Healthy School Environments
Toolkit for Safe Chemical Management in K-12 Schools
The EPA's web-based tool kit helps schools start chemical management programs that will improve their chemical management practices by:
- Removing inappropriate, outdated, unknown and unnecessary chemicals from schools;
- Preventing future chemical mismanagement issues in schools through training, curriculum and policy change, and long-term management solutions; and
- Raising awareness of chemical issues in schools and promoting sustainable solutions.
Documents in the Tool Kit
- Building Successful Programs to Address Chemical Risks in Schools (PDF) (173 pp, 1.5MB) is an updated workbook that contains templates, tips and techniques to help you create or improve your program for responsible chemical waste management in schools.
- Building Successful Programs to Address Chemical Risks in Schools: State, Tribal and Local School Chemical Cleanout Programs Matrix and Summaries (PDF) (35 pp, 540K) summarizes successful programs to address chemical risks in schools.
- Chemical Management Resource Guide for School Administrators is a guide to help your school reduce the use of dangerous chemicals and install safer chemical management practices.
- CPSC and NIOSH School Chemistry Laboratory Safety Guide (PDF) (86 pp, 1.7MB) is a safety guide for high school science and chemistry laboratories. It provides practical safety information in a checklist format useful to both groups to reduce chemical injuries in a laboratory environment.
- Industry Leaders Are Part of the Solution (PDF) (1 pg, 171K) describes how industry can help reduce chemical risks in schools.
- Pollution Prevention Measures for Safer School Laboratories (PDF) (10 pp, 120K), developed by EPA Region 8 and Roche Colorado, is an easy to read tool kit offering tips on maintaining an inventory, chemical purchasing, storage, and labeling, and pollution prevention.
- Protecting Health and the Environment at K-12 Schools, Including Art Programs presents two free manuals—one is a primary environmental compliance guide for K-12 schools, while the other serves the same purpose for art programs at K-12 schools, colleges and art studios. Both manuals also provide best management practices applicable to schools' environmental concerns.