While a change to school cleaning practices was warranted in the covid era, what we use to disinfect matters. Not all disinfectants are equal, especially when it comes to health.
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (quats) are a category of chemicals that have long been ‘generally considered as safe’ (GRAS). Over the past decade, research has emerged that tells us we were wrong. Quats are associated with health risks including asthma, fertility issues and inflammation. California passed legislation in July, 2020 prohibiting the use of disinfectants with quats in their schools, because of the harmful safety profile.
During the important years of growth and development, our children are more vulnerable to toxicity. Cumulative exposure from daily fogging of chemicals with established risk in current science is a burden our children should not bear. Particularly when products with safer risk profiles are readily available.
I approached the my local school district quietly, and with respect. I provided them with a complete review of current scientific literature, input from industry consultants, and a report hi-lighting the issues with quats. I presented a solution that is comparable in cost, used by our local hospital, and has a much safer health profile, when current literature is considered. It is being used by other districts in BC, and in Ontario. Unfortunately after review, they decided not to make a change.
Please write your trustees, your school districts, and our Minister of Education. Express your concerns, and request that they choose products with the least harm, and without quats. These are products with active ingredients of Hydrogen Peroxide and Citric Acid. Please ask them to follow current knowledge, and be open to change when it comes to the health of our children.
juliebrown.health 