ENVIRONMENTALLY CORRECT.

ENVIRONMENTALLY CORRECT. Not only do vocational educators need to keep their students safefrom lab and workplace accidents, they also must comply with federal andstate environmental regulations for disposing hazardous waste Hazardous wasteAny solid, liquid, or gaseous waste materials that, if improperly managed or disposed of, may pose substantial hazards to human health and the environment. Every industrial country in the world has had problems with managing hazardous wastes. materialsand maintaining air quality. Vocational shops and labs--by the verynature of certain technical training--generate hazardous wastematerials. Here are some basic environmental requirements and tips tohelp vocational educators work in an environmentally responsible manner. Hazardous wastes Where is hazardous waste found in your school? Think solvents,inks, paints, thinners and oils--all are waste products that may befound in automechanics shops, print shops, chemistry labs and artclassrooms. Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), enacted in 1976, is a Federal law of the United States contained in 42 U.S.C. ���6901-6992k. It is usually pronounced as "rick-rah" or "Wreck-rah. , facilities thatproduce hazardous wastes must obtain an RCRA RCRA Resource Conservation & Recovery Act of 1976RCRA Resort and Commercial Recreation Association identification number fromthe Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), independent agency of the U.S. government, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1970 to reduce and control air and water pollution, noise pollution, and radiation and to ensure the safe handling and . This number is used on trackingforms called hazardous wastes manifests. (For details on RCRA, seewww.epa.gov.) Hazardous wastes must be kept in closed containers that are in goodcondition, properly labeled to identify their contents and appropriatelystored. How long you can keep waste on the school site depends on howmuch waste your program produces and how much you store at any giventime. Most schools are "small-quantity generators," producing100 to 1,000 kilograms of hazardous waste per month. These schools areallowed to store the waste for up to 180 days in approved storage areas. Any teacher whose work involves generating or managing hazardouswaste should receive hazardous waste management training and developemergency procedures for the classroom. The EPA's Office ofEnvironmental Education funds a consortium of universities and nonprofitorganizations Nonprofit OrganizationAn association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well.Notes:Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. that provide training to K-12 educators and state andlocal officials. (See www.epa.gov/enviroed/educate.html.) Wastewater Do you know where the wastewater from your school goes? Theregulations that apply to any school depend on that answer. There aregenerally three scenarios. Wastewater poured down a drain may end up:(1) in a local wastewater treatment plan (under the Clean Water Act),(2) in a local river or other body of water (which requires a NationalPollutant pol��lut��antn.Something that pollutes, especially a waste material that contaminates air, soil, or water. Discharge Elimination System permit from the EPA and must bein accordance with the Clean Water Act) or (3) in the soil andultimately the ground water underneath your facility (in which case theSafe Drinking Water Act The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is a United States federal law passed by the U.S. Congress on December 16, 1974. It is the main federal law that ensures safe drinking water for Americans. applies). See the EPA Web site for informationon each example and how to make sure your school is in compliance. Clean air There may be some activities in your school that require a permitunder the Clean Air Act. Are you using a degreasing unit in the autobodyshop? Is a boiler used for heating the building? Many schools havepoorly designed or improperly maintained ventilation systems ventilation systemPublic health An air system designed to maintain negative pressure and exhaust air properly, to minimize the spread of TB and other respiratory pathogens in a health care facility , which maylead to unhealthy air conditions. Moisture, mold, dust and asbestos asbestos, mineralasbestos,common name for any of a variety of silicate minerals within the amphibole and serpentine groups that are fibrous in structure and more or less resistant to acid and fire. alsocan affect indoor air quality Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) deals with the content of interior air that could affect health and comfort of building occupants. The IAQ may be compromised by microbial contaminants (mold, bacteria), chemicals (such as carbon monoxide, radon), allergens, or any mass or energy stressor . The EPA offers a "Tools forSchools" kit that includes several approaches to solving airquality problems. For more information about the kit, call (202)512-1800. There also are various publications about indoor air qualitythat the EPA distributes for free. Call (800) 438-4318. Preventing pollution The best strategy is to prevent pollution rather than manage it. Bymaking sound environmental choices, schools can save money, improvetheir environmental compliance rates, eliminate hazards, minimizepotential liabilities and train more marketable students. Some pollutionprevention projects may be costly at first but are worth the investmentin the long run. For example, schools that keep accurate chemicalinventory records can prevent a surplus of materials and save ondisposal costs. A few tips Environmental regulations may vary from state to state, but hereare a few tips all educators can benefit from: * Choose one person to be in charge of all the environmental issuesat your school. * Always use common sense. Buy only chemicals you intend to use,and take care when accepting donations. Disposing of certain chemicalsmay prove costly. * Make sure the ventilation system in your school is turned on,cleaned and maintained on a regular basis. Make sure its designeffectively ventilates work areas. * Get your students involved where appropriate. Teaching them aboutenvironmental regulations will help them make informed decisions in theworkplace and make them more marketable graduates. The EPA offers freecurriculum activities on its Web site atwww.epa.gov/teachers/curriculum_resources.htm. * Choose raw materials that are least hazardous for the job. * Store your chemicals according to according toprep.1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.2. In keeping with: according to instructions.3. chemical class, not inalphabetical order. Certain chemical combinations can explode (1) To break down an assembly into its component pieces. Contrast with implode.(2) To decompress data back to its original form. , start afire or create other unsafe conditions. * Take advantage of free assistance offered by local, state andfederal agencies. The EPA administers State, Local and TribalEnvironmental Networks (SLATE Networks). Seewww.epa.gov/regional/statelocal/training.htm for more than 20 links tovarious training centers, environmental sites and downloadable softwarelike "Pollution Prevention Tools for Farms and Ranches." As members of the EPA's New England New England,name applied to the region comprising six states of the NE United States—Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The region is thought to have been so named by Capt. Environmental AssistanceTeam (Boston, Mass.), Joan Jouzaitis and Lee MacMichael helpvocational-technical schools Vocational-technical schools, often called vo-tech schools, are high schools in the United States and Canada designed to bring traditional academia to their students, as well as provide them with vocational and technical skills. comply with environmental regulations byconducting workshops for teachers and administrators. Contact Jouzaitisat (617) 918-1846 or JouzaitisJoan@epamail.epa.com. Contact MacMichaelat (617) 565-1847 or MacMichaeI.Lee@epamail.epa.com.