Series 3000: Business/Non-Instructional Operations

3524.2 Green Cleaning Program

Cleaning chemicals can negatively impact indoor air quality and cause harm to the occupants of a school building. Therefore, the purpose of this policy is to encourage and promote the principles of green cleaning throughout the Thomaston Public Schools, in compliance with applicable statutes. The Board of Education encourages and supports efforts to implement green cleaning in all District schools.

It is the policy of the Thomaston Public Schools to achieve the maintenance of clean, safe, and healthy schools through the elimination of contaminants that affect children and adult health, performance and attendance and the implementation of cleaning processes and products that protect health without harming the environment.

The Board of Education will reduce exposure of school building occupants to potentially hazardous chemical cleaning products by adopting this Green Cleaning policy which requires the use of cleaning products in schools that meet the guidelines or standards set by a national or international certification program approved by the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) in consultation with the Commissioner of Environmental Protection in order to minimize the potential harmful effects on human health and the environment.

The transition to environmentally and health-friendly cleaning and/or sanitizing products shall be accomplished as soon as possible and in a manner that avoids the waste of existing inventories, accommodates establishment of supply chains for new products, enables the training of personnel in appropriate work practices, and allows the phase-out of products and practices inconsistent with this policy.

Definitions

“Green Cleaning Program” means the procurement and proper use of environmentally preferable cleaning products in school buildings and facilities.

“Environmentally Preferable Cleaning Products” means products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose. Such products must be approved by a Department of Administrative Services (DAS)-approved national or international certification program. This term includes, but is not limited to, general purpose cleaners, bathroom cleaners, glass and carpet cleaners, hand cleaners and soap and floor finishes and strippers. Excluded are any disinfectant, disinfecting cleaner, sanitizer or any other antimicrobial products regulated by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. Also excluded are products for which no guidelines or environmental standard has been established by any national or international certification program approved by the Department of Administrative Services or which is outside the scope of or is otherwise excluded under guidelines or environmental standards established by such a national or international certification program.

3524.2(b)

Notice Requirements

Annually, the District will give to members of the school staff and to parents/guardians who request it, a written copy of this policy. In addition, this written statement shall also include:

1. The names and types of environmentally preferable cleaning products used in the schools and where in the buildings they are applied;

2. The schedule for applying products; and

3. The name of the school administrator or designee whom the parent/guardian or student may contact for more information.

The notice shall also contain the following statement: “No parent, guardian, teacher, or staff member may bring into the school facility any consumer product which is intended to clean, deodorize, sanitize or disinfect.”

In addition, parents/guardians of any child who transfers during the school year, or a new staff member hired during the school year shall be notified of this green cleaning policy.

The Board will also make available on its website a copy of this green cleaning policy.

Biennially, the Board will report to the Commissioner of Education on its green cleaning program, in a manner prescribed by the Commissioner.

(cf. 3524 - Hazard Materials in Schools)

(cf. 3523.1 - Pesticide Application)

(cf. 7230.2 - Indoor Air Quality)

Legal Reference:  Connecticut General Statutes

10-220 Duties of boards of education (as amended by P.A. 09-81 and P.A. 11-136)

10-231a through

10-231d Pesticide applications at schools

22a-46 Short title: Connecticut Pesticide Control Act.

10-231g Green Cleaning Program in Schools Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,

and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) 7 U.S. Code 136 et seq.

 Policy adopted: October 19, 2015 THOMASTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Thomaston, Connecticut

 3524.2 Appendix

 Green Cleaning Program In Schools (CT Public Act 09-81)

The State of Connecticut is requiring that each local and regional board of education implement a green cleaning program for all school buildings and facilities in its district.

Thomaston Public Schools is committed to the implementation of this law by providing the staff and, upon request, the parents and guardians of each child enrolled in each school with a written statement of the school district’s green cleaning program as well as making it available in its web site annually. The policy will also be distributed to new staff hired during the school year and to parents or guardians of students transferring in during the school year.

1. Green cleaning program means the procurement and proper use of environmentally preferable cleaning products as defined by the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) for all state-owned buildings, schools and facilities. DAS currently required that environmentally preferable cleaning products be independently certified by one or two third party certified organizations:

Green Seal or Eco Logo

2. No person shall use a cleaning product in a public school unless it meets the DAS standard.

3. The types of cleaning products covered in this legislation include: general purpose, bathroom, and glass cleaners, floor strippers and finishes, hand cleaners and soaps. The preferred green cleaning products used by this school district are listed on Attachment “A”.

4. Disinfectants, disinfectant cleaners, sanitizers or antimicrobial products regulated by the federal insecticide, fungicide and rodenticide act are not covered by this law.

The following statement will be part of this school district’s program as stated in the new law:

“NO PARENT, GUARDIAN, TEACHER OR STAFF MEMBER MAY BRING INTO THE SCHOOL FACILITY ANY CONSUMER PRODUCT WHICH IS INTENDED TO CLEAN, DEODORIZE, SANITIZE OR DISINFECT”

The implementation of this program requires the support and cooperation of everyone including administrators, faculty, staff, parents, guardians and facilities staff.

Any questions concerning the program can be directed to the Superintendent or his/her designee.