Environmentally Friendly Cleaning
In August 2008, Winnipeg School Division announced they were banning alcohol-based hand sanitizers from schools. The reason? The products contain such high levels of alcohol (over 60 per cent, according to media reports) as to be flammable and potentially toxic if ingested. Instead, the division will encourage the use of plain soap and water for washing hands.
This action by the school division points to the importance of ensuring that all cleaning products used in schools are safe for kids and non-toxic.
Does your school use environmentally-friendly cleaning products and services? Soaps, floor polishes, window cleaners, carpet and upholstery cleaners, and disinfectants are among the products frequently used in schools. If not environmentally-friendly, these substances could have a significant impact on people who are exposed to them, and on the environmental "footprint" of the school. Some cleaning chemicals may affect students' ability to concentrate, cause headaches, irritate chemical sensitivities, contribute to poor indoor air quality, and contaminate water systems.
There are safer alternatives to these products. Living Green, Living Well recommends a shift to all-natural cleaning products for schools -- for the well-being of the students, custodial staff, teachers, and for the well-being of the planet. The production, use and disposal of these products affects the planet's air, water and land. Using alternatives that have less impact, but that are still effective and safe, is a choice that more and more schools (and families and workplaces) are making.
