The list below denotes several prominent environmental safety issues that can occur in schools:
A brief description of each of these potential environmental problem areas
follows. Additional information can be found at the U.S. EPA's main index
page at http://www.epa.gov/ebtpages/alphabet.html.
Products that generate CFCs are no longer permitted to be produced or sold in the United States. HCFC production will be phased out in 2003.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) - The release of ozone-depleting compounds - such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which are found in air conditioning and refrigeration equipment - should be minimized. School districts should ensure that all personnel servicing refrigerants are certified to do so and are using proper tools and equipment. Moreover, systems must be designed to include redundant valve settings as necessary to minimize the release of CFCs and HCFCs during routine maintenance.
Emergency Power Systems - Failure to protect the supply of power to school buildings can have both short- and long-term consequences-from damage to computers to school cancellations. One strategy for dealing with the possibility of power interruption is the installation of backup energy and power systems. This may mean installing large, multipurpose, on-site power generators for general use or smaller, portable uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) for especially valuable equipment.
Hazardous Materials - The use and storage of hazardous materials is an important school facility management issue. Long-term exposure to chemicals (e.g., cleaning agents or reactants in chemistry labs) can cause serious health problems. Chemicals can also be fire hazards. Thus, all hazardous materials must be identified and catalogued for proper management (e.g., assigning disposal and storage responsibilities). The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA), sometimes referred to as SARA Title III, does not place limits on which chemicals can be stored, used, released, disposed, or transferred at a facility, but it does require the facility to document, notify, and report relevant information to occupants. Right-to-Know requirements affecting a school district include:
For more information about the Right-to-Know Act, visit http://es.epa.gov/techinfo/
Policy-makers should expressly prohibit the use of some materials in schools.
For example, explosives and
known or suspected carcinogens should never be permitted in a school environment.
Whether chemicals are being used to meet custodial or instructional
needs, decision-makers should investigate whether alternative, less
toxic, supplies can be used. For example, "green experiments" and
"microexperiments" (see http://www.epa.gov/
For more information about hazardous materials management, visit the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities' Hazardous Materials resource list at http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/hazardous_materials.cfm, which provides a list of links, books, and journal articles about the identification, treatment, storage and removal of hazardous materials found in school buildings and grounds.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) -
Nearly every school will occasionally experience problems with pest infestation.
An IPM program has the goal of eliminating or drastically reducing both
pests and the use of toxic pesticides in schools. IPM is based on prevention,
monitoring, and nontoxic pest control methods such as sanitation improvements,
structural repairs, and mechanical, biological, behavioral, or other nonchemical
initiatives. Rather than focusing on pesticide use, IPM aims to identify
the conditions that foster pest problems and devise ways to change those
conditions to prevent or discourage pest activity. These methods include
modifying the environment to inhibit pest breeding, feeding, or habitat
and using pest-resistant or pest-free varieties of seeds, plants, and
trees. IPM strategies may also include changing the behavior of a building's
occupants to help prevent problems-for example, occupant education that
leads to decreased food waste and litter, improved cleaning practices,
pest-proof waste disposal, and preventive structural maintenance.
Pesticides are often
temporary fixes that are ineffective over the long term. Sound IPM ensures that pest buildups are detected and suppressed before major outbreaks occur.
The identification and use of "least toxic pesticides" becomes necessary when nontoxic methods of pest control have not completely addressed pest concerns. "Least toxic pesticides" include:
The term "least toxic pesticides" does not include any pesticide that:
A school district is
responsible for ensuring that its contractors take appropriate measures to ensure compliance with all safety regulations.
Good practices for pesticide use include:
Schools that choose to have their own staff apply pesticides should obtain a business license, which documents applicable local and state requirements for the certification of personnel and insurance protection.
For more information about pesticides and integrated pest management, visit www.beyondpesticides.org for summaries of the 33 state laws governing integrated pest management, pesticide restrictions, and right-to-know. Also, visit the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities' IPM resource list at http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/pests.cfm, which provides a list of links, books, and journal articles about the use of pesticides, integrated pest management guidelines, specifications, training, implementation and management in school buildings and grounds.
Lead paint must be identified so that it isn't disturbed (e.g., by sanding or scraping). Once lead paint is disturbed, it must be remedied at considerable expense. If it is not disturbed, it can be safely encapsulated by simply painting over it.
Mercury - Mercury is a silver-colored
heavy metal that is liquid at room temperature. A person can be exposed
to mercury by breathing contaminated air, swallowing or eating contaminated
water or food, or having skin contact with mercury. When liquid mercury
is exposed to the atmosphere, it emits vapors that are dangerous to human
health. At high doses, mercury exposure can cause a range of nervous system
problems, including tremors, inability to walk, convulsions, and even
death. At levels more commonly seen in the United States, the effects
of mercury exposure are usually more subtle, although still potentially
serious, and include damage to the senses and brain.
If maintenance problems arise that potentially affect the health or safety of occupants (e.g., indoor air quality concerns or fire escape issues), the best policy is to address them immediately and disclose them as appropriate. Knowing that someone is in danger without warning them is at best unethical, and perhaps even legally negligent. Parents, students, and staff have a legal "right-to-know" if they are being exposed to hazardous materials or unsafe conditions.
