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popularly known as chlorine bleach. Wom-
en's Voices for the Earth (WVE) warns
that "both are extremely potent chemicals,
and both can pose health hazards." Those
hazards range from rashes and dermatitis
to lung and eye irritation and breathing
problems. Cleaning workers exposed
regularly to quats have developed occu-
pational asthma. Quats have been linked
to reproductive harm and birth defects.
WVE recommends choosing
disinfectants with active ingredients like
alcohol, ethanol, isopropanol, hydrogen
peroxide, and lactic or citric acid. This
info graphic is very helpful for explain-
ing disinfectants that are safer to use.
If your school insists on using bleach,
the CDC recommends a mixture of
1/3 cup of bleach added to 1 gallon of
water. Bleach solutions will be effective
for disinfection for up to 24 hours. Make
safe use a priority by keeping windows
open during and after cleaning and locking
the product up and out of a child's reach.
Among cleaning products, chlorine bleach
is among the leading causes of chemi-
cal eye injuries in children in the U.S.
The CDC also says a 70% alcohol solu-
tion will effectively kill coronavirus and oth-
er germs. Regardless of what your school
uses, make sure it adheres to EPA's "6
Steps for Safe & Effective Disinfectant Use."
IMPORTANT: All cleaning products
should be clearly labeled as such and
stored far out of the reach of students.
Rooms need to be well-ventilated so that
the volatile compounds in the disinfectants
don't build up in the rooms over time.
Help Your Child Stay Safe
Start with school transportation. If you
decide to send your children to school,
how will they get there? Many schools
are grappling with how to manage bus
transportation to avoid crowding and
ensure that kids don't contaminate each
other or the bus driver. Many parents are
already planning to transport their own
kids. Students who are close enough to
walk or bicycle will probably do so. If kids
do ride the bus, make sure they wear
masks and keep them on in transit.
You may want to send your children
to school with their own hand sanitizer.
Here's our DIY hand sanitizer recipe.
For more on reopening schools,
this resource from the Coalition
of Healthy Schools is useful.
For more help, download a copy
of the WVE guide, How to Talk To Your
Child's School About Safer Disinfectants.
It includes sample emails to send to
school administrators and guidelines for
using disinfectants safely and effectively.
TELL CONGRESS:
HOLD THE EPA
ACCOUNTABLE
TO OUR FAMILIES
