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Children can be exposed to a myriad of environmental toxins in and around schools every day. Three of the most worrisome exposures - cleaning products, turf pesticides and diesel exhaust - are detailed in our award-winning ChildSafe School Program. Please visit the program pages for documentary videos, scientific studies, Q&A sheets and other information about these exposures.
Other potential exposures at school include:
Anti-Bacterial Products containing Triclosan − Triclosan (marketed under a variety of trade names) is a chemical found in thousands of consumer products.
Bottled Water − Many parents send their kids off to school with one or more plastic bottles of water, probably thinking that the water in the bottle is safer than what their kids might get at the school fountain. Re-useable bottles made from stainless steel or glass are completely safe, widely available and can pay for themselves in only a few weeks.
Food Packaging − Plastic lunch boxes, plastic food containers and plastic wrap may be convenient for packing school lunches, but they can also contain potentially harmful chemicals. Some major brands of children's lunch boxes are made from PVC and have been found to contain high levels of lead (some tested at 90 times the legal limit). Plastic containers (especially those bearing the recycling codes #1, #3, #6 and #7) and clear plastic wrap may leach chemicals into food. Alternatives to plastic packaging include non-PVC lunch boxes, unbleached paper and wax paper bags, re-useable cloth bags and wraps.
Art Supplies - Some art supplies used in school classrooms contain substances that may pose a health risk to your child. Oil paints, pastels, permanent or scented markers, rubber cement, spray adhesives and pottery or ceramic supplies are among those that should be avoided. Check with your child’s art teacher to make sure the materials they order conform with the most stringent standards to protect children.
Cell Phones and Wireless Transmitters - Physiology and behavior make school-aged children more vulnerable to potential health risks from exposure to cell phones and microwaves than adults. Children should be taught never to hold cell phones next to their heads, and to use the speaker function whenever possible.
Wireless transmitters that emit constant RF radiation are not appropriate for use inside classrooms, and cell towers should never be sited near schools. Click here for more information.
Resources
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that chemical-management policy in the United States be revised to protect children and pregnant women and to better protect other populations. Read their complete policy statement.
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Resources