Environmental Management - Albemarle County School District

Asbestos Management

Introduction

Like many public school systems across the U.S., Albemarle County Public Schools contains asbestos in some of its older facilities. Albemarle County Public Schools has taken pro-active steps to establish a management process that ensures that all of our facilities meet both Federal and State asbestos management requirements. We believe that it is important for students, staff, and parents to become familiar with the facts about asbestos in our school facilities and the measures we take to ensure the health and safety of our students and staff.

A photo of the AHERA Management Plan for Burley Middle School.

Background

The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) was passed into law in 1986. AHERA is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). AHERA regulates asbestos in public elementary and secondary schools. AHERA requires all public school districts and private schools to inspect all school buildings for the presence of asbestos, and to develop Asbestos Management Plans for each school facility.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a mineral found in varous types of rock formations. It is mined, processed, and then usually combined with a material that allows it to be used in many different products. Asbestos became a widely used material in buildings beginning in the early 1900s because it is durable, fire proof, corrosion-resistant and insulates well. According to the EPA, it has been estimated that "there are asbestos-containing materials in most of the nation's primary, secondary and charter schools."

Asbestos can be categorized as either friable or non-friable:

Friable asbestos can be crumbled, pulverized or powdered by hand pressure. If a friable asbestos-containing material is damaged or disturbed, it presents an inhalation risk because asbestos fibers are more easily released into the air. Examples of friable materials include sprayed fireproofing on structural steelwork, or thermal insulation on pipes.
Non-friable asbestos is bound or locked into the product matrix, so that the fibers are not readily released. Non-friable asbestos only presents a risk for fiber release when it is subject to significant abrasion through activities such as sanding or cutting with electric power tools. Examples of non-friable asbestos products include vinyl asbestos floor tiles, acoustic ceiling tiles, and asbestos cement products.

Asbestos Requirements

Albemarle County Public Schools continues to follow the requirements listed below, in accordance with AHERA (40 CFR Part 763):

Prepare and maintain an Asbestos Management Plan for each facility
Designate, train, and certify a lead person to oversee asbestos-related activities in the school system
Conduct semi-annual surveillance of all facilities containing asbestos in order to repair any damage
Coordinate a re-inspection of all facilities containing asbestos every three years
Inform parents and school personnel at least annually about asbestos activities in each school and about the availability and location of the management plan for their review via school newsletters, etc.
Provide asbestos awareness training for all custodial and maintenance staff
Ensure all asbestos-related records required by AHERA are accurately maintained (e.g. training, asbestos removal, sampling records)
Post warning labels in all routine maintenance areas, such as boiler rooms, where asbestos-containing building materials are found

Asbestos in Albemarle County Public Schools

The majority of asbestos in Albemarle County Schools is found in floor tile, therefore, it is non-friable and does not pose a health hazard unless intentionally disturbed. Requirements for posting of warnings have been met. Some asbestos has been removed through prior maintenance and/or renovation efforts; the remainder has been determined not to be a health hazard unless disturbed intentionally. Regardless of the location or source of the material, Albemarle County Public Schools continues to take asbestos seriously. We have included asbestos abatement as part of every facility renovation.

Questions & Concerns

If you have questions or concerns about asbestos management in our schools, please contact the Environmental Manager, Building Services Department, at 975-9340.

Drinking Water Management

Albemarle County Public Schools holds a Virginia Class VI Waterworks Operating License for its few schools with drinking water wells. The Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) administers this license, and the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) regulates the quality and operation of the drinking water wells. The Albemarle County Public Schools Building Services Department manages the drinking water wells on a day-to-day basis.

Water Treatment Filters at Stony Point Elementary

Why are we categorized as "Class VI"?

Class VI is known as the "Very Small Water Works" category. Albemarle County Public Schools falls into this category due to its relatively small population for the schools with drinking water wells that it serves.

Which schools are on wells?

Broadus Wood Elementary
Virginia Murray Elementary
Walton Middle
Scottsville Elementary
Stony Point Elementary

Safe Drinking Water

Our ultimate goal is to provide students and employees with an adequate supply of safe, potable drinking water, and the confidence that their water is safe to drink. To this end, we follow all federal and state requirements for drinking water chemical monitoring, sampling, record keeping and reporting.

