The GLRPPR Blog

The Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) has developed a Topic Hub on Sustainable School Design that addresses many areas, including: indoor air quality; energy consumption and options; construction materials; education materials; water use; waste management; transportation; community interaction; landscaping and the building envelope. It draws upon the myriad resources available to school administrators, school boards, and community planners with the hope that these tools will guide the design of more optimally sustainable schools. The Topic Hub deals with the big issues of construction and retrofitting, siting and commissioning, and actual design of new and remodeled schools. Pollution prevention opportunities and alternative technologies that include lighting, acoustics, air quality, and well-being needs for students and school staff for a healthy and safe learning environment, are presented. Case studies and a glossary of terms are also provided, as well as a “Curricula” section that focuses on teacher training, classroom curricula for grades K-12, college and graduate level programs, community outreach, student-led community projects, and administrator education related to sustainable development and building design.

New resources are continuously added to the Hub’s “Complete List of Links.” If you would like to suggest links for the hub or have other comments, please contact Joy Scrogum.

See the main Topic Hub menu on the GLRPPR web site for other Hubs maintained by GLRPPR and other Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx) centers.

This portion of Illinois Lt. Governor Pat Quinn’s web site provides information on the Illinois Green Cleaning Schools Act, which was enacted on August 13, 2007. Illinois schools began to be required to purchase and use environmentally friendly cleaning supplies on May 9, 2008, with the provision that they may deplete their existing supplies of cleaning products as of that date. The site includes a link to the text of the act, and the guidelines and specifications created by the Illinois Green Governments Coordinating Council for use by schools. Contact information is provided for questions regarding the act and guidelines, as well as a list of qualified supplies, an application for alternative qualification, an exemption notification form for schools, fact sheets on the act, and benefits of green cleaning. Links to alternative qualification standards (EcoLogo and GreenSeal) and other resources are provided, as well as a form for schools to submit their own stories regarding the implementation of green cleaning programs.

GLRPPR has developed two new school-related Topic Hubs as part of the P2Rx Topic Hub project. Before any Topic Hub is published, topical experts review its narrative portions for accuracy and completeness.

“Energy Efficient Schools and Students” describes energy efficient practices and research available to schools and introduces resources that support changes in operations, maintenance, and behavior. Numerous ways exist to reduce escalating energy costs and this Topic Hub assembles guidelines and comprehensive energy programs, identifies educational efforts and case studies, and provides examples of best practices for schools.

“Sustainable School Design” addresses many areas, including: indoor air quality; energy consumption and options; construction materials; education materials; water use; waste management; transportation; community interaction; landscaping and the building envelope. It draws upon the myriad resources available to school administrators, school boards, and community planners with the hope that these tools will guide the design of more optimally sustainable schools. The Topic Hub deals with the big issues of construction and retrofitting, siting and commissioning, and actual design of new and remodeled schools. Pollution prevention opportunities and alternative technologies that include lighting, acoustics, air quality, and well-being needs for students and school staff for a healthy and safe learning environment, are presented.

If you’re interested in reading the narrative portions of these hubs and providing some voluntary feedback, please contact Joy Scrogum or Bob Iverson. We’re looking for 2-4 experts to evaluate each of these new hubs; one person may evaluate both hubs if they desire. If you are selected to review the hubs, we’ll contact you with a link to the information you’ll need to read and further instructions. Your name will be included in the “Acknowledgments” section of the final published Topic Hub as a “Technical Reviewer.” See the Acknowledgments section of the Pollution Prevention for Arts Education Topic Hub for an example.

Our greatest asset is the technical expertise of our members and their willingness to share their knowledge with colleagues throughout the region. We appreciate your input and look forward to working with those selected to review these new resources.

The Great Lakes Regional Collaboration announces a sixty day public comment period for a Draft Great Lakes Mercury in Products Phase-Down Strategy. In fulfillment of a Collaboration Strategy recommendation, in April 2006, State, Tribal, and City staff commenced development of a basin-wide Strategy for the phase-down of mercury in products and waste.

A draft Strategy is now available for public comment at http://glrc.us/initiatives/toxics/drafthgphasedownstrategy.html, through October 27, 2007. We invite comments on the Strategy itself and on how best to move forward with implementation, as well as commitments from stakeholders to implement components of the Strategy.

A copy of the draft document was first distributed to government agency experts for technical review, then revised and distributed to a limited group of industry and environmental group stakeholders. A summary of comments that were received and incorporated can also be found at the above web link.

Please send comments electronically to Debra Jacobson at djacobso@wmrc.uiuc.edu. When sending comments by e-mail be sure to put the words “Great Lakes Mercury Strategy Comments” in the subject line.

If you have questions please contact Debra Jacobson at djacobso@wmrc.uiuc.edu or (630) 472 - 5019 (Phone).

Thanks to Deb Jacobson for submitting this information.

