess materials. cautionary steps that can make Make use of the Internet to access up-to- date information. Extensive links to school a big difference for children: environmental health websites can be ac- cessed through www.vpirg.org and from the 0 Define walkways to keep students on Vermont Department of Health's new Act concrete and off bare dirt prior to entry in125 School Environmental Health Web Site the school. at www.state_v_t_us/health and from the U.S. 1:1 Install outdoor grates to catch snow and Environmental Protection Agency Tools for mud. Schools Program: Indoor Air Quality (IA0) 0 Increase the use and vacuuming of walk- Tools for Schools Kit at www.epa.gov/ off mats in all entryways to catch soils earthlr6/ bpd/ toolsforschools/ tools4u htm 2 Vermont Public interest ResearchGrotnp 3 Healthy Schools for Healthy Kids A Parents' Guide to Improving School Environmental Health Vermont Public Interest Research Group 141 Main Street, Suite 6 Montpelier, VT 05602 802.223.5221 [email protected] www.vpirg.org 4 APARENTe_GUIDE:TO IMPROVING SCHOOLENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH Healthy Schools for Healthy Kidswas written by Ben Davis, VPIRG Environmental Health Organizer. Mark Floegel, StacyHeuer, Jim Higgins, SarahO'Brien and Anthony Pollina provided contributions and editing.Special thanks to Stephen P. Ashkin of Seventh Generation and Board member ofthe Healthy Schools Network fortraining in how -to conduct school environmental healthaudits. About VPIRG The Vermont Public Interest Research Group is Vermont's largest environmental and consumer organization. VPIRG engages in research, community organizing and policy making in the public interestfrom health care to the electric utility industry, from environmental toxics to suburban sprawl, from accountable government to deformed frogs. Founded in PIRG 1972, VPIRG has grown to include 20,000 membersacross Vermont and other states. VPIRG relies on the generosity of individuals for two-thirds of its budget. For informationabout membershipor VPIRG's other work, contact the VPIRG office at 141 Main Street, Suite6 Montpelier, VT 05602 (802) 223- 5221. Tax deductible donationscan be made to the Vermont Public Interest Research and Education Fund at thesame address. Information is availableat VPIRG's website: www.vpirg.org. Funding for the VPIRG's Healthy Schoolsfor Healthy Kidswas provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencythrough an Environmental JusticeGrant administered by USEPA Region 1 Boston,MA. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 4 Vermovd- PtAblic alterest Research GI,o(Ap TABLE OF CONTENTS Helpful Hints 2 Preface 6 Chapter 1. Indoor Air Pollution is a National Problem 7 Chapter 2. School Environmental Health in Vermont 9 Chapter 3. Act 125. The School Environmental Health Bill 12 Chapter 4. Health Implications of School Indoor Air 14 Chapter 5. The Precautionary Approach to School Environmental Health 20 Chapter 6. Getting the School Community Involved 23 Chapter 7. Basics of Indoor Air Quality and School Environmental Health26 Chapter 8. Evaluating Products for Health and Environmental Impacts36 Chapter 9. Pesticides 40 Chapter 10. General Guidelines 46 Chapter 11. Conclusion 49 Glossary 50 Information resources 53 Appendix A. Act 125, The School Environmental Health Act 58 Appendix B. Environmental Health Audit Form 61 Appendix C. Draft School Diesel Idling Policy for Vermont Schools 64 References 65 -leclIthy Schools for Kids 5 6 Preface Keeping our school environment healthy As a nation, we have been slow to and clean is the key to a productive learningrecognize how our children's health is affected space where children can reach their fullbythisdailyexposureto common potential. Poor indoor air quality underminescontaminants. And Vermont lags behind other the most engaging curriculum and the beststates in developing a systematic approach to efforts of teachers and staff. It causes kids tothe problem. We do know that every day of lose concentration and often to miss schoolinaction means even greater expense for clean altogether. up and repair. We also know that a community Our children, along with the whole schoolresponse can be both positive and effective. populationcustodians, staff, bus drivers,North Country Union High School, in teachers and administratorsare exposed allNewport, Vermont confronted harmful day, every day to a wide array of hidden, andchemical exposures throughout the 1990's. not so hidden hazards. National experts admitNow, after an exhaustive but energizing that schools are one of our most hazardousprocess, the school is an example for other indoor environments. And, Vermont schools. though we work hard to What about the rest of Vermont's schools? combat pollution in our Most are trying, some are succeeding, and all outdoor environment, we do can do more. Act 125, the new Vermont littletoclean upthe Healthy Schools legislation, will help. It environment in which our directs the Health Department to set up a web kids spend most of the time. based information clearinghouse making the And every day students, teachers and staff dolatest information available to every Vermont miss school or are less productive becauseschool. But, many communities can't and their health is affected by exposure toshouldn't wait. Excellent resources, like the contaminants in the school environment.EPA's