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EPA Recognizes Organizations for Improving Chemical Safety in Schools

Release Date: 10/22/2009
Contact Information: Latisha Petteway, [email protected], 202-564-3191, 202-564-4355

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is honoring 11 organizations for promoting responsible chemical management and helping remove potentially dangerous chemicals from K-12 schools in their communities. Working with EPA’s Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign (SC3), the organizations removed an estimated 70,000 pounds of potentially dangerous chemicals from approximately 300 schools.

“This campaign reflects the very best of what we have to offer. It brings together local volunteers, educators, partners in the business community, and many others in service to our communities, and helps us in our most important work: protecting the health and safety of our children,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “We’re grateful for all the dedicated citizens stepping up to confront our most urgent environmental and children’s health challenges. They’re ensuring that our schools are safe places for children to learn, play and grow.”

The organizations were recognized for a range of activities contributing to a reduction in chemical hazards, including:

• assisting schools in developing accurate chemical inventories,
• removing and properly disposing of outdated, unknown, and unneeded chemicals, and
• establishing sustainable programs to properly manage chemicals by training school administrators and teachers on responsible chemical management and green lesson planning.