Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
A new policy that calls for the use of “green” cleaning products in the schools has been given the stamp of approval by the Hopewell Valley Regional School District Board of Education.
The “Green and Healthy Schools Cleaning Policy,” which was approved by the school board last week, will earn points for the school district toward becoming a “Sustainable Jersey for Schools” certified district. The district is registered with Sustainable Jersey, but it needs points for certification.
Sustainable Jersey for Schools is a certification program for public schools that want to go green, conserve resources and take steps to create a brighter future, according to its website, www.sustainablejerseyschools.com.
The new “Green and Healthy Schools Cleaning Policy” already reflects current practices in the Hopewell Valley Regional School District, according to school district officials. The district uses high-performing green cleaning products and HEPA-rated vacuum cleaners.
The 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 increases in asthma, allergies, certain types of cancer, and learning and behavioral disorders.
“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 nontoxic alternatives are available,” according to the policy.
The intent of the 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 cannot 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 metals 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 of the Timberlane Middle School and the Bear Tavern Elementary School. Replacement windows in the schools are double-pane for efficiency, and the light bulbs in the school gyms are being replaced with more energy-efficient ones.
