3524.2 - Green Cleaning Program

In accordance with state law, it is the policy of the Board of Education (Board) to implement a green cleaning program for all of the District’s school buildings and facilities. A green cleaning program shall be defined as one that includes the procurement and proper use of environmentally preferable cleaning products as defined by the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS) for all state owned buildings, schools and facilities. These products must be certified Green Seal or Eco Logo. The types of products to be included in the green cleaning program shall include: general purpose, bathroom, and glass cleaners, floor strippers and finishes, hand cleaners and soaps.  The preferred green cleaning products used by this school district are listed in the regulations accompanying this policy. 

Disinfectants, disinfectant cleaners, sanitizers or antimicrobial products regulated by the federal insecticide, fungicide and rodenticide act are not covered by this policy. However, the District will attempt to select for use in its schools and facilities the safest, least toxic products in these categories that can still be effective. 

No parent, guardian, teacher or staff member may bring into the school facility any consumer product which is intended to clean, deodorize, sanitize or disinfect.  

The Board shall provide the staff of each school and, upon request, the parents and guardians of each child enrolled in each school with a written statement of the school district's green cleaning program. Such notice shall include 

1.  the types and names of environmentally preferable cleaning products being applied in schools, 

2.  the location of the application of such cleaning products in the school buildings and facilities, 

3.  the schedule of when such cleaning products are applied in the school buildings and facilities,

4.  the statement, "No parent, guardian, teacher or staff member may bring into the school facility any consumer product which is intended to clean, deodorize, sanitize or disinfect" and 

5.  the name of the school administrator, or a designee, who may be contacted for further information. Such notice shall be provided to the parents or guardians of any child who transfers to a school during the school year and to staff hired during the school year. 

The implementation of this program requires the support and cooperation of everyone including administrators, faculty, staff, parents, guardians, and facilities staff.  

A written statement of the green cleaning program will be posted on the District’s website and that of each District school along with the report submitted by the Board to the Department of Education as required under Connecticut General Statute Section 10-220(a).  Requests for a copy of the program and/or questions concerning the program can be directed to: 

Director of Facilities

Windsor Locks Public Schools 

58 South Elm Street  

Windsor Locks, CT 06096 

Office phone number:  860-292-5711 

Biennially, the Board will report to the Commissioner of Education (Commissioner) on its green cleaning program, in a manner prescribed by the Commissioner. 

Legal References:  

     Connecticut General Statutes 

     10-220 Duties of boards of education 

     10-231a through 10-231d. Pesticide applications at schools 

     10-231g Green cleaning program at schools. Definitions. Implementation. Notice. 

     22a-46. Short title: Connecticut Pesticide Control Act 

     P.A. 09-81 An Act Concerning Green Cleaning Products in Schools 

     Federal Law 

     Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) 7 U.S. code 136 et seq. 

Policy Adopted:  January 2011 

Revised: June 2019, August 2025

R-3524.2 Green Cleaning Program 

In accordance with Board Policy 3524.2 and state law, only environmentally preferable cleaning products as defined by the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS) for all state owned buildings shall be used in District buildings and facilities.  

No parent, guardian, teacher or staff member may bring into the school facility any consumer product which is intended to clean, deodorize, sanitize or disinfect.  

A list of green products used in District schools and facilities shall be available for all interested persons upon request. The current list is attached to this regulation as Appendix A. Such list may be modified from time to time as may be necessary to ensure continued compliance with state law.  

Procedures shall be adopted and implemented by the District to ensure the procurement and proper use of environmentally preferable cleaning products, materials and equipment. Such procedures may provide for the training for janitorial staff with the goal of educating staff on how to maintain a safe, sanitary and healthy environment for all students, staff and visitors. Such training may  include, but is not limited to,  instruction on how to safely and efficiently use District selected environmentally preferable products, materials and equipment in a manner devised to avoid waste and  avoid over cleaning (to prevent waste of time, resources and excessive exposure to chemicals when not required for the task at hand).