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Submitted by Jennifer Johnson, Thurston County Public Health and Social Services

Schools work hard to provide a healthy and safe environment for students to learn. Kids are more vulnerable to the effects of hazardous products because of actions like: learning about the world by putting objects in their mouths, rolling in the grass, licking countertops- as parents we’ve seen it all! They are also at higher risk from being closer to the ground and their growing and rapidly developing bodies. There are easy things that schools and families can do to create healthier places for children to thrive.

Griffin School District took up the challenge this year to reduce hazards in their cleaning products by switching to one, all-purpose product to clean and sanitize nearly every area in the school. The active ingredient in the new product is hydrogen peroxide and is available in products for household use too. By removing cleaning products with the signal word, Danger, Griffin staff are reducing the hazards their students and staff are exposed to.

At home, a simple inventory of your cleaning products, looking for the signal words, caution, warning and danger can help determine some of the hazardous products your family is exposed to.  Choosing products that say caution or warning instead of danger or poison is one way to reduce exposure. Better yet, make your own all-purpose cleaning products with vinegar, baking soda and castile soap. Here are more green cleaning recipes.

Weed and bug control products are another way that children are exposed to hazardous products at school and home. Creating a healthy yard means feeding the soil with organic matter like slow-release fertilizer and compost. A thick layer of mulch in pathways and between plantings will conserve water and can prevent weeds. When needed, weed control is best done by hand pulling. Choose plants that do well in our area and maintain them with proper watering to help them outcompete weeds. When prevention and hand-pulling are not possible, spot spraying is safer than spreading an herbicide all over the yard with a weed and feed product. Find safer products at Grow Smart, Grow Safe and read our Common Sense Gardening Guides for more information on how to prevent problems and garden safely.

Like weeds, bugs are best controlled by prevention. Reduce moisture and the food sources that attract them. When there is a problem, choose traps over baits and always check Grow Smart, Grow Safe for the safest insect control products.

Safe storage of all household hazardous materials is another important way to protect our community’s health. Any hazardous product is best stored in a second container with a tight fitting lid. Make sure that products are in a locking cabinet and out of the reach of children. Kids are most likely to get into a product while it is being used so make sure to keep your eye on hazardous products when they are off the shelf at all times.

Dispose of unwanted hazardous products, safely. Rather than hanging on to hazardous cleaning products that won’t get used anytime soon or keeping that old bag of weed killer, just in case, free disposal is safe and easy. HazoHouse is free for all Thurston County residents to dispose of most unwanted hazardous products. HazoHouse is located at Thurston County’s Waste and Recovery Center at 2420 Hogum Bay Road in Lacey. HazoHouse is open every day of the week from 8:00 am – 4:45 pm. Transport items for disposal safely in their original containers, upright in boxes or plastic tubs.

For more information on HazoHouse, contact 360-867-2912 or thurstonsolidwaste@co.thuston.wa.us

For help creating healthier schools, daycares and households, or to sign up for our bi-monthly newsletter on safer home and yard care tips, contact 360-867-2674 or e-mail johnsoj@co.thurston.wa.us

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