|
Make an inventory of all the products in your
school made with PVC, e.g. notebooks covered with polyvinyl chloride,
oilcloths, and plastic containers identified as code 3 in the recycling symbol.
(See model PVC purchasing policy for schools in NTP Resource Packet). |
|
Get your school to require contractors to use
non-toxic products for projects related to the school. |
|
Use the materials in the NTP resource packet to
make an in-school guide for teachers, faculty, and staff who are interested in
NTP for their school. |
| Get faculty, staff, and students to sign a
petition in favor of using non-toxic products. Share the petition (and all
other materials you make) with the Green Flag Program Coordinator and your
mentor to make sure all the information is correct. |
|
Identify other toxic products at your school,
e.g. art supplies, pesticides, herbicides, etc. and obtain MSDS sheets on
these. |
| Update a file of MSDS information.
Although schools are required to maintain Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
files, many schools’ files are inadequate. Working with your facility manager
or appropriate school staff, update the MSDS files to help your school come
into compliance. |
| Take samples of products and send them to a
laboratory, asking them to perform specific tests on the products. For
example, find out if they are biodegradable, or find out their “VOC”
information. Ask if the lab can donate test results since this is a
school-supported educational project. |
| Develop a one-page fact sheet for science
students to receive, which includes information about your Green Flag team’s
upcoming presentations and meetings. If possible, get the science
department involved, and encourage science teachers to use the fact sheet to
discuss NTP in the classroom. Make sure the fact sheet is readable for
different grade levels. Submit the fact sheet (and other materials you
make) to the Green Flag Program Coordinator and your mentor. |
| Perform pH tests on cleaning
products. pH tests are safe and can be done under adult
supervision. Submit the test results to the Green Flag Program
Coordinator and your NTP mentor. Write a report on your results.
How many products have pH’s in the neutral range, how many are acidic or
alkaline? |
| If you live in Massachusetts, the Toxic Use
Reduction Project offers grants to clean up dangerous materials at your school,
like old chemicals and cleaning supplies. If you live in another state
the site, can help you make a disposal plan to get rid of old toxic products
see http://community.turi.org/milton_modelpolicy.shtml |
|
A waste reduction grant program to dispose of
toxic chemicals is also maintained by the Iowa Metro Waste Authority: see: http://www.metrowaste.com/metro.htm |