Chemical Monitoring

To ensure adequate disinfection, we treat our water with chlorine. For corrosion control, we utilize soda ash and a polyphosphate. This treatment is closely monitored on a weekly basis, and adjustments are made to the chemical levels based on weekly testing data. Levels of chlorine in our drinking water are tested and recorded weekly, and this information is submitted to the Virginia Department of Health.

Sampling for Contaminants

Coliform Bacteria

As required by the Virginia Department of Health, we sample monthly for the presence of coliform bacteria in the schools listed above. Due to our disinfection practices and careful chemical monitoring, it is a very rare occurrence to have a "positive" coliform test in any of our schools. If this should happen in the future, we will notify all school-affiliated persons affected by this occurrence, and take immediate steps to correct the issue. All bacteria sampling records are kept in the Building Services Department.

Other Contaminants

VDH also requires that we periodically sample for levels of the following contaminants in our drinking water: lead, copper, nitrates, cyanide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), inorganic compounds, and metals. The Assistant Director for Environmental, Health & Safety for Albemarle County Public Schools maintains compliance with the sampling requirements. As with bacteria sampling, any exceeding level of a contaminant found to exceed the exposure standard limit will be communicated to all affected members of the community, and appropriate corrective action taken immediately.

Questions & Concerns:

If you have general questions or concerns about Drinking Water in your school, please contact the Building Services Department at (434) 975-9340.

Lead Free Drinking Water

ACPS has been proactive about sampling for lead in drinking water and has no reason to believe that there is lead in the water in our schools. Here is a summary of our testing efforts and their results:

Service Line & Pipe Materials

Voluntary Lead Testing

In 2016 & 2018, ACPS voluntarily tested every drinking water fixture in every school, approximately 800 in total. It included every water fountain, classroom sink/bubbler in elementary schools, kitchen sink, and any other sink and/or water source where we believed people might be getting their drinking water. A limited number of fixtures were found to have lead levels above the EPA’s maximum contaminant level (MCL). In each circumstance, we replaced the pipe or utilized a filter to mitigate the issue and retested it to confirm that lead levels were reduced to below the MCL.

Triennial Lead Testing

At our five well-water schools, we are required to conduct lead samples at each school every three years. Our results have been consistently below the EPA’s MCL. ACSA is likewise required to conduct triennial lead testing within its distribution system. Results for all ACPS water samples are publicly available via VDH’s Drinking Water Viewer: https://vadwv.gecsws.com/.

lead service line inventories

In 2021, the EPA released revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule. In accordance with this ruling, the EPA is requiring all waterworks operators/public utilities to conduct a lead service line inventory by October 2024. We have conducted an inventory of service lines at ACPS’s five (5) waterworks sites. No lead pipes were found.

Using the button below, you can access our interactive map, allowing you to explore the lead-free status of service lines at ACPS's 5 waterworks sites.

ACPS Lead Service Line Inventory - Interactive Map

Albemarle County Service Authority (ACSA ) provides safe drinking water to 17 ACPS schools. They have recently completed their inventory and likewise found no lead service lines in their distribution system. More information about ACSA's lead service line inventory can be found on their website: https://serviceauthority.org/lead-free-water/

City of Charlottesville Utilities provides drinking water to two ACPS school facilities. Likewise, no lead service lines were found in their distribution system. More information about City of Charlottesville’s lead service line inventory can be found on their website: https://www.charlottesville.gov/1650/Lead-Service-Line-Inventory

For questions, concerns, or information related to Lead Service Lines or Drinking Water, contact Building Services.

Phone: 434-975-9340

Indoor Air Quality

What is Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)?

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is a term used to describe the quality of health and comfort of the air inside buildings. Factors affecting Indoor Air Quality include temperature, relative humidity levels, airborne and surface contaminant concentrations, lighting, and noise.

Perceptions of IAQ for a building can vary per individual, due to preferences in humidity and temperature levels, along with sensitivities to biological and/or chemical contaminants.

