SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session 
SENATE 
S. No. 
2978 
) 
) 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
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P2 :47 
MANDATING THE USE OF SAFE CLEANING PRODUCTS IN SCHOOLS TO 
PROTECT THE HEALTH OF STUDENTS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 13 provides: 
The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall 
promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-
being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage 
their involvement in public and civic affairs. 
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air 
pollution is one of the most pressing personal health concerns of their country. Residues 
of more than 400 toxic chemicals - some found in household products and food - have 
been identified in human blood and 
fat 
tissue. I EPA's Office of Research and 
Development's "Total Exposure Assessment Methodology (TEAM) Study" found levels 
of about a dozen common organic pollutants to be two to five times higher indoors than 
outside, regardless of whether the homes were located in rural or highly industrial areas. 
TEAM studies indicated that while people are using products containing organic 
chemicals, they can expose themselves and others to very high pollutant levels, and 
elevated concentrations can persist in the air long after the activity is completed.2 
Many common household cleaning products contain dangerous ingredients such as 
caustics or solvents, which when used, stored or disposed of improperly are health 
1 http://www.healthy-communications.com/factsoncarcinogensathome.html. 
2 http://www.epa.govliaq/voc.html. 
1 


hazards. Caustic chemicals such as those found in oven cleaners (lye, sodium hydroxide), 
drain cleaners, scouring powders, or bleach can cause burns and severe damage to the 
skin and eyes. Solvents are fast-drying substances that dissolve another substance. 
Inhalation of these vapors or accidental drinking can be harmful or even fatal. Long-term 
exposure to some solvents may cause liver and kidney problems, birth defects, central 
nervous system disorders, and cancer. Furniture polish, silver cleaner, paint remover and 
wood floor wax contain solvents.3 Consumer cleaning products like laundry detergents, 
all-purpose sprays, dish soaps, and scrub sponges often smell like pleasant things found 
in nature, but their ingredients pose dangers to health. According to a new study 
conducted by the University of Washington, many scented cleaning products contain 
mystery chemicals not listed on their labels that are toxic to health. A team of researchers 
from the university tested a variety of consumer cleaning products and found that 25 of 
the most frequently used scented products contained an average of 17 hazardous 
chemicals.4 
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or 
liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-
term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher 
indoors than outdoors. VOCs are emitted by a wide array of products numbering in the 
thousands. 
This includes cleaning supplies. Organic chemicals are widely used as 
ingredients in household products. Many cleaning, disinfecting, cosmetic, degreasing, 
and hobby products contain organic solvents. All of these products can release organic 
compounds while you are using them, and, to some degree, when they are stored. 
Children are more sensitive because they are still developing their basic body 
systems. The brain, internal organs, respiratory, and immune systems are not fully 
developed until adolescence. In Canada, respiratory illness is now the leading cause of 
3 University of Florida website, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.he791. 
4 http://www.naturalnews.com/030570cleaningproductstoxins.htm!. 
2 


admission to the hospital for children. Childhood asthma has jumped by 400 percent. 
After injuries, cancer is now the leading cause of death in children between the ages of 
five and nine.5 
This bill proposes to protect the health of students, custodial staff, and other 
building occupants by requiring the use of safe cleaning products in schools.6 
~~ J~ 
MIRIAM DEFE~SoRS Tl¥O 
-t 
5 http://www.health-report.co.ukltoxichousehold.htm. 
6 This bill was originally filed in the Fifteenth Congress, Second Regular session. 
3 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session 
SENATE 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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: 
1 
SECTION 1. Short Title. ~ This Act shall be known as the "Safe Cleaning 
2 
Products in Schools Act." 
3 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is the policy of the State to promote and 
4 
protect the physical well-being of the youth recognizing their vital role in nation-
5 
bUilding. 
6 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. ~ As used in this Act, the term: 
7 
(1) 
"Air freshener" means an aerosol spray, liquid deodorizer, plug-in product, 
8 
paradi-chlorobenzene block, scented urinal screen, or other product used to mask odors or 
9 
freshen the air in a room, 
10 
(2) 
"Antimicrobial pesticides" means a pesticide that is intended to: 
11 
(A) disinfect, sanitize, reduce, or mitigate growth or development of 
a 
12 
microbiological organism; or 
13 
(B) 
protect 
inanimate 
objects, 
industrial processes 
or systems, 
14 
surfaces, water, or other chemical substances from contamination, fouling, or 
15 
deterioration caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, algae or slime, 


