Chemical Management

Each school must follow procedures for ordering and disposing of chemicals per regulatory requirements and maintain Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) for all chemicals. SDSs should be organized and kept in the Principal’s Office and where chemicals are stored or used.

Chemical Management Plan, Science + Chemicals = A Safer Green Environment: A Guide for Science Teachers within the School District of Philadelphia

• Internal policies on chemical purchasing, including a list of approved chemicals and associated Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
• Chemical safety information, such as proper storage and best management practices in the laboratory
• Chemical disposal procedures.
• How to incorporate green chemistry practices, including tips to scale down experiments and substitute materials without reducing the experience for students.

Electronic or Technology Waste

All District facilities routinely generate electronic or technology wastes, including:

• outdated computers
• televisions
• cathode ray tubes
• other electronic components

To arrange disposal services, call the I.T. Help Desk at 215-400-5555.

• Fluorescent lamps
• Light bulbs with mercury
• Emergency lights
• Small sealed lead acid batteries
• Electronic devices with cathode ray tubes i.e computer monitors (non-flat panel) and TVs
• Blood pressure meters
• Non-empty aerosol cans
• Mercury containing products such as
  • vacuum gauges
  • medical devices
  • thermostats & thermometers
  • switches
  • gas flow regulators
  • novelties with mercury added

For disposal, school personnel need to complete this form.
Requests received during the week are assigned to vendors every Friday. For urgent needs, submit the form and email greenfutures@philasd.org.

What Goes in the Recycling Bin?

• Mixed paper
• Flattened cardboard
• Plastics #1, 2, and 5 (Remember 215)
• Glass bottles and jars
• Rinsed food and drink cartons
• Aluminum and metal cans

What Stays Out of the Recycling Bin?

• Food waste
• Snack or candy wrappers
• Paper plates or cups
• Plastic bags
• Styrofoam
• Plastic-coated envelopes
• Paper towels, napkins, or tissues

• Follow the Waste
• Litter Index
• Waste Audit
• Mini MRF

Recycle Ready Pathway: This pathway is built to assist in bringing recycling to schools with a strong emphasis on education and hands-on learning. This step-by-step process allows students, educators, and administrators to work together in bringing recycling to their school.

Recycle Journey Pathway: This pathway is for schools that may not have the resources to begin a recycling program yet. It enables a deeper, stronger understanding of waste and recycling, laying the groundwork for future waste education and recycling programs.

Clear bin signage helps the school district minimize contamination by guiding students and staff to place the right materials in the right containers, keeping trash and recycling streams clean and efficient. With clear language and images, these labels help eliminate cross-contamination in waste streams. Sorting waste correctly at the source is a shared responsibility and is not part of custodial staff duties.

Our approach to sustainability is built on:

• Resource Stewardship: Lowering operational costs so more funds can be directed to education.
• Healthier Learning Environments: Reducing fossil fuel reliance, improving indoor air quality (IAQ), and creating more comfortable classrooms.
• Data-Driven Decision-Making: Tracking utility consumption to guide improvements.
• Continuous Improvement: Implementing energy-efficient upgrades, renewable energy projects, and infrastructure improvements to reduce consumption and enhance resiliency.

The District uses the Guaranteed Energy Savings Act (GESA) as a method to modernize school buildings while managing long-term energy costs. Through this approach, we contract with energy service companies (ESCOs) to design and implement major infrastructure upgrades. These projects include a range of energy conservation measures (ECMs) that reduce energy consumption and, where possible, pay for themselves over time through the savings they generate.

While GESA projects focus on energy performance, they also address long-standing building needs that improve comfort, safety, and indoor air quality. Many of these upgrades would not be feasible through traditional capital funding alone. Capital upgrades will support a new addition or a facility upgrade, for instance, but not projects focusing on energy efficiency.

Key features of our GESA program include:

• Modernized Heating and Cooling Systems: Replacing obsolete boilers, upgrading chillers, and adding air conditioning in buildings that previously lacked it, which brings improved comfort to classrooms, cafeterias, and gyms
• Improved Ventilation: Bringing buildings up to current codes by restoring or installing mechanical ventilation systems, improving indoor air quality, and supporting student health and learning
• Building Automation Systems: Replacing outdated temperature controls with digital systems that allow for centralized management, increased efficiency, and faster maintenance response
• Lighting and Electrical Upgrades: Installing high-efficiency lighting to improve visibility and safety and updating electrical infrastructure to meet the demands of modern equipment
• Hazardous Material Abatement: Identifying and safely removing hazardous materials such as asbestos during construction work
• Measurement and Verification (M&V): Confirming projected savings over multiple years; if savings fall short, the ESCO is contractually responsible for covering the difference

GESA projects are implemented in phases, allowing the District to prioritize urgent needs, manage costs, and make steady progress across the building portfolio. As part of this ongoing strategy, buildings are regularly assessed for future inclusion based on condition, energy performance, and available funding. This long-term approach ensures we continue improving facility performance while supporting healthy, efficient learning environments across the District.

While many schools are interested in installing solar panels, not all buildings are currently solar-ready. We evaluate each site’s electrical capacity, roof condition, and energy performance potential to ensure that projects are both feasible and cost-effective. Our priority is to maximize environmental and financial impact across the District by focusing on projects that offer the greatest benefit.

Solar projects are prioritized based on their potential to deliver the greatest environmental and financial benefits. By generating renewable electricity, they help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the air pollution associated with fossil fuel generation, contributing to healthier communities. They also strengthen climate resiliency by increasing the District’s use of renewable energy, reducing dependence on an increasingly strained electric grid, and helping prepare our schools for future energy and climate challenges.

Solar installations are supported through a combination of grants, federal Investment Tax Credits (ITC), and utility rebates. These funding sources help reduce the capital costs of a solar installation and decrease a solar project’s payback period.

The District is taking a phased, multi-fuel approach to reduce diesel use across its fleet.

Electric buses are a long-term solution with zero tailpipe emissions and lower noise, contributing to better air quality and student comfort. The District is expanding its electric fleet as infrastructure and funding allow.

Propane buses were introduced as a near-term step to quickly lower emissions while electric readiness was still developing. While not a permanent solution, they enabled faster diesel replacement during an early phase of the transition.

Fleet transition involves more than new vehicles. The District is investing in the infrastructure, training, and planning strategies needed to ensure long-term success. This includes building out charging capacity, preparing maintenance staff, and aligning route planning to support clean vehicle deployment in a safe and reliable way.

Cleaner transportation options reduce exposure to diesel exhaust and lower noise pollution, improving health outcomes and ride experiences for students. These efforts also advance climate goals and promote environmental equity in communities historically impacted by vehicle emissions.

Our Energy Education programs engage teachers, students, and entire school communities in understanding energy efficiency and conservation strategies. You can find our Energy Education resources and hands-on learning opportunities through the EcoSchools platform here. We are actively building out the District’s customized cards for this section; keep an eye out for customized cards!

As we make building upgrades that improve energy efficiency through GESA programs and Capital Improvements, we are able to reallocate funds that would have otherwise gone to costly energy bills to further invest in building efficiency and educational programs. Through these programs, we aim to instill a culture of energy conservation among district students and staff. GESA’s allow the District to engage the whole school community during the construction/ renovation process by providing Energy Education materials to the school community. This helps building occupants understand what changes are being made in their building and why.

You may be familiar with some of our GESA initiatives:

• Flip the Switch
• Slash the Trash
• Stop the Drop
• Reduce the Juice

The District tracks utility consumption and energy performance ratings using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager for all of its buildings.