Should We Really Have Toxic Chemicals In Our Schools?

April 16, 2018 Leave a Comment

Our kids are exposed to harmful toxic chemicals five days a week and we don't even realize it. The chemicals are stored in large quantities in our schools across the country. They come in the form of sanitizers, disinfectant sprays, glass cleaners, floor cleaners, and many other chemically-enhanced products meant to keep our schools safe and clean. It's likely very little thought is ever given to the dangers these toxic chemicals present to students and staff alike. We assume the chemicals are locked away and kept out of the reach of students, but what about the residual traces of chemicals left behind on desks and other surfaces students come into contact with? There is no way to fully determine the health risks this could pose, which begs the question, should we really have toxic chemicals in our schools?

Types of Toxic Chemicals Used in School SystemsThere are a surprisingly large number of toxic chemicals used in schools every day. Many of the toxic materials used in schools don't have non-toxic alternatives, making it difficult for schools to find another approach. According to the Chemical Management Resource Guide for School Administrators, hazardous chemicals can be found in school shop programs, art programs, and laboratories. Schools also use and store pesticides. Some of the effects of these chemicals include skin and eye irritation, trouble with breathing, or sever headaches. Many of the toxic chemicals found in schools are flammable, creating an even greater safety hazard. Looking for alternatives to these products, or even limiting or eliminating their use, would be a positive step toward making our school systems safer for everyone involved.

Another source of danger in schools are the cleaning supplies. For generations, schools have been using traditional cleaning and sanitizing solutions to keep their buildings and furniture clean and free of germs. Cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting schools and other public places regularly is essential to maintaining a healthy environment, but how much good does it do when you use toxic substances to do the work? Most traditional cleaners and sanitizers used by schools contain toxic chemicals that do more harm than good, so while you may be killing germs, you're also pouring chemical pollutants into the air and contaminating the furniture. Over time, this creates a buildup of toxic residue that children can ingest through skin absorption, eye contact, or by bringing it into contact with their mouth. Many of the cleaning supplies are airborne as well, making inhalation of toxic fumes a real danger. The harmful effect of many of these chemicals remains long after the chemicals have been used. When you think you're cleaning, you're really layering chemical residue that stays behind.

Another problem with using toxic cleaning solutions in the school system is how those solutions are stored. Schools purchase cleaning supplies in large quantities and store them on site. While storage rooms are locked, they are often open during school hours, making the cleaning supplies accessible to students. While most schools do their best to monitor children, it's not always possible to know what every student is doing at any given moment. In some schools, students even participate in cleaning their classrooms, which brings them into direct contact with cleaning products containing harsh, harmful cleaning products.

A Myriad of Health RisksCleaning our homes, businesses, and schools is an essential part of keeping everybody healthy. Cleaning products are an unavoidable part of the cleaning process, but many cleaning products on the market contain volatile organic compounds (VOC) and present serious health risks. Some cleaners, when mixed together, can create poison gases that are inhaled while they are being used. Other cleaning products are flammable and corrosive. These products do clean and sanitize, but at what cost to the environment and to our short- and long-term health?

The list of health issues caused by toxic cleaning products is extensive. Skin and eye irritation, blurred vision, severe headaches, nausea, and muscle spasms are just a few of those issues. The residual fumes from toxic cleaning supplies can cause a substantial loss in the ability to concentrate, which may make it difficult for students to focus. The CDC and EPA have warned us for decades about the dangers of chemical-based cleaning products and the damage they can cause to people and to the environment. According to the American Lung Association, there is evidence linking chemically-based cleaning products with respiratory issues, lung irritation, asthma, and even cancer. Some of these health problems are temporary, some have lasting effects, and some health issues don't present until years after exposure to harmful chemicals occurs. With so many possible repercussions, storing and using cleaning supplies in school systems is not a wise choice. The risk to the kids and staff is too great.

A Better Way to Clean, Sanitize, and DisinfectAt GenEon, we care about the environment and about the negative effects toxic cleaning chemicals have on children and staff members in schools across America. That's why we've developed a line of cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting products that are safe for people and won't harm the environment. Our cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting products are made with completely natural, renewable ingredients, providing you with a sustainable product that you can rely on to keep your schools free of germs without creating a danger to the student body.

Our cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting products can be used on a regular basis without worrying about causing harm to the students, teachers and staff. There are no harmful chemicals left on surfaces or in the air. GenEon products contain no toxic chemicals whatsoever, which means they won't cause any of the health issues associated with chemical cleaning products.


GenEon cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting products eliminate problems associated with storing dangerous chemicals. Our cleaning solutions are created by customers using our on-site generation technology. This means you generate the cleaning solutions as you need them. Our cleaning solutions use only natural renewable resources that have been recognized by the CDC as environmentally safe. Because you generate your cleaning solutions as you need them, you eliminate the need to transport and store harmful chemical-based cleaning supplies. This means eliminating not only the many health risks associated with chemically-based cleaners, but other risks as well, including the risk of fire, explosions, and other accidents linked to chemical storage. Some of the products you will no longer need to store when you use our cleaning and sanitizing solutions include:

• Aerosol cans
• Bleach
• Toxic Chemicals
• White Board Cleaners
• Toxic Sanitizers
• Harmful Disinfectants
• Floor Strippers

Our all-in-one cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting solutions take the place of many of the cleaning products you normally use. They are perfect for classrooms, the cafeteria, bathrooms, and office areas. Our products can even be used safely in enclosed spaces. These are areas where traditional cleaners, including window cleaning products and bleach, present severe health risks to students. Using our products in place of the numerous harmful cleaning products most schools are using today alleviates the dangers caused by everyday cleaning products.

At GenEon, we offer more than just safe, non-toxic cleaning products. We bring you on-site generation technology with our On-Site Generating activation technology. We also bring you a delivery system that's perfect for large, open spaces, making it ideal for your school. Our mist sprayer/blower is portable and easy to use with our cleaning and disinfecting products. It lets you apply our cleaning. Sanitizing or disinfecting solutions evenly over all surfaces without worrying about leaving behind residual build up that can harm your students.

Cleaner Living Means a Better LifeOur children are our future. They spend the bulk of their time in to school. They deserve to have a clean, safe environment. Parents want to send their kids to school knowing they are going to be safe and that all efforts are made to keep them healthy. As educators, you want to provide an environment that's safe and an environment where your students can thrive. The first step toward creating that environment is to eliminate the obvious threat of chemical-based products that are known to create short- and long-term health issues and hazards that could even result in fatalities.

At GenEon, our goal is to bring you innovative ways to keep your schools clean, free of germs, and as safe as possible. We're dedicated to promoting better health while staying friendly to the environment. Each of our products is designed with these goals in mind. When you trust your school to GenEon's cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting products, you can be confident you're getting the best possible results without putting your students, staff, or the environment at risk.


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