Resources on Environment and Health for School Administrators

Karen RobinsonChildren's Vulnerability, Environmental Health, Indoor Air Quality, Sick Schools - Healthy Schools

Guide to Less Toxic Products www.lesstoxicguide.ca

Health Canada: Indoor Air Quality – Tools for Schools Action Kit www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/air/tools_school-outils_ecoles/index-eng.php

CASLE has produced streamlined checklists for this Kit. Available on its website: www.casle.ca

Canadians for A Safe Learning Environment (CASLE) www.casle.ca

(numerous resources including information on choosing classroom and art supplies, scent-smart management plan, pest control, air filters, ventilation and air quality testing, modified Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Action Kit)

Healthy School Design and Construction, and its Appendix: https://casle.ca/ArticleDetail/tabid/77/smid/413/ArticleID/3/reftab/56/t/Healthy-School-Design-andConstruction-Guidelines-2008-Revision/Default.aspx

Why Children are More Vulnerable to Environmental hazards: https://casle.ca/ArticleDetail/tabid/77/smid/413/ArticleID/149/reftab/36/t/EssentialInformation/Default.aspx

Where Do I Start? Essential Guide to School Air Quality: https://casle.ca/ArticleDetail/tabid/77/smid/413/ArticleID/149/reftab/36/t/EssentialInformation/Default.aspx

The Seven Sins of Greenwashing http://sinsofgreenwashing.org/

Less Toxic Art Materials Information:

  1. McCann, Michael, Phd., CIH, Artist Beware: The Hazards and Precautions of Working with Art and Craft Materials. New York, Watson & Guptill Publishing.
  2. Art materials and information: The Art and Creative Materials Institute at http://www.acminet.org/index.htm

 

The Big Five: method for determining environmental impacts on health and performance: https://casle.ca/Portals/0/articles/The-BIG-FIVE.pdf

 

QUEESI test: A scientifically verified method of determining links between indoor environments and health symptoms. Go to: http://familymed.uthscsa.edu/qeesi.pdf

 

We Share the Air: Dalhousie University http://environmentalhealthandsafetyoffice.dal.ca/radiatio_1589.html Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/scent_free.html

 

New Brunswick Lung Association Healthy School Program http://www.nb.lung.ca/schools/ Vehicle-Idle-free Schools see http://www.cleanairpartnership.org/idle_free_for_schools

 

Women’s Health Matters, Environmental Health Centre at www.womenshealthmatters.ca/centres/environmental/index.html

 

Healthy Indoors Partnership, Buyers Guide for Professionals and Consumers https://casle.ca/ArticleDetail/tabid/77/smid/413/ArticleID/150/reftab/36/t/Buyers-Guides-forProfessionals-and-Consumers-by-Healthy-Indoors-Partnership-HIP/Default.aspx

 

Healthy School Handbook, published by the U.S. National Education Association, is highly recommended reading. To order, call (202)822-7252. Give stock number 1863-X-20-E.

 

Indoor Air Quality in Schools, The Material Specification Guide, and other publication from the Cutter Corporation. (617) 648-8700.

 

Chemical Exposures: Low Levels and High Stakes. Ashford & Miller, NY Van Nostrand & Reinhold, 1998.

 

Healthy Schools Day in Canada – Journée des écoles saines du Canada Register your project on the Healthy Schools Day’s Project Registry at https://casle.ca/HealthySchoolsDay

 

Safe Renovation for Schools:

US EPA, Energy Savings Plus Health: Indoor Air Quality Guidelines for School Building Upgrades. 2015

http://epa.gov/iaq/schools/pdfs/Energy_Savings_Plus_Health_Guideline.pdf

 

Mold Remediation:

Health Canada’s guidelines: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/air/fungal-fongique/index-eng.php

 

AIHA Facts About Mold: https://www.aiha.org/about-ih/Pages/Facts-About-Mold.aspx

 

Canadian Construction Association, Mould Guidelines: www.cca-acc.com/documents/electronic/cca82/cca82.pdf

 

“Guidelines on Assessment and Remediation of Fungi in Indoor Environments” (otherwise known as “the New York Protocol”) advises against antimicrobial use. For instruction on antimicrobial treatments, see page 9 of the executive summary on http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/epi/epi-mold-guidelines.pdf

 

Mould Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings: www.epa.gov/iaq

 

NIOSH alert: Preventing Occupational Respiratory Disease from Exposures Caused by Dampness in Office Buildings, Schools, and Other Nonindustrial Buildings. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. November, 2012. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2013-102/pdfs/2013-102.pdf

 

Pest Control:

Pesticide Research and Alternatives at www.casle.ca

Steve Tvedten’s Best Control Site: http://www.thebestcontrol.com/sitemap.htm Or,

Pest Control in the School Environment. Texas Structural Pest Control Board, P.O. Box 9536-172, Austin, Texas. Prepared In conjunction with the US EPA.

 

Children’s Environmental Health