POLLUTION PREVENTION OPPORTUNITIES IN SCHOOLS

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POLLUTION PREVENTION OPPORTUNITIES IN SCHOOLS

• Diana Phelps
• Nabil Yacoub
• Pollution Prevention and Green Technology
• Cal/EPA-Department of Toxic
• Substances Control
• [phone] dphelps_at_dtsc.ca.gov
• [phone] nyacoub1_at_dtsc.ca.gov

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Objectives

• At the conclusion of this training, you should
• Understand why pollution prevention is important
• (save time and money)
• Understand the alternative practices
• Know where to go for information or help

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School Wastes Statistics

• California school districts dispose of large
  amounts of waste (approximately 763,817 tons per
  year).
• Schools recycle less than residential or
  commercial sectors
• Schools produce 240 lb. waste/ student / yr.
• These wastes represent a significant loss of
  natural resources and school district funds
• as well as a potential threat to
  student/staff health and the environment.

Statewide waste characterization study, results
final report, p.19, 1999
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PROBLEMS..

• Limited natural resources
• Limited effective wastes disposal sites
• Costs
• Population growth
• Health risks environmental diseases
• Global climate changes
• Depletion of the ozone Layer
• Groundwater depletion
• Energy consumption and associated environmental
  damages
• Habitat destruction and Species Extinction
• Worker Safety
• Financial investments
• Insurance Policies
• World Wildlife Fund Living Planet Report 2006
  http//assets.panda.org/downloads/living_planet_re
  port.pdf

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A clever person can solve a problem, but a wise
person avoids one
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What is the solution?

• P2 Source Reduction

Source reduction is Any action which (A)
reduces the generation of hazardous waste. (B)
is taken before the hazardous waste is
generated that results in a lessening of the
properties which cause it to be classified as
a hazardous waste. HSC, section
25244.14(e)(1)
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Why Is Waste Reduction Planning Essential For
School Districts?

• Reduce disposal costs.
• Improve safety for students, service staff, and
  teachers.
• Reduce long-term liability. 
• Increase efficiency of school operations.
• Decrease associated purchasing costs.
• Required by the California laws and regulations

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Some of California Laws Regulations

• Public Resources Code, sections 42620-42622
  require to establish and implement source
  reduction and recycling programs.
• Senate Bill 373 (Torlakson, Chapter 926, Statutes
  of 2001), require to establish an integrated
  systems model where academics, administration,
  and facilities work collaboratively to
  incorporate resource conservation and
  sustainability into their organizational
  philosophy, planning, and implementation.

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California Laws Regulations-contd

• California Education Code, sections 32370-32376,
  require to encourage each school district to
  establish and maintain a paper recycling program
• These sections also encourage school districts
  to
• Purchase recycled paper.
• Purchase the paper with the highest percentage of
  post-consumer waste.
• Revise its procurement specifications to
  eliminate discrimination against recycled paper
  and to give preference to the purchase of
  recycled paper.
• Eliminate the purchase of paper and paper
  products, which are potential contaminants

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California Laws Regulations-contd

• California Health Safety Code
• (1) SB14 documents requirement by Large
  quantity
• generators HSC, Article 11.9
• (2) Onsite treatment (CA) certification
• HSC 25200.3(c)(2) 25202.9
• (3) Consolidated manifest users
  certification
• HSC 25160.2(b)(4)(H)
• California Code of Regulations, Title 22
• (1) Generators manifest certification (section
  66262.27)
• (2) Onsite treatment (PBR) certification
  T22, CCR, Section 66262.45(c)

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Why Is Source Reduction In School Important?

• Schools have the greatest opportunity to create
  committed future recyclers and environmental
  stewards
• Opportunity for hands-on environmental-based
  education and service learning projects
• We cannot afford to lose the next
• generation of environmental stewards

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How Do I Start?
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Environmental Categories
                                                                                                     Waste Reduction Recycling                                                                                                      EnvironmentalPurchasing                                                                                                      Litter Reduction                                                                                                      Hazardous Materials Management Reduction
                                                                                                    Water Conservation                                                                                                      Energy Conservation                                                                                                      Reduction of GreenhouseGas Emissions                                                                                                      Environmental Issuesin the Classroom
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1. Waste Assessment

• Sources of the schools Waste
• Determine if the waste is hazardous and whether
  it is RCRA or non-RCRA
• Determine quantities of generated wastes
• What happens to the schools waste?
• Is there any recycling conducted on-site?
• Is there any treatment on-site?
• Is there any waste reduction opportunity?
• Is there any written P2 plan?
• Is there any evaluation of P2 plan?

