# Presentation: 772960

## No More “Methyl Something ” : Improving Management of Curriculum Chemicals in Schools

- <date/time>

**No More “*****Methyl Something *****” : Improving Management of Curriculum Chemicals in Schools**

**Maryann Suero, PhD**
**US Environmental Protection Agency**
**Region 5 (IL,IN,MI,MN,OH,WI)**
**Originally Presented at:**
**National Science Teachers Association**
**Chicago Regional Conference**
**November 10, 2005**
_**[suero.maryann@epa.gov](mailto:suero.maryann@epa.gov)**_
**312-886-9077**

## What Is Our Goal?

- EPA Programs

**What Is Our Goal?**
**i.e. the commercial!**

**EPA/Federal/State **
**Programs should support**
**Schools in their primary**
**Mission, which is educating**
**Kids!**
**Environmental (& health &**
**Safety) issues must be viewed**
**In context with each other**
**EPA & States & Partners**
**Provide tools (training, technical**
**Support, guidance) to schools**

## And now....

**More Information on Chemicals! **

## Where Are The Chemicals?

**Maintenance Areas**
**Vocational Shops**
**Science Laboratories**
**Art Classrooms**
**Offices**

**Curriculum Chemicals**

## Why Be Concerned About Chemical Management?

**Health hazards:****  immediate & long-term**** **
**Safety hazards:****  stability of shelves, storage methods and incompatibility **** **
**Environmental harm:**** groundwater, discharges to streams/rivers, air pollution**** **
**Hidden costs/liabilities:****  lawsuits, fines, Paperwork/fees, insurance premiums, etc**

## Types of Chemicals Posing Hazards in Schools

**Extremely flammable**** **
**Corrosive**** **
**Poisonous**** **
**Carcinogenic**** **
**ANYTHING STORED IMPROPERLY**

**Reactive:  explosive, heat generating, fume/vapor generating**** **
**Unknowns**

## Examples : Poor Storage Practices

**Water reactives near / under sink**
**Heavy containers on high shelves**
**Corrosives on (corroded) metal shelves**
**Flammables stored on wood**
**Alphabetical storage (incompatible?)**
**Unlabelled/”mystery” contents**
**Chemicals next to food**

## Why are there problems with chemical management in schools?

**Lack of awareness**** **
**Lack of environmental management system**** **
**Lack of “somebody in charge” (add-on duty)**** **
**Discount warehouse store effect**** **
**Spend it or lose it monies**

## Why are there chemical management problems in schools? (contd)

**Stockpiles from the 1950’s – era of Sputnik and technology race**
**Often little communication across Academic, Administrative, & Facilities departments**** **
**Facilities often not built for handling chemicals (ventilation, storage problems)**

## Incompatible Chemical Storage

**Incompatible Chemical Storage**

## Stockpiling/Overpurchasingand Underestimating Hazards 

## Poor Choice of Chemicals (high flammability material)

## Metal shelving deterioration

## Excess Chemicals in Storage

## Special Case : Mercury

## Special Case : Acutely Toxic

- _Imminent Risk_   Nitric Acid + Cyanide

## Dysfunctional Fume Hood

## Nitric“Sombrero” or... Nitric “Gnome”

## Improper storage of water reactive

## At least we know it’s organic....

## What IS it????

## You’re Probably Already Convinced That the Situation Requires Action

**Timeframe**
**Short term**
**Longer term**** **
**Actors**** **
**Actions**

## Short Term Actions

**Learn about chemical hazards****today’s presentation is just the first step**
**May be requirements at various levels**
**Federal (e.g. OSHA HazCom, Chem RTK)**
**State**
**Local (e.g. building or fire code)**
**District**

## Short Term Actions

**Build awareness in **
**Administration**
**Business Officials**
**Purchasing**
**Facilities / Maintenance**** **
**Elements to build awareness of **
**Issue is important**
**It needs attention**
**It needs funding**

## Short Term Actions

**Work with professionals to identify hazards**** **
**Get rid of the Stockpiles**
**Prescreen**
**Inventory**
**Remove chemicals**
**Hazardous**
**Outdated**
**No longer needed**

## Short Term Actions

**For inventory remaining**
**Obtain and Maintain Material Safety Data Sheets**
**Keep 1 set in lab**
**Keep 1 set in office**** **

## Longer Term Goals

**Develop a chemical management system**
**Purchase**
**Storage, including labeling**
**Use, including labeling**
**Disposal**
**Emergency Planning – spills, explosions, accidents**** **

## Longer Term Goals

**Use safer chemicals & less too**
**Order min quantities, consistent with use**
**Try to keep only 1 year’s worth stock**** **
**Prohibit certain chemicals period*****(hazard potential outweighs educational potential?)****** ***

