Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bill No, 6481

Introduced by Congressman Alfredo D. Vargas III

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The United States’ (U.S) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had
made public the appalling revelation that indoor air pollution is one of the most
pressing personal health concerns in their country.

The EPA revealed that residues of more that 400 toxic chemicals have
been identified in human blood and fat tissue. Some of these toxic chemicals
have been found in household products and food.

Dangerous ingredients such as caustics or solvents are present in
ordinary household cleaning products. When improperly used, stored or
disposed, they become health hazards. Burns and severe damage to skin and
eyes can be caused by caustic chemicals like those in oven cleaners (Iye, sodium
hydroxide), drain cleaners, scouring powders, or bleach.

Inhalation or accidental drinking of solvents (fast-drying substances that
dissolve another substance) can be harmful and even fatal. Cancer, birth defects,
central nervous system disorders, and liver and kidney problems, may be caused
by long-term exposure to some solvents. Among those household items
containing solvents are furniture polish, silver cleaner, paint remover and wood
floor wax.

Even pleasant-smelling cleaning products such as laundry detergents, all-
purpose sprays, dish soaps and scrub sponges contain ingredients which are
dangerous to health.

Especially vulnerable to these are our children who are still developing
their basic body systems and are, thus, more physically vulnerable. The
children’s internal organs, respiratory and immune systems, and brains, are not
yet fully developed.

‘There is a need, therefore to mandate the use of safe cleaning products in
schools if we are to protect our children from harm and/or illness.


This piece of legislation is a response to this need. By requiring the use of
safe cleaning products in school, it aims to protect the health of students,
custodial staff and all other workers in our school byildings.

. VARGAS IIT


REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
House of Representatives
Quezon City

16 Congress
34 Regular Session

House BILL No. 6481

Introduced by Congressman Alfredo D. Vargas III

AN ACT
MANDATING THE USE OF SAFE CLEANING PRODUCTS IN SCHOOLS TO PROTECT THE
HEALTH OF STUDENTS

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Safe Cleaning Products in
School Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is the policy of the State to promote and
protect the physical well-being of the youth recognizing their vital role in nation-building.

SECTION 3, Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the term:

(1) “Air freshener” means an aerosol spray, liquid deodorizer, plug-in product,
parade-chlorobenzene block, scented urinal screen, or other products used to mask odors
or freshen the air in a room.

(2) “Antimicrobial pesticides” means a pesticide that is intended to:

(A) Disinfect, sanitize, reduce, or mitigate growth or development of a
microbiological organism; or

(B) Protect inanimate objects, industrial processes or systems, surfaces, water,
or other chemical substances from contamination, fouling, or deterioration
caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozon, algae or slime.

(3) “Cleaning product” means an institutional compound intended for routine
cleaning, including antimicrobial pesticides, general purpose cleaners, bathroom cleaners,
glass cleaners, carpet cleaners, floor care products, and hand soaps.


(4) "Property manager” shall refer to the employee of a school who has supervisory
and decision making authority with regard to the sanitary and physical conditions of school
property, including authority over cleaning product purchases.

(5) Disinfectant” means substances or mixtures of substances used on inanimate
surfaces and objects to destroy or irreversibly inactivate infectious fungi and bacteria but
not necessarily their spores,

(6) “Environmentally preferable cleaning products” means a cleaning product that
has a less negative effect on human health and the environment when compared to
competing products serving the same purpose.

(7) “Green cleaning” means a practice that includes the use of a cleaning product
certified as environmentally preferable by an independent third party entity, has best
practices that follow accepted management standards and improve indoor air quality, and
has equipment that facilitate effective cleaning,

(8) (A) “Independent third party” refers to a nationally recognized organization that
has developed a program for the purpose of certifying environmentally preferable cleaning
products.

