Chemical Purchasing
Chemicals enter school systems through a variety of avenues such as regular purchases by teachers, facility maintenance personnel and others, as well as donations from local industries, test chemicals from suppliers, and learning kits. An important step in creating a chemically safe school environment is to reduce the amount and toxicity of chemicals coming into it. By knowing how chemicals are entering a school, who is using them (from science teachers to maintenance personnel) and why they are being used, a purchasing policy can be created that meets educational and facility maintenance needs while reducing the quantities and toxicity of the chemicals. It is a common misconception that toxic and hazardous chemicals must be used to properly teach certain subject areas. Often there are safer alternatives which may be used to teach the same technical concepts.
Featured Chemical Purchasing Resources:
Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools
EPA's Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools program provides schools with a range of resources to help them prevent and solve indoor air quality problems.
Source: EPA - Office of Air and Radiation
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools
Washington -- Rehab The Lab Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County, Washington
Rehab The Lab is a free service to King County Schools to help them manage their hazardous chemicals. A site user can download fully scripted lesson plans for least-toxic chemistry labs, information on ways to reduce chemical stockpiles in biology labs, and a list of chemicals whose risks outweigh their educational utility. The program's long-term objectives include improving schools' chemical storage practices, reducing their hazardous
waste generation rates and helping them incorporate practices and lesson plans that will reduce their chemical liabilities.
Source: Washington - King County Department of Natural Resources - Local Hazardous Waste Management
http://www.govlink.org/hazwaste/schoolyouth/rehab
National Microscale Chemistry Center
This website provides information about the National Microscale Chemistry Center, established in January 1993. Microscale chemistry is a means of choosing less toxic chemicals, and greatly reducing quantities of wastes generated.
Source: National Microscale Chemistry Center - Merrimack College
http://www.silvertech.com/microscale 
NCEF Resource List: Cleaning and Maintenance Practices
NCEF's resource list of links, books, and journal articles on custodial standards and procedures, equipment, safety, and product directories for the cleaning and maintenance of schools and colleges.
Source: National Institute of Building Sciences - National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/cleaning.cfm
Illinois EPA Green Schools Checklist: Environmental Actions for Schools to Consider
This web site provides environmental improvement strategies for addressing: energy usage, solid waste generation, indoor air quality, pest management, mold growth, water consumption, laboratory waste, building renovation and purchasing in schools.
Source: Illinois Environmental Protection Agency - Office of Pollution Prevention
http://www.epa.state.il.us/green-illinois/green-schools/index.html
Massachusetts --A Case Study of Environmental, Health, and Safety Issues Involving the Burlington Massachusetts Public School System
This Web site provides a case study of Environmental, Health, and Safety issues in the Burlington, MA public school system.
Source: EPA Region 7 - Burlington Board of Health
http://www.epa.gov/Region7/education_resources/teachers/ehsstudy/index.htm
Maryland Science Safety Manual
The development of this Science Safety Manual was a joint effort between the MD Science Supervisors Association and MD State Department of Education. The safe management, handling and disposal of chemicals is addressed in this chapter.
Source: MD State Dept Ed and MD Science Supervisors Association
http://www.mdk12.org/instruction/curriculum/science/safety/chemicals.html
California - Los Angeles Office of Environmental Health & Safety Web site
The mission of OEHS is to ensure a safe and healthy learning environment for 80,000 employees and nearly 1 million students.
Source: Los Angeles Unified School District - Office of Environmental Health & Safety
http://www.laschools.org/oehs/
EPA Region 5 - Pollution Prevention Toolbox
Contains tools for helping teachers integrate Pollution Prevention into the classroom.
Source: EPA Region 5 - Pesticides and Toxics Office
http://www.epa.gov/reg5rcra/wptdiv/p2pages/toolbox.htm
Maine Department of Education Purchase and Storage of Hazardous Chemicals
This Maine Department of Education has regulations establishing standards for the purchase and storage of hazardous chemicals in all public schools of the state.
Source: Maine Department of Education
http://www.state.me.us/education/const/Rules%20for%20Chemicals%20In%20Schools.doc
Vermont Mercury Education & Reduction Campaign - School Science Lab Chemical and Mercury Cleanout Project
This Web site describes how schools can be assisted with inventory and clean-out of unwanted, unlabeled, and unknown hazardous lab chemicals, including mercury and mercury compounds.
Source: Vermont Agency of Natural Resources - Hazardous Materials
http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/ead/mercury/SchoolCleanout/labreport.htm
Iowa Rehab the Lab
Rehab the Lab can assist with management education and disposal options for unwanted hazardous chemicals.
Source: Iowa (Polk County) Metro Waste Authority
http://www.metro-waste.com/sch_reh.html
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