From elementary school maintenance storage closets to high school chemistry laboratories, schools house a variety of chemicals. Many of these chemicals are hazardous and are used daily; however, in some cases, these chemicals have been unused for decades. Ensuring that these chemicals are managed properly will help school administrators to: safeguard the health and safety of students and school employees; avoid disposal expenses and costly school closures associated with spills and emergency incidents; maintain a sense of trust between the district and the surrounding community; and prevent damage to the environment. School districts need solid, useful, specific recommendations and information on responsible chemical management to facilitate the establishment of sound district-level policies and procedures.
This document is intended to aid K-12 public school districts and private, religious, and independent schools and school system policymakers in reducing dangerous chemical use and implementing responsible chemical management practices. Institutionalizing such practices will help to minimize the incidence of chemical spills, exposures, and emergency scenarios in schools. This document focuses on broad policy considerations that EPA recommends school administrators consider implementing to properly manage and use all dangerous chemicals. Parents and others in the community interested in school health and safety policies also may use this booklet to determine whether their children’s schools are effectively minimizing potential exposure to dangerous chemicals and products.
This document is also an integral part of the EPA Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign (SC3) toolkit. The goals of the SC3 are to: remove potentially harmful chemicals from schools; emphasize the implementation of preventive programs such as chemical management training for lab instructors and microscale techniques; and raise national awareness of the issue of chemicals in schools. The ultimate goal of the SC3 is to create a chemically safer school environment in which chemicals are purchased wisely, stored safely, handled by trained personnel, used responsibly, and disposed of properly. Finally, this document includes numerous boxes highlighting information on relevant EPA and state information, such as the HealthySEAT tool developed by EPA as a resource to address chemical management among other environmental, safety, and health issues.
Contents
Summary
I. Overview
- I.A. Introduction
I.B. Organization of this Guide
I.C. Why You Should Be Concerned
II. Hazardous Chemicals and Products in Schools
- II.A. Chemicals and Products of Concern
II.B. Chemical Categories
II.C. Where Chemicals and Products are Found
III. Policies and Actions
- III.A. Leadership and Resources
III.B. Pollution Prevention and Greener Alternatives
III.C. Chemical and Product Management
III.D. Chemical Inventory
III.E. Purchasing
III.F. Storage and Handling
III.G. Training
III.H. Hazard Communication
III.I. Spills, Cleanup, and Disposal
IV. Special Cases
- IV.A. Arsenic
IV.B. Asbestos
IV.C. Lead
IV.D. Mercury
V. Conclusion
References
Appendix
- Chemical Hygiene and Management Plans
Sample Guidelines
Checklists
Chemical Purchasing, Storage, and Design Guidelines
Use of Chemicals in Schools
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PDF Ebook Chemical Management Resource Guide for School Administrators
