Presentations May 23 – 25, 2005

1. Presentations May 23 – 25, 2005 Portland, Maine For related information visit: http://www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/conferences

2. Hazardous Chemicals in Schools Achieving Mercury Reductions in Products and Waste 23 May 2005 Kristina L. Meson, USEPA

3. School Chemicals: In the News • “Maine - schools have uncovered stockpiles of potentially dangerous chemicals, including agents used in Chemical Warfare that could cost millions to clean up.” 10/18/04 • “Montana – Science teachers across Montana are being surveyed about the chemicals in their classrooms … stockpiles, some perhaps decades old.” 8/31/04 • NPR: Safety concerns of school chemistry labs. 1/22/04 • EPA - Region 4 responds to Mercury release in school. 4/19/04 • Des Moines, Iowa – “Experts hauled out and blew up several containers of unidentified chemicals found in school storage area.” 2/27/04 • Tokyo– “School officials failed to dispose of more than 1,000 bottles of radioactive waste.” 8/24/04 • Hawaii- “Hazmat crews and police converge on Kalani High School, after students got into a container of sodium cyanide.” 12/12/04

4. The Big Picture • Schools are overburdened, underfunded and understaffed. • Environmental health issues usually take a back seat. • Stockpiles of chemicals, including mercury, are but one of many environmental and safety issues. • Often schools do not have any staff that focus exclusively on environmental or environmental health issues.

5. Scope of Problem • 53 million children and 6 million staff in 118,000 in K-12 schools in US. • Chemicals include: • Explosives • Corrosives • Flammables • Toxics • Poisons • Radioactive materials • Found throughout the school in science labs, art studios, and maintenance storage facilities.

6. Why Do We Care About Mercury? • Play Video

7. Why Do We Care About Mercury in Schools? • Mercury and children do NOT mix! • Neurotoxic, heavy metal that is linked to numerous health effects. • Found in products in schools and is often used to demonstrate chemical principles. • Most likely route of exposure in schools is inhalation after a spill or while “playing” with elemental mercury. • Costly Cleanups and school closures.

8. EPA Data: The Tip of the Iceberg • In 2004, EPA responded to 12 emergency removals involving mercury. • Data represents a small percentage of incidents since most are handled at the local level and are never reported to national databases.

9. Case Study 1:Kiln, Mississippi • September 2003: Mississippi DEQ requested an emergency response removal at two schools. • Mercury Concentrations above EPA levels. • Three school buses were contaminated – seats and flooring removed. • Children’s clothing tested and some disposed. • Total cleanup costs were $200,000.

10. Case Study 2: Washington, D.C. • On October 2, 2003 a student obtained 250 milliliters of liquid elemental mercury from a science laboratory. • Contamination spread via several modes of transportation on student shoes and clothing. • Breathing zone mercury vapor concentrations were greater than EPA standards. • The school was closed for cleanup and reopened after about a month. • Eleven homes and one common area were found to be contaminated and about 16 families were displaced for a month. • Total cleanup costs were about $1,500,000.

11. Mercury Legislation • 40 states have a partial ban • At least 10 states specify a ban on mercury in schools • At least 9 states have school mercury cleanout programs

12. State Hg Reduction Programs • New York Dept. of Health • New outreach materials aimed at different school audiences • Minnesota – Mercury Free Zone • Clancy the Hg-sniffing dog • Wisconsin – Schools Mercury Reduction Program • Indiana – Mercury Awareness Program

13. What Can You do to Reduce the Amount of Mercury in Schools? • Help educate students, other teachers and administrators about mercury. • Promote proper management and recycling of mercury and mercury-containing products. • Eliminate the use of mercury wherever possible at schools. • Prevent mercury spills and know what to do if a spill occurs. • Promote the use of alternative products that do not contain mercury.

14. Helpful Resources • Mercury in your Community and the Environment (WI DNR) • http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/bnsdocs/merccomm/merccomm.pdf • Safe Mercury Management • http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/mercury/school.htm • Mercury Collection/Recycling/Exchange Programs • http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/mercury/collction.htm • Cleaning up Mercury Spills • http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/mercury/spills.htm

15. Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign (SC3) • Resource Conservation Challenge project initiated by EPA. • Began in April 2004. • Supports projects across the nation. • 10 regional pilots funded in 2004.

16. Is this your Image of School Chemical Storage?

17. This is the reality!

19. Earthquake could mean gas chamber for 500 students Nitric acid, oxidizer and corrosive. Fumes ate through plastic cap then oxidized cardboard box. Extreme fire risk Six pounds of cyanide right above it

20. Hydrofluoric Acid • Anesthetic: acid doesn’t burn on contact • Deep tissue and bone disintegration • Extreme pain, can cause gangrene, amputation • Highly corrosive, dissolves glass • Used in Art & Chem classes for glass etching

24. Goals of the SC3 • Remove outdated, unknown, excessive, or unnecessarily hazardous chemicals from secondary schools; • Preventfuture stockpiles and reduce accidents by establishing prevention activities such as good purchasing and management practices; • Raisenational awareness of the problem.

