Region One School District

House Bill 6496 requiring local and regional school districts to use green cleaning products in schools, helping to ensure a healthier air quality for students, faculty and staff is now in effect. House Bill 6496 requires school districts to have a green cleaning program in place by 01 July 2011. The environmentally preferable products must meet nationally certified guidelines and be approved by the State Department of Administrative Services. They include products used for general purpose cleaning, bathroom, glass, and carpet cleaners, hand cleaners and soaps, floor finishers and strippers. The law also requires that the types of cleaners and the methods used by schools must be made public. One important part of the new law notes that schools can no longer have cleaning products brought into buildings by employees, parents, PTO groups, etc. These products must be provided by the school district's maintenance department.

The basic tenets of the program are as follows:

1. Green cleaning program means the procurement and proper use of environmentally preferable cleaning products as defined by the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) for all state owned buildings, schools and facilities. DAS currently requires that environmentally preferable cleaning products be independently certified by one of two third party certified organizations: Green Seal or Eco Logo.

2. By July 1, 2011 and thereafter no person shall use a cleaning product in a public school unless it meets the DAS standard.

3. The types of cleaning products covered in this legislation include: general purpose, bathroom and glass cleaners, door strippers and finishes, hand cleaners and soaps.

4. Disinfectants, disinfectant cleaners, sanitizers, or antimicrobial products regulated by the federal insecticide, fungicide and rodenticide act are not covered by this law.

The following statement will be part of this school district's program as stated in the new law;

"NO PARENT, GUARDIAN, TEACHER, OR STAFF MEMBER MAY BRING INTO THE SCHOOL FACILITY ANY CONSUMER PRODUCT WHICH IS INTENDED TO CLEAN, DEODORIZE, SANITIZE, OR DISINFECT".

The implementation of this program requires the support and cooperation of everyone including administrators, faculty, staff, parents, guardians, and facilities staff.

A list of the types, names and manufacturers of the green products used by any of the Region One Schools can be found on the individul school websites. This list will include the location/area of application and the schedule of when each is used. Any questions concerning the program can be directed to the head custodian at any of the seven schools within Region One.

Additional information can be found at the following website: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2009/ACT/PA/2009PA-00081-R00HB-06496-PA.htm