By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
Hopewell Valley Regional School District officials, seeking Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification, have introduced a new policy that calls for "green" cleaning products to be used by the maintenance staff.
The school board introduced the "Green and Healthy Schools Cleaning Policy," which earns points for the school district toward gaining Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification. The school district is registered with Sustainable Jersey.
The Sustainable Jersey for Schools program is geared toward public school districts that want to go green, conserve resources and take steps to create a brighter future, according to www.sustainablejerseyschools.com.
The proposed "Green and Healthy Schools Cleaning Policy" already reflects current practices in the Hopewell Valley Regional School District, school district officials said. The district uses high-performing "green" cleaning products and HEPA-rated vacuum cleaners.
The proposed policy notes that many chemicals found in cleaning products pose health risks for children, teachers and staff. Exposure to some of those chemicals may result in an increased incident of asthma, allergies, certain types of cancer, and learning and behavioral disorders, for example.
"The Board believes it is not necessary to jeopardize the health and safety of our students, teachers and staff, or to pollute our environment, when many less toxic or non-toxic alternatives are available," the policy states.
The intent of the proposed policy is to reduce exposure to those chemicals and to reduce environmental pollution by requiring the purchase and use of "green" cleaning products.
Cleaning products are broken down into several categories, depending on their intended use.
All-purpose cleaners, such as those used in classrooms, bathrooms, hallways and cafeterias, must have "no or low VOC (volatile organic compound) content."
Cleaning products cannot be caustic or corrosive, and may not be used in an aerosol can that has a petrochemical propellant, the policy states.
They may not contain non-food-grade dyes or known cancer-causing chemicals.
Cleaning products that are used to sanitize or disinfect bathrooms, gyms, nurses’ offices and the kitchens are in a second category. Those products must be registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. They are to be used for specific reasons, and cannoat be used when children are present.
A third category of cleaning products – those used for floor stripping and finishing, graffiti removal, degreasing and heavy-duty carpet-cleaning – cannot contain styrene, petroleum solvents or heavy metal such as zinc, chromium or nickel.
The use of green cleaning products is only one example of the school district’s "Green Initiatives."
Geothermal heating and cooling systems, which are energy-savers, are already in place at the Stony Brook Elementary School and the Timberlane Middle School.
Solar panels are in place on the roofs at the Timberlane Middle School and the Bear Tavern Elementary School. Replacement window sin the schools are double-pane for efficiency, and the light bulbs in the school gyms are being replaced with more energy-efficient ones.
