1.
Findings and intent.
The general assembly finds that human beings are vulnerable to and may be severely affected by exposure to chemicals, hazardous waste, and other environmental hazards. The federal environmental protection agency estimates that human exposure to indoor air pollutants can be two to five times, and up to one hundred times, higher than outdoor levels. Children, teachers, janitors, and other staff members spend a significant amount of time inside school buildings. Likewise, state employees and citizens of this state spend a significant amount of time inside state buildings. These individuals are continuously exposed to chemicals from cleaners, waxes, deodorizers, and other maintenance products.
Terms Used In Iowa Code 8A.318
- Department: means the department of administrative services. See Iowa Code 8A.101
- following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
- Internet: means the federated international system that is composed of allied electronic communication networks linked by telecommunication channels, that uses standardized protocols, and that facilitates electronic communication services, including but not limited to use of the world wide web; the transmission of electronic mail or messages; the transfer of files and data or other electronic information; and the transmission of voice, image, and video. See Iowa Code 4.1
- Internet site: means a specific location on the internet that is determined by internet protocol numbers, by a domain name, or by both, including but not limited to domain names that use the designations ". See Iowa Code 4.1
- state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
- state agency: means a unit of state government, which is an authority, board, commission, committee, council, department, or independent agency as defined in section 7E. See Iowa Code 8A.101
- year: means twelve consecutive months. See Iowa Code 4.1
2.
Definitions.
As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
a. “Environmentally preferable cleaning and maintenance products” includes but is not limited to cleaning and maintenance products identified by the department and posted on the department’s internet site.
b. “State building” means a public facility or building owned by or leased by the state, or an agency or department of the state.
3.
Use of environmentally preferable cleaning and maintenance products.
a. All school districts in this state, community colleges, institutions under the control of the state board of regents, and state agencies utilizing state buildings, are encouraged to conform to an environmentally preferable cleaning policy designed to facilitate the purchase and use of environmentally preferable cleaning and maintenance products for purposes of public school, community college, regents institution, and state building cleaning and maintenance.
b. Each school district, community college, institution under the control of the state board of regents, or state agency utilizing public buildings shall conduct an evaluation and assessment regarding implementation of an environmentally preferable cleaning policy pursuant to this section. On or after July 1, 2012, all state agencies, and all school districts, community colleges, and institutions under the control of the state board of regents which have not opted out of compliance pursuant to paragraph “c”, shall purchase only cleaning and maintenance products identified by the department or that meet nationally recognized standards. School districts, community colleges, institutions under the control of the state board of regents, and state agencies procuring supplies for schools and state buildings may deplete their existing cleaning and maintenance supply stocks and implement the new requirements in the procurement cycle for the following year. This section shall not be interpreted in a manner that prohibits the use of disinfectants, disinfecting cleaners, sanitizers, or any other antimicrobial product regulated by the federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, 7 U.S.C. § 136 et seq., when necessary to protect public health and provided that the use of these products is in accordance with responsible cleaning procedure requirements.
c. A school district, community college, or institution under the control of the state board of regents may, based upon the evaluation and assessment conducted pursuant to paragraph “b”, opt out of compliance with the requirements of this section upon the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the board of directors of the school district or a determination by the president of the community college or by the president or administrative officer of the regents institution. A school district, community college, or regents institution opting out of compliance pursuant to this paragraph shall notify the department of education, the state board of education, or the state board of regents, as appropriate, of this decision.
4.
Information requirements – department internet site.
The department shall provide information on the department’s internet site regarding environmentally preferable cleaning and maintenance products used by the department. The department may also provide information regarding other cleaning and maintenance products that the department is aware of that meet nationally recognized standards. Information shall also be provided, at the discretion of the department, regarding the nationally recognized standards and the entity establishing the standards.