1 
(3) 
"Cleaning product" means an institutional compound intended for 
2 
routine cleaning, including antimicrobial pesticides, general purpose cleaners, bathroom 
3 
cleaners, glass cleaners, carpet cleaners, floor care products, and hand soaps. 
4 
(4) 
"Property manager" 
shall refer to the employee of a school who has 
5 
supervisory and decision making authority with regard to the sanitary and physical 
6 
condition of school property, including authority over cleaning product purchases. 
7 
(5) 
"Disinfectant" means substances or mixtures of substances used on 
8 
hard inanimate surfaces and objects to destroy or irreversibly inactivate infectious fungi 
9 
and bacteria but not necessarily their spores. 
10 
(6) 
"Environmentally preferable cleaning product" means a cleaning product 
11 
that has a less negative effect on human health and the environment when 
12 
compared to competing products serving the same purpose. 
13 
(7) 
"Green cleaning" means a practice that includes the use of a cleaning 
14 
product certified as environmentally preferable by an independent third party entity, 
15 
best practices that follow accepted management standards and improve indoor air 
16 
quality, and equipment that facilitates effective cleaning. 
17 
(8) (A) "Independent third party" refers to a nationally recognized organization 
18 
that has developed a program for the purpose of certifYing environmentally preferable 
19 
cleaning products. 
20 
The certification program shall: 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
(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 product and its packaging on a life-cycle basis; 
2 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
(iv) 
develop 
certification standards 
III 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 
(vii) 
make the standards easily accessible to purchasers and 
manufacturers; or 
12 
(B) 
In the alternative, "independent third party" means any organization 
13 
otherwise deemed by the DENR to satisfactorily assess and certifY environmentally 
14 
preferable 
cleaning products. In the absence of an independent third party, the 
15 
certification shall be undertaken by the Environmental Management Bureau of the 
16 
DENR. 
17 
(9) 
"School" shall refer to preschools, pnmary and secondary schools both 
18 
public and private. 
19 
SECTION 4. Environmentally preferable cleaning product. -
A school shall 
20 
ensure that only environmentally preferable cleaning products are used to clean their 
21 
premises. The property manager shall use cleaning products certified as environmentally 
22 
preferable by an independent third party as defined in Section 4 of this Act. 
23 
SECTION 5. Exceptions. - A school may temporarily use non-environmentally 
24 
preferable disinfectant in the following cases: 
25 
(1) Blood, body fluids, or fecal soiling is present on any surface; or 
3 


1 
(2) The Secretary of Environment and Natural 
Resources makes a case-
2 
specific determination that failure to use non-environmentally preferable disinfectants 
3 
would create a risk to public health and safety. 
4 
SECTION 6. Air fresheners. - A school shall not purchase or allow the use of air 
5 
fresheners in its premises. 
6 
SECTION 7. Creation of a school environmental health website. - The Secretaries 
7 
of Environment and Natural Resources, Health, and Education shall jointly create 
8 
and jointly update as necessary an electronic school environmental health clearinghouse 
9 
site on the website of the Department 
of Environment 
and Natural 
Resources 
10 
(DENR), including diagnostic checklists and searchable databases. This website shall 
11 
include: 
12 
(1) 
Information 
on materials 
and practices 
m common use m school 
13 
operations and construction that may compromise indoor air quality or negatively impact 
14 
human health; 
15 
(2) 
Information 
on potential 
health 
problems 
associated 
with 
these 
16 
materials, with specific reference to children's vulnerability; 
17 
(3) 
Information 
on 
integrated pest management and alternatives 
to 
18 
chemical pest control; 
19 
(4) 
Information on methods to reduce or eliminate exposure to potentially 
20 
hazardous substances in schools, including the following: 
21 
(A) 
A list of preventive management options, such as ventilation, 
22 
equipment upkeep, design strategies, and performance standards; 
23 
(B) 
A list of nontoxic or least-toxic office and classroom supplies, 
24 
building equipment, and materials and furnishings; and 
4 


1 
(C) 
A list of environmental health criteria that schools may use as a 
2 
decision making tool when determining what materials to purchase or use in 
3 
school construction or operations. 
4 
(5) Information on environmentally preferable cleaning products certified by 
5 
an independent third party including a list of these products and procedures for using 
6 
them. 
7 
SECTION 8. Review. - The Secretaries of Environment and Natural Resources, 
8 
Education, and Health shall: 
9 
(1) 
Review the information on the school 
environmental 
10 
information clearinghouse at least twice yearly, and update it whenever 
11 
developments occur. 
health 
significant 
12 
(2) 
At the request of school officials, assist school environmental health 
13 
coordinators to identify potential sources of environmental pollution in the school, and 
14 
make recommendations on how to alleviate any problems. 
15 
(3) 
Annually, organize a school environmental workshop for school 
16 
environment health coordinators and school administrators, and an annual training for 
17 
school maintenance and property staff. Each workshop and training shall include 
18 
instruction on green cleaning practices. The department shall issue certificates of training 
19 
to participants who successfully complete the workshops. 
20 
(4) 
Publicize the availability of information through the school environmental 
21 
health clearinghouse. 
22 
(5) 
Provide information and referrals to members of school communities who 
23 
contact the school environmental health clearinghouse with hazardous exposure and 
24 
indoor air concerns. 
25 
(6) 
Assist elementary and secondary schools to establish school environment 
26 
health programs to address indoor air and hazardous exposure issues. 
5 


(7) 
Report annually to the house and the Senate Committee on Education, Arts, 
2 
and Culture the extent of indoor air and hazardous exposure problems in schools and the 
3 
percentage of schools that have established a school environmental health program 
4 
or qualified for environmental health certification. 
5 
SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid or 
6 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other 
7 
provisions hereof. 
8 
SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, and issuances, or 
9 
portions thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby 
10 
repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
11 
SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
12 
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general 
13 
circulation. 
Approved, 
/dpm 11 September20 15 
6