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2. Apply Source Reduction Methods

• Equipment or technology changes
• Process or procedure improvements
• Reformulation or redesign of products
• (selection and purchasing)
• Substitution of raw materials
• Improvement in operations
• Reuse of material within existing processes

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3. Establish The 5 Rs Policy

• Refuse Avoid buying or accepting anything that
  becomes waste.
• Return Return what can be returned to
  suppliers.
• Reduce Reduce waste from the source.
• Reuse Reuse anything that can be reused.
• Recycle As a last resort, recycle for matter
  and energy content.

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4. Apply the Best Management Practices (BMP)

• Buy waste-preventing products,
• Buy products that come with less packaging.
• Buy products that are durable and/or reusable.
• Buy nontoxic products, or products with reduced
  toxic content.
• Reuse, repairing, or donating usable goods
  instead of throwing them away.
• Send products that are no longer needed back to
  vendors or manufacturers for reuse or recycling.
• Apply the best environmental practices in every
  environmental categories.

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5. Eliminate Mercury At School

• Where to look?
• - Science and Chemistry Class Rooms
• - Nurses office
• - Electrical and heating
• equipment
• BMP
• Store safely
• Find alternatives (e.g., electronic thermometers,
  electronic thermostats)
• Recycle or disposal of properly
• Establish spill control procedures
• Purchase mercury-free equipments

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6. Waste Segregation
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7. Consider Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
Policy

• Target EP Products
• Find Certified Products

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Target these products

• Printing Services
• Motor Oil
• Janitorial Cleaning Products Services
• Office Furniture/products/equipments
• Painting
• Lighting/Lamps/Electrical equipments

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Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Products
Policy

• Recycled content products, such as recycled
  plastic furniture

• Energy conserving products, such as fluorescent
  lights

• Less toxic products, such as cleaners

• Bio-based products, such as inks.
• Green Printers, such as those that use biobased
  inks and recycled and chlorine-free papers

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8. Seek Environmental Standards or Specifications

• EPA Environmental Product Database
• Green California website
• StopWaste.Org Resource Guide
• Center for a New American Dream
• Review Existing Contract Specifications

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Healthy School Resources

• U.S. EPAs Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
  (EPP) Homepage http//www.epa.gov/oppt/epp
• U.S. EPAs Database For Environmentally
  Preferable Goods and Services http//www.epa.gov/o
  ppt/epp/database.htm
• The new Healthy School Environments Assessment
  Tool (HealthySEAT) http//www.epa.gov/schools/heal
  thyseat/
• Healthy School Environment Resources
  http//cfpub.epa.gov/schools/index.cfm

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P2 in Janitorial Services

• Use the least hazardous cleaning products.
• Read the instructions on how to use cleaning
  products and be sure to use the correct amount.
• Use a substitute for cleaning projects

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P2 in Pest Control

• Pest control operators that use Integrated Pest
  Management practices to avoid the regular
  spraying of pesticides
• California Integrated Pest Management Program
  www.schoolipm.info/
• www.epa.gov/pesticides/ipm/schoolipm/index.html
• Pesticides alternatives
• www.pesticide.org/factsheets.html

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P2 In Auto Repair Shop Bus Fleets And Student
Shop

• Aqueous cleaning
• Aqueous brake washing
• Refillable spray bottles
• Reusable oil filters
• Engine oil life extension/ Re-refined oil
• Antifreeze recycling
• Spill prevention and floor cleanup
• Oil/Water separator
• www.dtsc.ca.gov/
• PollutionPrevention/VSR/index.cfm

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P2 in Auto Body and Paint Shop

• Hazardous Waste Guidance
• Minimizing paint waste
• Paint Gun Cleaning
• Sanding Waste Management
• Solvent Recycling
• Wastewater Management
• Waterborne Coatings
• www.dtsc.ca.gov/PollutionPrevention/ABP/index.cfm

