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NEWS
Strain: Use EPA-Approved Products and Disinfectants in Schools and Universities
September 10, 2020
Baton Rouge, LA (September 10, 2020) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reminding school districts and state and local officials to remain vigilant when it comes to cleaning and disinfecting school buildings and facilities by using EPA approved products.
The EPA is working to identify imposter disinfectant products from being marketed online with potentially dangerous claims of protection against the novel coronavirus. In some cases, there are statements that products will provide protection from COVID-19 for up to 90 days.
“This is a good reminder that not all products are safe to use. As for EPA approved products, it is of utmost importance to follow labels when applying the disinfectant,” said Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M. Other safety precautions include securely storing disinfectants away from children and do not apply disinfectants to skin, food or face coverings.
The LDAF is the regulatory agency for Integrated Pest Management Plans in schools (IPM). In 1995, Louisiana was the first state to create specific regulations for pesticide use in schools after students in Pierre Part, La. got sick from the products that were not approved for indoor use.
Cleaning products with claims that the product kills/or is effective against viruses are pesticides and must be registered with EPA prior to distribution or sale. These products may not be sold or distributed unless they have been properly tested and then registered by EPA. The agency will not register a product claiming to be effective against coronaviruses until it has determined that it will not pose an unreasonable risk and will be effective when used according to the label directions.
For more information and a list of approved products, visit https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus or look for the EPA registration number on the container.