Toxics Use Reduction at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School

Project Details

Year: 1997
Location: Northampton
Project Manager: Northampton Board of Health
Partners: School administration and staff, Northampton Solid Waste Coordinator, Fire Department and Board of Health, Mass. Dept. of Public Health, Department of Labor and Industries, Western Mass. Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health, Toxics Use Reduction Institute,, the Office of Technical Assistance, Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, and local experts from industry and trade associations

Overview

The toxics use reduction project at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School, a regional school encompassing 34 communities, drew on the skills and resources of several city departments and four different state agencies. This partnership developed an integrated course curriculum on TUR, as well as strategies for TUR in school shops, laboratories and custodial services. The goal was to decrease use of toxic materials and the waste generated to increase the health and safety of students, faculty and staff through reduced use of toxic substances, to prevent pollution through toxics use reduction, and to promote a sense of cooperation and responsibility within the school community as it related to TUR.
The 500 Smith students were equipped with knowledge about toxics not only in the school setting but also in the workplace. See the Vocational TUR Plan that was developed to the right.