School District Policies and Procedures Purchasing School Districts should consider creating a purchasing policy for chemicals and products containing chemicals. Schools should consider creating an approved chemicals and products list, based on less toxic or non-toxic alternatives to make implementation and enforcement easier. School personnel should consider purchasing only those chemicals or… read more →
Characteristics of Schools That Can Affect Indoor Environment Quality For existing schools: We can better understand the causes of school indoor environment problems and also better understand some of the barriers to getting things fixed or changed if we understand the factors that make schools unique. For new schools:… read more →
Head lice: the key is in the comb The Lice Problem – if you’re a parent you’ve probably had to deal with it at least once. And you dread having to do it again. Every school year, thousands children get head lice. More and more, parents are finding that chemical… read more →
The Dirt on Artificial Turf http://www.preventcancernow.ca/the-dirt-on-artificial-turf By Meg Sears, PhD The summer mantra of Mums … “Go out and play, run and have fun, play with your friends!” … but where? We all do better with time in nature, and sports are important too. As wilder weather, droughts and scorching… read more →
Back To School: Environmental Health Issues Here are some of the most common environmental health issues we have found when schools open in September or after long holidays: Students and teachers have new school supplies, and new clothes. Some people, wanting to make a good first impression, try out their… read more →
Virtual School Walk-throughs Northwest Clean Air Agency, Washington State with the US EPA. David Blake and Richard Prill http://www.nwcleanair.org/aqPrograms/indoorAir.htm The school walkthrough video is particularly valuable. It is designed to help administrators and facility managers in particular. It provides basic information that will help administrators function as partners and leaders… read more →
Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Action Kit Updated: March 2015 Introduction In Canada we have to do this as citizens, since there is no organized plan here to make it happen. In the US, the Environmental Protection Agency launched the first Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools Action Kit in… read more →
Pesticide Health Risks to Children and the Unborn: various resources and alternatives Helen Jones, EdD., RATE (Real Alternatives to Toxins in the Environment) 2008 Forward This is not meant to be complete summary. Not included here, for example, is research being done at Duke University that suggests cholinergic pesticides (common insecticides… read more →
Fragrance Chemicals are not Harmless “84% of these ingredients have never been tested for human toxicity, or have been tested only minimally.” (Ashford and Miller, Chemical Exposures: Low levels and High Stakes.”)1 The Fragrance industry is a self-regulated industry. “If it were unhealthy the government wouldn’t let it be sold”… read more →