‘The certification program shall:
(i) Define a manufacturer's certification fees;
(ii) Identify any potential conflicts of interest;

(iii) Base certification on considerations of human health and
safety, ecological toxicity, other environmental impacts, and
resource conservation as appropriate products and their
packaging on a life-cycle basis;

(iv) Develop certification standards in an open, public and
transparent manner that involves the public and key
stakeholders;

(v) Periodically revise and update the standards to remain
consistent with the current research about the impacts of
chemicals on human health;

(vi) Monitor and enforce the standards for the purpose of
certification, and have the authority to inspect the
manufacturing facility and periodically to do so, and have a
registered or legally protected certification mark; and


(vil) Make the standards easily accessible to purchasers and
manufacturers; or

(B) In the alternative, “Independent third party” means any organization
otherwise deemed by the DENR to satisfactory assess and certify environmentally
preferable cleaning products. In the absence of an independent third party, the certification
shall be undertaken by the Environmental Management Bureau of the DENR.

(9) “Schoo!” shall refer to pre-schools, primary and secondary schools both public
and private.

SECTION 4. Environmentally preferable cleaning product. ~ A school shall ensure that
only environmentally preferable cleaning products are used to clean their premises. The
property manager shall use cleaning products certified as environmentally preferable by an
independent third party as defined in Section 4 of this Act.

SECTION 5. Exceptions. - A school may temporarily use non-environmentally
preferable disinfectant in the following cases:

(1) Blood, body fluids, or fecal soiling is present on any surface; or

(2) The Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources makes a
case-specific determination that failure to use-environmentally preferable
disinfectants would create a risk to public health and safety.

SECTION 6. Air fresheners, - A school shall not purchase or allow the use of air
fresheners in its premises.

SECTION 7. Creation of a school environmental health website. - The Secretaries of
Environment and Natural Resources, Health, and Education shall jointly create and jointly
update as necessary an electronic school environmental health clearinghouse site on the
website of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), including
diagnostic checklists and searchable databases. This website shall include:

(1) Information on materials and practices in common use in school operations
and construction that may compromise indoor air quality or negatively impact human
health;

(2) Information on potential health problems associated with these materials,
with specific reference to children's vulnerability;

(3) Information on integrated pest management and alternatives to chemical
pest control;


(4) Information on methods to reduce or eliminate exposure to potentially
hazardous substances in schools, including the following:

(A) A list of preventive management options, such as supplies, building
equipment, and materials and finishing; and

(B) _ Allist of nontoxic or least toxic office and classroom supplies, building
equipment, and materials and furnishings; and

(C) A list of environment health criteria that schools may use as a
decision-making tool when determining what materials to purchase or use in school
construction or operations.

(D) Information on environmentally preferable cleaning products
certified by an independent third party including a list of these products and
procedures for using them.

SECTION 8. Review. - The Secretaries of Environment and Natural Resources,
Education, and Health shall:

(1) _ Review the information on the school environmental health information
clearinghouse at least twice yearly, and update it whenever significant developments occur.

(2) At the request of school officials, assist school environmental health
coordinators to identify potential sources of environmental pollution in the school, and
make recommendations on how to alleviate any problems.

(3) Annually, organize a school environmental workshop for school environment
health coordinators and school administrators, and an annual training for school
maintenance and property staff. Each workshop and training shall include instructions on
green cleaning practices. The department shall issue certificates of training to participants
who successfully complete the workshops.

(4) Publicize the availability of information through the school environmental
health clearinghouse.

(5) Provide information and referrals to members of school communities who
contact the school environmental health clearinghouse with hazardous exposure and
indoor air concerns.

(6) Assist elementary and secondary schools to establish school environment
health programs to address indoor air and hazardous issues.

(7) Report annually to the House and the Senate Committee on Education, Arts
and Culture the extent of indoor air and hazardous exposure problems in schools and the


percentage of schools that have established a school environmental health program or
qualified for environmental health certification.

SECTION 9. Separability Clause, - If any provision of this Act is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the same shail not affect the validity of the other provisions hereof.

SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, decrees, orders, and issuances, or portions
thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed,
amended, or modified accordingly.

SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause, - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,