The Environmental Working Group Reports: Toxins in School Cleaners Make Kids Sick

The Environmental Working Group has done it again. They have another report out about a subject near and dear to my heart-- the greening of schools.

When I first start teaching, the cleaners made my lungs hurt. You could feel it in your nasal passages, literally burning your cilia. And just imagine what is was doing to those young, developing bodies.

Now, I am in a school with a strong green awareness. We use the green cleaners, and it has taken a few years for the full conversion. There is still lots to do, of course, because we all know public schools are not made of money, and there are old carpets, vinyl floors, and old, worn out building parts that cause air quality problems. But at least there is an effort, a strong effort to make our school the greenest it can be with what we have.

It is worth the fight. According to EWG, "Ordinary school cleaning supplies can expose children to multiple chemicals linked to asthma, cancer, and other documented health problems and to hundreds of other air contaminants that have never been tested for safety, a study by the Environmental Working Group shows. Laboratory tests done for EWG found that a typical assortment of cleaning products released 457 distinct chemicals into the air."

Chemicals such as chloroform, benzene, and formaldehyde. Not good for anyone, especially our most vulnerable, where they go everyday. To find out what brands test for what dangerous chemicals, click here.

To find out ways to help your school green the air, check this out. This link included tips for how to communicate with schools.

There is also this fantastic list of tips for how to clean your home without harmful chemicals.

For more information, check out the full report and the frequently asked questions. Thanks again, EWG! You've helped us parents learn another way to lessen our kids' exposures to toxic chemicals. All children (and everyone else in schools!) will benefit from this. No child in our nation's public schools should be at a greater risk for cancer or asthma from toxic cleaners.