The Illinois EPA Office of Pollution Prevention is once again holding Safe Chemicals in Education workshops this fall. The workshops are geared for science teachers who are interested in learning ways to teach using less hazardous and non-toxic materials, and safely storing and disposing hazardous materials.

The dates and locations are:

• Sept. 20 in Quincy
• Sept. 21 in Springfield
• Sept. 25 in Charleston
• Sept. 26 in Greenville
• Oct. 4 in Bloomington
• Oct. 10 in Loves Park
• Nov. 14 in Rock Island

Schools that send a teacher to a workshop are eligible for a free pickup of hazardous educational wastes through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. See http://www.epa.state.il.us/p2/calendar.html for details and registration information. Contact Becky Lockart at IEPA, 217-524-9642 for more information.

Thanks to Michael Murray, Ph.D., National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Staff Scientist for the Great Lakes Natural Resource Center, for providing three new NWF documents for access on the GLRPPR web site:

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing in the Great Lakes Region: A Survey of State, Municipal and Institutional Programs assesses EPP programs in the eight Great Lakes states, eight municipalities and three universities, with an emphasis on policies addressing PBT chemicals. Researched and written by Cameron S. Lory and Amy E. Scott-Runnels of INFORM, Inc., and Michael W. Murray, Ph.D. of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF).

Recycling Mercury Thermostats in Ohio outlines the problem of mercury in the environment, and provides information on mercury in thermostats and alternatives and recycling mercury containing thermostats in Ohio. It also includes a comparison of collection of mercury containing thermostats via the Thermostat Recycling Corporation voluntary program for both the U.S. as a whole and Ohio.

Putting the Brakes on Quicksilver: Removing Mercury From Vehicles in Ohio addresses the removal of mercury switches from automobiles in Ohio. This report was written by Michael W. Murray, Ph.D. with research assistance by Knoll Larkin and Liz Szaluta of the University of Michigan.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has announced the availability of applications for the 2007 Community Pollution Prevention (P2) Grants Program. The goal of this program is to institute P2 practices and waste reductions at public parks, and offer visitors a unique opportunity to learn about P2 and environmentally sustainable practices while observing day-to-day operations at those parks. A total of $250,000 in grant funds are available and applications are due April 30, 2007. Examples of eligible activities include: development of a park-wide P2 program; recycling projects; implementation of education outreach programs to train park staff and visitors about P2; the disposal of solid and hazardous waste, pesticides, and fertilizers located on park property; replacement of hazardous cleaning products through the purchase of environmentally friendly products; the purchase and installation of water saving fixtures and landscaping; the purchase of energy efficient lighting, heating and cooling, and maintenance equipment; and green demolition and construction projects.

Be sure to check the GLRPPR Funding Opportunities page regularly for additional notices of grants available throughout the region. Relevant funding opportunities also appear in corresponding Sector/Subject Resources on the GLRPPR web site.

The Healthy Schools Campaign has introduced House Bill 895 (Green Cleaning Schools Act) to the Illinois legislature. This bill would require the creation and regular ammendment of guidelines and specifications for environmentally friendly cleaning and maintenance products for school facilities, and would also require the establishment of green cleaning policies at both public and private schools in Illinois following implementation of the guidelines. See the Healthy Schools Campaign Blog entry related to this action, and continue to monitor their blog for updates.

It’s been an interesting week here in central Illinois. A full-fledged blizzard (how often to you see a “Blizzard Warning” in the corner of your TV screen?) dumped mounds of snow on the Champaign-Urbana area, resulting in a rare closing of the entire University of Illinois campus (for two straight days). Now, as those of us at WMRC headquarters dig ourselves out, it’s worth considering how our efforts to keep our streets and windshields clean affect the environment.

As snow melts, road salts runoff from streets, parking lots and other paved surfaces into storm sewers and eventually into waterways, where they may pose a risk to the aquatic environment. Road salts can also negatively impact vegetation and wildlife while still on the land, and can contribute to corrosion of automobiles and infrastructure. Check out Environment Canada’s web page on road salts, their environmental impacts, and what the Canadian government is doing to reduce environmental risks associated with road salts. This page includes case studies related to the management of road salt usage. For more information on road salt use north of the border, see RiverSides “Low-Salt Diet” page, which includes their publication, A Low-Salt Diet for Ontario’s Roads and Rivers. This document provides an overview of environmental and economic impacts of road salt use and discusses best management practices and alternative products.

The U.S. EPA Natural Emergencies–Snow and Ice page provides information on environmental concerns associated with snow and ice management for residences, highways and airports. Included are links to information on road salt application and storage, as well as application practices and research related to deicing chemicals. The Environmental Literacy Council provides a nice overview on the environmental impacts of deicing, considering road salt, alternatives to road salt (e.g. sand, calcium magnesium acetate, etc.) and liquid deicers. A list of recommended resources is provided for further information.