## e.g. IDPH “Dirty Dozen”

**Barium chloride**
**Benzene**
**Carbon disulfide**
**Carbon tetrachloride**
**Cyanide compounds**
**Formaldehyde**

**Hydrofluoric acid**
**Mercury & compounds**
**Picric acid**
**Potassium metal**
**Sodium metal**
**Thermite**

## e.g. From King County, WA

**King County, Seattle, WA, Rehab the Lab, Database of School Chemicals: **_**[http://lhwmp.org/HWApp/projects/schools/ChemList.aspx](http://lhwmp.org/HWApp/projects/schools/ChemList.aspx)**_

## Longer Term Goals

**Order “safer” alternatives, packaging, dilutions, kits**
**Green chemistry**
**Microscale approaches (e.g. spot plates instead of test tubes)**** **
**Centralize inventory/purchasing**** **

## Longer Term Goals

**Develop and maintain chemical hygiene plan for lab chemicals *****(at least)****** ***
**Chemical Hygiene Plan identifies**
**Responsibilities**
**Administration**
**Teachers**
**Students**
**Basic rules and procedures **
**Safety**
**Handling of hazardous materials**
**Spill procedures **
**Waste procedures**
**Training**

## Longer Term Goals

**Chemical hygiene plans intended for the protection of EMPLOYEES**** **
**Model plan (IL) at***** ***_***[http://www.isbe.net/ils/science/pdf/science_safety.pdf](http://www.isbe.net/ils/science/pdf/science_safety.pdf)***_
**Inform school or district chemical hygiene plan**

## Longer Term Goals

**Regularly budget for removals****(Cradle to grave)**** **
**Address chemical issues in context with other environmental concerns**

## Need To See “The Big Picture”

**Chemical management can affect  **
**Safety**
**Health **
**Indoor Air Quality**** **** **
**Chemical mismanagement can affect**
**Drinking Water Quality**
**Stormwater Quality**** **
**Environmental stewardship**

## Need To See “The Big Picture”

**Look At Chemical Management as part of bigger set of EHS Issues (e.g.)**
**Poor IAQ **
**Pests /pesticide use**
**Mold**
**Deferral of maintenance**
**Funding**
**Environmental Management Systems (EMS)  - puts issues in context & addresses continuous improvement**

## Environmental Management SystemApproach

**DO**

**PLAN**

**CHECK**

**ACT**

**Environmental Management System****Approach**

## Special Case :  Mercury

**Schools should get rid of mercury**
**Bulk**
**Equipment**
**Any Hg spill greater than 1 fever thermometer is a LARGE spill – ****get help!**
**Any Hg spill greater than 2 TBS must be reported ****Any time one pound or more of mercury is released to the environment, it is mandatory to call the **_**[National Response Center (NRC).](http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/er/hazsubs/index.htm)**__** The NRC hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call (800) 424-8802. Note that because mercury is heavy, only two tablespoons of mercury weigh about one pound **_

## In Cleaning Up Small Hg Spills

- Never use
- Broom
- Vacuum cleaner
- Don’t pour down drain
- _[http://epa.gov/mercury/spills/index.htm](http://epa.gov/mercury/spills/index.htm)_

## Resources 

**School Chemistry Laboratory Safety Guide, Consumer Product Safety Commission (**_**[www.cpsc.gov](http://www.cpsc.gov/)**_**) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (**_**[http://](http://www.cdc.gov/NIOSH/)**__**[www.cdc.gov](http://www.cdc.gov/NIOSH/)**__**[/NIOSH](http://www.cdc.gov/NIOSH/)**_**/) : **_**[http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2007-107/pdfs/2007-107.pdf](http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2007-107/pdfs/2007-107.pdf)**_
** **
**Material Safety Data Sheets **_**[http://www.siri.org/](http://www.siri.org/)**__** **_
**Flinn Scientifc**_**[http://www.flinnsci.com/](http://www.flinnsci.com/)**_

## More Resources 

**Council of State Science Supervisors**
**Making the Connection **
**Science Safety:  It’s Elementary**
_**[http://www.csss-science.org/safety.shtml](http://www.csss-science.org/safety.shtml)**_
**Rehab the Lab, Safe labs that don’t pollute**_**[http://www.govlink.org/hazwaste/schoolyouth/rehab/](http://www.govlink.org/hazwaste/schoolyouth/rehab/)**_

## Still More Resources

**EPA’s School Chemical Cleanout Campaign**_**[www.epa.gov/sc3](http://www.epa.gov/sc3)**__** **_
**EPA’s Healthy School Web Portal**_**[www.epa.gov/schools](http://www.epa.gov/schools)**__** **_
**EPA’s Mercury Web Site**_**[www.epa.gov/mercury](http://www.epa.gov/mercury)**__** **_
**Mercury in Schools Project**_**[http://www.mercuryinschools.uwex.edu/](http://www.mercuryinschools.uwex.edu/)**_