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Healthy School Facilities
School facilities can take steps to reduce the risk of chemical exposures, prevent unwanted chemical reactions, and generate less hazardous waste. Doing so allows children and teachers to work and study in facilities that protect human health and promote environmental health and safety.
Laboratory chemicals
While school laboratories produce relatively small amounts of hazardous waste, the labs often contain a wide variety of concentrated chemicals; some of these are extremely hazardous. For this reason, schools must take particular care when storing and disposing of laboratory chemical wastes.
Rehab the Lab
Rehab the Lab is a free service to help King County schools manage their hazardous chemicals. Teachers can download lesson plans for least-toxic chemistry labs and can access a database of school chemicals that describes their risks and provides guidelines for their storage, purchase and disposal.
“7 Steps to a Healthier Classroom“
This fact sheet provides information about simple steps that will create a healthier classroom. For example, storing stuffed toys in plastic bins when not in use will keep them from gathering dust and other allergens.
“Keeping students safe: Protecting Environmental Health in Schools” Workshop
This 2006 workshop for school maintenance staff and directors, risk managers, public health professionals and other school staff includes presentations by local experts who share how they handle issues of indoor air quality, low or non-toxic cleaning, and integrated pest management.
Pesticides and Schools – Parent notification law
Public schools and licensed daycare facilities in Washington are required to establish a system for notifying parents and employees about pesticides used on school grounds.
Green Schools Program
More than 200 local schools and nine school districts participate in the King County Green Schools Program. Schools and districts receive help initiating and expanding waste reduction and recycling activities, making environmental health improvements, and implementing other conservation actions.
Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool
The Environmental Protection Agency’s School Environments Assessment Tool (HealthySEATv2) is a software program designed to help school districts evaluate and manage all their environmental, safety and health issues.
