1. Cleaning for Health Part One: The Big Picture In partnership with Green Schools + The Healthy Schools Network 1

2. Overview of the Challenge  The schools challenge: vulnerable people in heavily used, densely occupied spaces  One-half of our schools have indoor environmental quality (IEQ) problems  Children are more vulnerable than adults to toxins 2

3.  Schools are heavily used, densely occupied spaces  20% of population attend nation’s 120,000 school buildings (54 million children; 6 million adults, more than 70% are women)  Schools are four times as densely occupied as commercial office spaces and used more hours per week  Maintenance departments are routinely understaffed The Schools Challenge 3

4. Children are at Greater Risk from Toxic Chemicals  They have greater exposures:  Eat more food, breathe more air, drink more water  Play closer to the ground, hand-to- mouth activity  They cannot detoxify or process toxins as adults do  Their rapidly developing systems are more sensitive  Exposures and injuries can affect lifetime health 4

5.  A single custodial worker uses, on average, 194 pounds of chemicals each year  25% of these are hazardous substances  Custodial workers experience one of the highest rates of occupational asthma  6 out of 100 custodians are injured each year  20% are serious burns to the eyes or skin  12% are a result of inhaling chemical fumes 5 Workers &Toxic Cleaners

6. Health Impacts and Indoor Environmental Quality  Asthma  30 million people have suffered -- including 9 million children under the age of 18  The cause of over 15 million missed school days each year  Costs society $16 billion/year in medical and indirect costs  Sick Building Syndrome and Building Related Illnesses  Allergies and sensitivities  Absenteeism  Reduced productivity and lower test scores 6

7. C leaning, IEQ and Health C leaning, IEQ and Health Ingredients in common cleaning products have been linked to:  Causing new cases of asthma and triggering asthma episodes  Harming the brain, nervous system, reproductive organs, kidneys and liver  Irritating eyes and causing headaches  Breathing problems and illnesses  Disrupting/acting like hormones  Cancer 7

8. The Solution: Cleaning for Health Cleaning that protects public health, without harming the health of staff, building occupants and the environment. Health first! 8

9. Benefits of Cleaning for Health  Cleaning for Health - deep cleaning at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center  Reduced airborne dust by 52%  Reduced VOCs by 49%  Reduced bacteria by 40%  Reduced total fungi by 61% 9

10. Cleaning for Health Principles  Keep the dirt out  Use less-toxic, third-party certified, cleaning and paper products and hand soaps  Update and maintain equipment  Cleaning with detergent removes most germs. Disinfect only in target areas.  Breathe easier – clean doesn't have an odor 10

11. Key Elements for Successful Cleaning for Health  Evaluate current cleaning products/methods  Educate building occupants and broader community  Work with Environmental Health & Safety Committee  Develop a pilot project to test 1-2 products  Train staff with new products/methods  Phase in more “green” cleaning products  Track success (school nurse visits, attendance)  Reward staff for participating  Public promotion  Adopt a local district policy 11

12. Use low-odor, less-toxic cleaning products  Recommended by US EPA's Tools for Schools  Increasingly popular  Mandated by New York State (2005) and Illinois (2007)  Recommended in other cities/states  Cost-neutral  Improve IEQ by reducing sources of pollutants  Key to Cleaning for Health program 12 Healthier Cleaning Solutions

13. Cleaning for Health: More green maintenance products Use greener products that are third-party certified  Hand soaps  Not antibacterial  Paper products  post-consumer waste recycled content for boxed facial tissue, toilet paper and dispenser roll or multifold towels  tissue & towels on large rolls  Interior maintenance & repair  low VOC paints/finishes/glues 13

14. Better Cleaning Equipment  Use updated equipment to reduce particulates in the air  Install dirt-grabbing walk-off mats inside and outside entrances, recommended 15’ – 20’  Use microfiber cloths and mops that pick up dirt while using a reduced amount of chemicals  Employ high-filtration vacuums or microfiber mops instead of conventional dust mops  Install high-filtration vacuum attachments on other floor-care equipment 14

15. Cleaning for Health Best Practices  Make classrooms ‘ready to clean’  Clean from the top down  Select durable easy to clean flooring; maintain/replace carpets  Clean up spills right away  Cleaning with detergent removes most germs. Disinfect only in target areas.  Vacuum instead of dust mopping 15

16. Germ Control Hierarchy 16 1. Using a third-party certified all-purpose cleaner and friction can remove most germs and is good for most situations 2. Sanitizing is often sufficient for food prep areas and in day care for diapering areas, etc. Sanitizers – “reduce, but not necessarily eliminate microorganisms... to levels considered safe as determined by public health codes or regulations” (99.9%) 3. Use disinfectants where required and in high risk areas, know the law and clean first Disinfectants – “destroy or irreversibly inactivate all forms of microbial life but not necessarily their spores” (99.99%)

17. Implementation Challenges  Teachers or children supplying cleaning products from home  Inappropriate demand for ‘disinfection’  Classrooms not ready to be cleaned; storage and desk/chair arrangements  What are the challenges in your school? 17

18. “We have saved a substantial amount of money by going to green cleaning.” – Facilities Manager “I don’t have the dry throat and headache anymore from all the odors and chemicals.” – Custodian “The use of inhalers has decreased.” – Nurse “My child's rashes are gone and she is healthier during the school week.” – Parent 18 Green Cleaning Revolution

19. Robin Organ info@projectgreenschools.org www.projectgreenschools.org (508) 272-9653 info@projectgreenschools.org www.projectgreenschools.org info@projectgreenschools.org www.projectgreenschools.org 19 Contact Green Schools