Wednesday, August 24, 2005      

For more information:    
Claire Barnett, Executive Director, cell 518-573-5878 Stephen Boese, NYS Director, office 518-462-0632                           

HEALTHY SCHOOLS NETWORK APPLAUDS GOVERNOR PATAKI FOR PROTECTING CHILDREN’S HEALTH:

First State to Require Schools to Use Green Cleaning Products

(Albany, NY, August 24)                    Governor Pataki signed legislation last night that protects children, teachers and all school personnel from toxic cleaning products commonly used by schools.  Healthy Schools Network applauds the Governor and the Legislature for addressing this important issue, and assuring that NYS schools will now use healthy and “green” cleaning products.

Said Executive Director Claire Barnett, MBA, “This is a clean, green sweep that will eliminate hundreds of out-dated toxic products, reduce the risk of poisonous chemical spills, improve indoor air quality, and boost environmental businesses.  These products are also kinder to the custodians who work with them daily. This is a quadruple win: for children, for personnel, for schools, and for business.”

Jeff Jones, Director of Communications for Environmental Advocates and Chair of the Healthy Schools Network NYS Policy Committee said, “The environmental community joins in celebrating this important victory and thanking Governor Pataki for his environmental health leadership.” Jones continued, “We are extremely grateful for Healthy Schools Network and its years of work to protect children’s health which has led to this latest boost for environmental health in New York.”

Said Stephen Boese, MSW, NYS Director, Healthy Schools Network, “The use of toxic cleaning chemicals is clearly a strong health, environment, and education issue that has won support from the state leadership. We deeply appreciate Governor Pataki’s leadership along with the fine work of Assembly Members DiNapoli and Englebright and Senators Saland and Alesi on this bill.

This legislation was promised by the Governor in his 2005 State of the State address, released by the Governor in coordination with HSN’s observance of National Healthy Schools Day in April 2005, and passed by both Houses of the Legislature in June.

Healthy Schools Network (HSN) is a national not for profit environmental health organization dedicated to ensuring that every child has an environmentally healthy school that is clean and in good repair, through research, information, and advocacy.  Its Clearinghouse has offered information and assistance to parents and schools in every state; it won a US EPA Children’s Health Protection Award in 2005. HSN supports policy reforms and funds to address school environments in New York and federally with state and national partner organizations.

For more information about Healthy Schools Network, please visit www.healthyschools.org.