25. Regional Initiatives • All funded programs involved a consortium of partners: • State and Local Department of Environments • School Districts - Administration • Chemical and Waste Management firms • Chemicals identified for removal ranged from laboratory to cleaning chemicals. • Trained personnel essential for identification and handling of chemicals, and education of school personnel.

26. What’s Happening in the Field • Technical experts make site visits to schools to assess problems. • Work closely with school personnel on solutions. • Trained personnel remove identified chemicals. • Prevention practices implemented (training, purchasing policies, green chemistry, etc.) • Follow up.

27. Creating your own School Cleanout • Elements of successful programs include: • On-site technical assistance and school audit; • Teacher and administrator education and awareness-building; • Funding for hazardous chemical disposal; • Additional commitments from school to maintain proper chemical management .

28. Chemical Management Services Pilot • Public/private partnership with GM/Lansing Public School District (RCC funded). • Team consists of OSW, OPPTS, Region 5, Lansing, MI DEQ. • Chemical Management Services (CMS) and Resource Management (RM) as a combined strategy to improve chemical and waste management in K-12 schools.

29. RCC Schools Cluster • Exploring mutual environmental stewardship approaches for improving school chemical management. • Partnerships are essential to success. • Council of State Science Supervisors • General Motors • Association of School Business Officials • National Science Education Leadership Assn • National Science Teachers Assn • Chemical Strategies Partnership (non-profit org) • State and Local governments

30. State Activities • Illinois • School Chemical Collections are mandated. • $800,000 grant just issued • Michigan • $200,000 from bottle taxes designated • Maine • Two proposals – bond; and pesticide containers

31. Where do we go from here? • Interim and final report on 10 SC3 pilot • Lessons Learned from other SC3-type programs • Outreach and Awareness materials

32. Helpful Resources • Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign • www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/conserve/clusters/schools/index.htm • Healthy School Environments • http://cfpub.epa.gov/schools/index.cfm • Children’s Health Protection • www.epa.gov/children/ • Children’s Health Month • www.childrenshealth.gov

33. October is Children’s Health Month (2004 dates) • October 1: Prevent Mercury Exposure at School • October 2: Clean Mercury Spills Safely • October 3: Replace Mercury Fever Thermometers • October 4: Protect Children from Contaminated Fish • October 5: Reduce Mercury Products in the Home and at School • October 11: Protect Children from Chemicals in School

34. Presentations May 23 – 25, 2005 Portland, Maine

35. Chemical (including Mercury) Management in Maine Schools Ann Pistell Maine Department of Environmental Protection (207) 287-7703 1-800-452-1942

36. A School’s View of Environmental Issues Education Financing Class Size Budgeting Teachers Title VI Students w/ disabilities Attendance Nutrition programs Salaries Test Scores Title 1 Economically disadvantaged students Curricula Athletics Books Health & Safety School Facilities Drugs More seats Violence School siting Pregnancy Asthma Environment New construction HIV Injuries Repairs & renovation O&M Transportation Credit: EPA Region I

37. Where Are Hazardous Chemicals In Schools? • Maintenance Areas • Vocational Shops • Science Laboratories • Art Classrooms • Nurse’s Office • Administrative offices

38. Program History • DEP responded to sixteen mercury spills in schools over last three years. • Spills are costly so it was decided it was better to go get the mercury than to continue responding to spills. • After visiting a few schools, program was broadened.

39. Why did we broaden the program? Wefound a whole host of problems including:

40. Improper Storage This is a middle school. Chemicals stored alphabetically. Curriculum only called for about a dozen of these chemicals. Note acids on far right.

41. Acids stored in an unlocked metal cabinet designed for flammables. Clips holding shelves were badly corroded. This is after we took most acids out.

42. Hmmmm.. Methanol. Could tell by smell.

43. Middle school science room. Gas in unlocked cabinet with unlocked drawer full of matches next to it.

44. Gas lecture bottles in unlocked drawer of middle school. All highly flammable and/or explosive when exposed to heat, flame or oxidizers. Close to drawer with matches in previous slide.

45. Lack of knowledge concerning the rules (At least they were not pouring it down the sink!). Most schools follow Flinn disposal methods – Illegal!!!

46. Historic stockpiles Toxic pesticides and oils in a drawer that hadn’t been opened for 30+ years!

47. Carbon tet. Toxic, carcinogen, bioaccumulative.

48. Condition of containers is very poor. All are corrosives. Bottom one is probably sulfuric acid.

49. Sodium, a flammable, corrosive solid. Should be stored under mineral oil. Water reactive, and forms dangerous hydrogen gas and a solution of corrosive sodium hydroxide.

50. Calcium Nitrate - strong oxidizer, may explode if shocked or heated. Poor shelf life.