If you’re aware of other resources related to the environmental impacts of snow and ice management, or of information on environmentally friendly road salt alternatives/deicing products, email the information to Joy Scrogum for potential inclusion in the GLRPPR Sector Resources.

The Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) recently launched a new blog to help disseminate information on its activities, as well as regional and national stories related to its initiatives. The blog will feature posts from HSC staff members and invited guest bloggers.

HSC has also launched a new website, GreenCleanSchools.org, which features online access to portions of the free HSC publication, The Quick and Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools. The site also features related news, events and educational opportunities; success stories; regulatory and market updates; featured green cleaning products and equipment; and a question-and-answer style column called Ask Steve, written by Steve Ashkin, president of the Ashkin Group, nationally renowned green cleaning expert and author of The Quick and Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools.

Illinois EPA and Illinois Waste Management and Research Center offered a “Health and Safety for Art Educators” workshop on October 26 in Chicago. Illinois Greening Schools, a joint project of the two state agencies, sponsored this workshop that was conducted by Monona Rossol. The workshop covered unfamiliar topics for art educators: Regulatory Structure and Pollution Prevention, Physical Properties of Chemicals, Identifying Chemical Hazards in Consumer Products and Reading Labels, How to use MSDS’s, Understanding Safe Air Quality limits, and much more. Over the past few years Greening Schools has been concentrating efforts on chemistry labs and teachers, however, we realize that art educators tend to have considerably less knowledge about risks associated with their art and forms of expression. This was our third workshop, but the first with Monona Rossol. This was by far the best of the three.

Monona Rossol is an internationally known and highly regarded artist/actress, chemist, and industrial hygienist with degrees in chemistry and the arts. She is the founder and president of Arts, Crafts & Theater Safety (ACTS), a non-profit corporation devoted to health and safety in the arts. Monona has written several books and numerous articles on health and safety in the arts. In addition to being a knowledgeable speaker, she was entertaining and fully capable of holding the group’s attention for eight hours without the use of a PowerPoint presentation. While we did need to pay a fee for her time, we both agreed the money spent was well worth it. We charged registrations and more than covered our costs.

States are beginning to require art educators to know their materials and associated risks. Several states have laws in place that require certification of their art teachers. This growing trend will undoubtedly affect each of our states over the next five to ten years. Monona is one of the leaders in this effort; she is internationally acclaimed and after meeting her I can see why. She is also in her early 70s and although extremely active and easily mistaken for a much younger woman, she is a resource who might not be available in five years. I recommend offering a workshop for your school administrators or school leaders, legislators, or other leaders at the state level with interests in classroom environmental health. Let them participate and they will be strong supporters of your goals. Her contact information is:

Arts, Crafts & Theater Safety, Inc. (ACTS)

181 Thompson Street, #23, NY 10012-2586

212 777 0062

ACTSNY@cs.com

http://www.artscraftstheatersafety.org
If you have questions please feel free to contact me at cknepp@wmrc.uiuc.edu.

Governor Rod R. Blagojevich and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources have named 24 Illinois companies and organizations 2006 Governor’s Pollution Prevention Awards winners for their significant achievements in protecting the environment and boosting the economy. The 20th annual Governor’s Pollution Prevention Awards were presented in Bloomington during a luncheon hosted by the Waste Management and Research Center (WMRC), a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).

Applicants for the awards were judged in a statewide competition on criteria including technological innovation, environmental significance, economic benefits and commitment to pollution prevention.

“We were impressed again with the variety and quality of the projects undertaken by the winning companies,” said George Vander Velde, WMRC Director. “These businesses and organizations have proven that pollution prevention makes good sense for the environmental and economic health of Illinois. They have achieved their pollution prevention goals and saved millions of dollars in pollution control, waste disposal, energy and raw material costs.”

The winners include:

Small company
Chem Processing, Inc. (CPI), Rockford
PortionPac Chemical Corporation, Chicago
Spraylat Corporation, Chicago
Consolidated Printing Co., Chicago

Large company
Farmland Foods, Inc., Monmouth
Illinois Department of Military Affairs, Springfield
CITGO, Lemont

Vendor/Supplier
Finishes Unlimited Inc., Sugar Grove

Educational Organization
Pontiac Township High School, Pontiac

Continuous Improvement
Small company
Lansing Cleaners, Lansing
R.B. White, Inc., Bloomington

Large company
GE Healthcare, Arlington Heights
Abbott, Abbott Park
ITT Bell & Gossett, Morton Grove
Gates Corporation, Galesburg
Nestle’ USA, Jacksonville
Cardinal Health, McGaw Park
Continental Tire North America (CTNA), Mount Vernon
International Truck & Engine Corporation, Melrose Park

Service Organization
St. Joseph’s Hospital, Breese
Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System (SBLHS), Charleston/Mattoon

Innovate Illinois Award
Caterpillar’s Mossville Engine Center, Mossville

For more information on the Governor’s Pollution Prevention Awards, visit the WMRC website.