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P2 in Print Shop

• Electronic Imaging and Laser Platemaking
  Processes Only the final edited version is
  printed out.
• Vesicular and Photopolymer films do not contain
  silver, which can reduce hazardous waste
  generation.
• New Ink Systems Use water-based or water-borne
  inks. Purchase ink in returnable containers.
• Recycle Waste Ink reduce costs of fresh ink and
  waste disposal.
• www.calgold.ca.gov/P2/2750.htm

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P2 in Painting Shop

• Buy the right amount of paint for the job
• Calculate the area to be painted (height x width
  total square feet). One gallon covers about 400
  square feet.
• Cover the paint can.
• Use leftover paint for touch-up jobs, smaller
  projects or as a primer.
• Use low-VOC or water-based paints, stains,
  finishes and paint strippers.

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P2 In Science Storerooms, Art Classrooms, And
Custodial Closets

• Store chemicals and hazardous wastes properly to
  avoid unauthorized use or spills.
• Dispose of properly the chemicals that are no
  longer useful or needed, or that are unknown.
• Purchase only the needed amounts of chemical
  supplies
• Buy a safe bleach product that does not have a
  label that reads "Danger, "Warning," or
  "Caution."
• Use the least amount of product needed to
  complete the job.
• Do not mix chemicals and hazardous wastes with
  everyday trash, or dump them on the ground.

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Benefits of Pollution Prevention

• Reduce regulatory requirements.
• Cost savings
• Improve competitive advantage.
• Potential reduction in hazardous-waste- related
  liabilities
• Improve operations.
• Protect the environment, and the health and
  safety of your employees and the public.
• The key to P2 is that school districts do it not
  because the
• government forces them to, but because its more
  
• cost efficient and safer for students

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Where To Get Help?

• Hazardous and toxic waste reduction
• DTSC Public Business Liaisons
• (800) 72TOXIC (1-800-728-6942) or visit
  www.dtsc.ca.gov
• DTSC/OPPGT [phone] or www.dtsc.ca.gov/poll
  utionprevention
• State Laws and Regulations
• www.calregs.com
• www.leginfo.ca.gov
• Calrecycle school district waste reduction guide
• www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Schools/WasteReduce/default
  .htm
• Seeing Green Through Waste Prevention A Waste
  Prevention Guide for School Districts
• http//www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Publications/de
  fault.asp?pubid11
• Waste Reduction Strategies for Each Department
  within a School District www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Sch
  ools/WasteReduce/Strategies.htm
• Environment based education
• http//www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Schools/Links/SvcLear
  n.htm

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Where To Get Help?-contd

• National Pollution Prevention Organizations
• - NP2 Roundtable www.p2.org
• - Western Sustainability Pollution Prevention
  Network - www.westp2net.org
• P2 checklists www.p2pays.org

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Where To Get Help? contd

• California Environmental Education Interagency
  Network (CEEIN)
• www.calepa.ca.gov/education/ceein/Resource
  s/
• California Regional Environmental Education
  Community www.creec.org/
• Green power locator www.epa.gov/greenpower/locato
  r/index.htm
• Other Resources
• www.stopwaste.org/epp
• ww.earth911.org
• www.P2Rx.org
• www.beyondpesticides.org
• www.childproofing.org
• www.healthyschools.org.
• Green Schools
• http//www.green-technology.org/green_technology_m
  agazine/proposition_1D.htm

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Green Chemistry and Education

• Science Fairs
• http//www.dtsc.ca.gov/PollutionPrevention/GreenCh
  emistryInitiative/GCawards.cfm
• Including Green Chemistry in curriculum
• Education and the Environment Initiative
• http//www.calepa.ca.gov/education/eei

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Education and the Environment Initiative-key
elements

• -Development of Californias Environmental
  Principles Concepts, (EPCs).
• -Alignment of the EPCs to Californias Academic
  Content Standards.

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Education and the Environment Initiative

• -Incorporation of the EPCs into criteria for
  instructional materials adoption in science,
  history/social science, English/language arts
  and, mathematics.
• -Alignment of the states diverse environmental
  education programs and materials with the EPCs.
• The development and implementation of the EEI
  mandates will occur in Phases 1-7.

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