School organizations must be aware of their use of mercury and mercury-containing products and develop policies to ensure that students, staff, and other building occupants are protected from mercury exposure and mercury-related health risks. At a minimum, all mercury-containing equipment (e.g., fluorescent lights, mercury vapor lamps, metal halide lamps, high-pressure sodium lamps, neon lamps, light switches, relays, thermostat probes, thermometers, and laboratory solutions) should be handled according to universal hazardous waste protocols, including during disposal. Moreover, as mercury-containing equipment reaches the end of its useful life, it should be replaced with mercury-free alternatives. Most environmental experts recommend that schools adopt mercury-free purchasing policies, conduct mercury audits, and train teachers and staff to respond appropriately in the event of a mercury spill. Deficiencies in an employer's mercury management and training program that contribute to potential exposure can be cited by environmental and workplace authorities.
information about mercury, visit the EPA's mercury site at http://www.epa.gov/mercury/index.html.
Personal Protective Equipment - The personal protective equipment (PPE) program, as initiated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and many states, is intended to protect employees from the risk of injury and illness by creating a barrier against workplace hazards. In general terms, PPE requires employers to conduct an assessment of their workplace to identify environmental or safety hazards to which employees are exposed that require the use of protective equipment. Employers should have a written program to evaluate hazards, indicate appropriate control measures, provide (and pay for) protective equipment, train staff to use protective equipment properly, certify that such training has occurred, and hold yearly inspections and reviews to determine whether these efforts are preventing employee injury and illness. Deficiencies in personal protective equipment programs that lead to exposure, physical harm, or death can result in citations and monetary penalties.
For a more
detailed description of PPE requirements, visit the OSHA PPE site at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/personalprotectiveequipment/
or the CDC PPE site at http://www.cdc.gov/od/ohs/manual/pprotect.htm.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) - PCBs discharged into the environment pose a risk to humans and wildlife. In schools, PCB sources may include leaking fluorescent lights and electrical transformers. The use of PCB transformers near food or feed sources, or in commercial buildings (including schools), should be prohibited. Surveys must be performed to identify and remedy all potential sources of PCBs.
Radon - Radon is a naturally occurring gas that poses a danger to people if it accumulates in unventilated areas and is inhaled for long periods of time (potentially causing lung cancer). Airborne levels greater than 4 pCi/L are considered "high" and must be remedied. As part of a school's indoor air quality management, radon levels should be tested on a regular basis. Moreover, base levels for radon must be established for all buildings. Radon testers must be certified.
more information about radon, visit the EPA's Radon resource list at http://www.epa.gov/iaq/radon.
For more information about playground safety, visit the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities' Playground Safety resource list at http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/playgrounds.cfm, which provides a list of links, books, and journal articles about playground design for varying age levels, including resources on safety, accessibility, equipment, surfaces, and maintenance.
Storm-Water Runoff - Storm-water runoff is water from rain or snow that runs off of streets, parking lots, construction sites, and residential or commercial property. It can carry sediment, oil, grease, toxics, pesticides, pathogens, and other pollutants into nearby streams and waterways. Once this polluted runoff enters the sewer system, it is discharged into local streams and waterways, creating a major threat to drinking water and recreational waters. To minimize such contamination, storm-water runoff standards have been established by the U.S. EPA, state, and local authorities.
information about storm water runoff, visit the EPA's Storm-Water Runoff
regulations site at http://www.epa.gov/fedsite/cd/stormwater.html.
Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) - USTs have been a particularly high-profile environmental issue during the past few decades. Leaking USTs can contaminate groundwater and lead to the accumulation of potentially explosive gases. If USTs contain hazardous materials, both people and the environment can be threatened. Although each state defines USTs somewhat differently (e.g., some states consider commercial heating-oil tanks to be USTs), recommended practices for the use and disposal of any UST include:
There is a growing emphasis on creating environmentally friendly school buildings, sometimes referred to as "green schools," "sustainable schools," or "high-performance schools." The term "environmentally friendly" was once considered to be synonymous with both higher initial costs and higher operating costs. However, this assumption is no longer valid. School buildings and budgets can benefit immensely from the "green" concept when properly applied. This goal is best accomplished by emphasizing long-term, sustainable systems, including the concept of building life-cycle costs (i.e., the total cost of acquisition and ownership of a building or system over its useful life, including capital costs, energy costs, and maintenance and operating costs).
The sustainable high-performance school concept seeks to introduce a comprehensive environmental approach to all aspects of school design, construction, operations, and maintenance. The benefits include:
The U.S. Green Building Council (http://www.usgbc.org) provides evaluation tools through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) initiative. LEED is an assessment system designed for rating new and existing buildings. It evaluates environmental performance from a "whole building" perspective over the building's entire life cycle, and provides a definitive standard for what constitutes a "green" building. LEED is based on accepted energy and environmental principles and strikes a balance between proven effective practices and emerging concepts.