What Affects IAQ in School Buildings?

IAQ is a product of several factors, including ventilation system operation, the presence of contaminant sources, and building occupant activities.

Ventilation

Most of Albemarle County Public School's offices and classrooms are served by heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. HVAC systems control indoor temperatures by supply in heated or cooled air. These systems are designed to remove airborne contaminants by providing a continuous supply of filtered outdoor air.

Contaminant Sources

Indoor air contaminants can adversely affect the health and/or comfort of the building occupant. A few common indoor contaminants include dust, pollen, fungal particles, bacteria and viruses, emissions from cleaning and maintenance products, animal-derived substances (insect and rodent feces and carcasses), and emissions from educational chemical products (paints, adhesives, photographic chemicals, ceramic materials).

Occupant Activities

Indoor air contaminants can be generated by various types of occupant activities, such as maintenance and repair work, construction, painting, housekeeping, art and science activities, and office work (copying, printing).

Why is IAQ important for Albemarle County Public Schools?

"Good IAQ contributes to a favorable environment for students, performance of teachers and staff, and a sense of comfort, health, and well-being. These elements combine to assist a school in its core mission -- educating children." --EPA

What has Albemarle County Public Schools Done to Improve IAQ in its Buildings?

Environmental Compliance Manager

In August 2004, Albemarle County Public Schools hired an Environmental Compliance Manager to manage all environmental compliance issues and to develop an Environmental Management System (EMS).
The Environmental Manager investigates, documents, tracks and follows-up on all work order-reported indoor air quality concerns and issues. The Environmental Manager maintains records of all investigated issues in an electronic Indoor Air Quality file. Additionally, the Environmental Manager has received certification from the National Association of Certified Mold Professionals, and is qualified to investigate and evaluate indoor air quality-related concerns and issues.

Preventive Maintenance

Mechanical Room Cleanouts - In June 2005, Building Services began the process of cleaning the mechanical rooms at our schools in order to improve the overall indoor air quality in buildings.
Routine Filter Replacement - All air filters are on a regular schedule for replacement. Filter replacements are tracked school-by-school electronically, and records are maintained in Building Services.

EPA's Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools

To help combat indoor air quality problems, EPA has created the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools Kit.

As Albemarle County Public Schools progresses with its Environmental Management System (EMS) implementation, we are planning to include goals and objectives that will incorporate Tools for Schools kit items into our continually developing Indoor Air Quality program.

Questions & Concerns

If you have general questions or concerns about Indoor Air Quality in your school, please contact Building Services at (434) 975-9340. You can also call us to report a specific Indoor Air Quality concern, observation, or issue.

Energy Management

As a result of the Division's fundamental commitment to protect the environment by adopting an Energy Management and Conservation Policy and becoming an ENERGY STAR Partner in April 2009, some energy awareness and conservation changes will be implemented this year. Beginning in September 2009, energy and water usage for each school will be communicated to school. Each school will receive an ENERGY STAR benchmark rating to compare its energy usage to schools around the country.

ACPS and ENERGY STAR - What Employees Can Do To Save Energy

Energy conservation will depend on the help of all staff and students. Portions of the policy that will affect the majority of staff are below. Although these actions may seem small, when individual efforts are combined for our school system, they can add up to financial and environmental savings. As part of the policy, the following energy conservation measures are requested of each building occupant.

Lights are to be turned off in unused areas;
Personal desk lamps must use compact fluorescent lamps;
All electrical devices (e.g., computers, printers, fax machines, televisions, Smart Boards, projectors, copiers, etc.) shall be turned off at the end of each work day by the space occupant;
Task and decorative lighting must be turned off when it is not being utilized;
Personal appliances for non-instructional purposes are restricted to break rooms or teacher lounge areas (this includes personal refrigerators in classrooms that are not used as part of instruction);
Personal space heaters are prohibited unless area temperature cannot be maintained; and
Unit ventilators and registers must be free of all obstructions.

The Energy Management Team executes energy management activities across different parts of the District and ensures integration of best practices.

ACPS Energy Report Cards

Find your schools monthly energy and utility report card below:

Did you know that a building can earn the ENERGY STAR label just like your refrigerator? An ENERGY STAR qualified facility meets strict energy performance standards set by EPA and uses less energy, is less expensive to operate, and causes fewer greenhouse gas emissions than its peers. Energy use in commercial buildings and manufacturing plants accounts for nearly half of all energy consumption in the U.S. at a cost of over $200 billion per year, more than any other sector of the economy.

Understanding the energy use of a building is important--just as it's useful to know the estimated miles per gallon for your automobile. ENERGY STA provides tools to help measure the energy use of facilities and to compare to similar facilities. The building score is calculated based on a scale of 1-100. Buildings that score a 75 or greater may qualify for the ENERGY STAR.

View a list of the ACPS ENERGY STAR ratings for our schools.

Who is an ENERGY STAR?

Agnor-Hurt Elementary (2010)
Albemarle High (2010)
Baker-Butler Elementary (2010)
Broadus Wood Elementary (2010)
Brownsville Elementary (2011)
Burley Middle (2010)
Cale Elementary (2009, 2011)
Crozet Elementary (2010)
Greer Elementary (eligible)
Henley Middle (2009,2010)
Hollymead Elementary (2010)
Jouett Middle (2009,2010)
Murray Elementary (2010)
Murray High (eligible)
Red Hill Elementary (2009, 2011)
Scottsville Elementary (2010)
Stone-Robinson Elementary (2010)
Stony Point Elementary (2009, 2011)
Sutherland Middle (2009, 2011)
Walton Middle (2010)
Woodbrook Elementary (2010)
Yancey Elementary (2009 ,2011)

HVAC Zones

Room selections for after-hours activities should be coordinated to minimize the number of HVAC zones operating. The floor plans below show the different HVAC zones for each school, as indicated by the different colors. For school-based and community after-hours events, rooms selections should be consolidated according to the following plans whenever possible.

Information About Compact Fluorescent Lamps

The risks to you and your family from breaking a CFL are small. The amount of mercury in a CFL is very small, about five milligrams, or the size of the tip of a ball point pen. In comparison, older thermometers contain about 500 milligrams of mercury. It would take 100 CFLs to equal the amount of mercury in a single thermometer.

The mercury in a CFL is needed to help turn the electric current into white light you get from the bulb. Once turned on, a very small amount of the mercury in the CFL becomes a vapor. If a CFL bulb breaks, a small amount of the mercury vapor will be released in the air. Unlike the elemental mercury found in fever thermometers, which are the shiny beads of liquid mercury, you will probably not see any mercury with the naked eye if you break a CFL bulb. The white powder you see is from the phosphorus coating on the inside of the CFL.

So if you break a bulb, you're at little risk for significant mercury exposure. It is important, though, to carefully clean up and dispose of a broken CFL to avoid spreading around the phosphorus powder, glass and any remaining mercury.

Here are U.S. EPA's guidelines for cleaning up a broken CFL:

Open a window and leave the room (restrict access) for at least 15 minutes. If you have fans, place the fans in the windows and blow the air out of the room. Note: If the room has no windows, open all doors to the room and windows outside the room and use fans to move the air out of the room and to the open windows.
Remove all materials you can without using a vacuum cleaner.
- Wear disposable rubber gloves, if available (do not use your bare hands).
- Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard.
- Wipe the area clean with a damp paper towel or disposable wet wipe.
- Sticky tape (such as duct tape) can be used to pick up small pieces and powder.
Place all cleanup materials in a plastic bag and seal it, and then place in a second sealed plastic bag.
- If no other disposal or recycling options are available, private residents may dispose of the CFL in residential garbage. Be sure to seal the CFL in two plastic bags and put into the outside trash.
- Wash your hands after disposing of the bags.
The first time you vacuum the area where the bulb was broken, remove the vacuum bag once done cleaning the area (or empty and wipe the canister) and put the bag and/or vacuum debris, as well as the cleaning materials, in two sealed plastic bags in the outdoor trash or protected outdoor location for normal disposal.