Swine flu hits University of Virginia

at the University of Virginia, the health service had diagnosed 27 students with flu by Thursday. That stunned Dr. James Turner, director of Virginia’s Department of Student Health, who has spent 25 years tending to students on college campuses. “I’ve never seen a flu season ever in September,’’ said Turner, who is also president of the American College Health Association. “I use the word ‘explosive’ to describe it. I don’t recall flu that appears and spreads so rapidly.’’

University of Maryland more than 250 possible swine flu cases

Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009 -

Less than two weeks into the semester, more than 250 students at the University of Maryland, College Park, have come down with flu-like symptoms, and university officials are working to combat what could be the spread of the H1N1 virus, or swine flu.

As of Wednesday, 256 students had visited the university's health center with swine flu symptoms such as coughing, a sore throat and runny nose since the first day of classes on Aug. 31, according to university spokesman Neil Tickner.

Asbestos removal complete at Craven Early College High School

NEW BERN, NC — Craven Early College High School was slated to begin classes August 5, but the Mary Dale Bender Building was closed in late July after asbestos was found in the old floor tile and in the ceiling during renovations, according to the Sun Journal.

According to the story, The Craven Early College is a five-year program located on the Craven Community College campus that gives high school students the opportunity to graduate with a high school diploma and an associate’s degree or transferable college credits.

The asbestos remediation cost more than $150,000, a price tag added to the $74,200 in building renovations, the story stated.

Students were moved to other classrooms while the project, which took longer than expected because crews decided to remove tiles in additional classrooms, was completed, the story noted.

Craven Early College offered physical examinations for concerned employees who continued working in the building during the asbestos removal, but only one took them up on the offer, the story added.

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Enviro-Solutions' products re-certified under GS 37-4th Edition

PETERBOROUGH, ON, Canada — Green Seal Inc. recently notified Enviro-Solutions Ltd. that eight of their cleaning products have been re-certified to meet the organization's new green criteria: GS 37-4^th Edition, according to a press release.

Close to 40 of Enviro-Solutions' products, which range from floor and carpet cleaning products, all-purpose cleaners, heavy-duty degreasers to hand soaps and other products, are certified green by either Green Seal^® or EcoLogo™, the release stated.

Mike Sawchuk, vice president and general manager of Enviro-Solutions, said: "We are only the second company with cleaning products re-certified by Green Seal and one of only [about] 15 companies to have met the new GS 37-4^th Edition criteria. Our goal is for all of our products to be 'proven green.' Green certification by an independent, third-party organization adds value to a company and its products and validation for all the work and engineering put into developing these products."

Enviro-Solutions now has greatest number of green-certified products and stock keeping units (SKU) in the industry, the release noted.

Enviro-Solutions has been exclusively manufacturing environmentally responsible products for more than 15 years, the release added.

Custodians fight outsourcing and save district money

HORTON, MI — Hanover-Horton School District custodians defied the odds and not only kept their jobs after threats of outsourcing, but actually saved the district money in the process, according to the Jackson Citizen Patriot.

According to the story, two years ago, the Hanover-Horton School Board agreed to keep the current custodial staff if they made some cutbacks and worked toward more efficient practices.

Custodians took concessions, including accepting limited insurance benefits and fewer hours, to ensure their job security, the story stated.

The district, on top of purchasing $38,000 in equipment that greatly increased productivity and reduced man hours, brought in consultants who taught new cleaning techniques to save time and helped the custodial department establish benchmarks, the story noted.

Superintendent Linda Brian said: "We really operate now like the private companies do. "

The custodial department, which was a runner-up for a National Custodial Leaders for Environmental Advocacy Nationwide (CLEAN) Award from the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA), the National Education Association Health Information Network (NEAHIN) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was able to reduce operating costs by 22 percent, from $641,425 in the 2006-2007 school year to $502,112 in 2008-2009, the story added.

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GS-46: First national standard for green restaurants

WASHINGTON — GS-46, the Environmental Standard for Restaurants and Food Services from Green Seal Inc., has been approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), according to a press release.

GS-46, which is based on real data on the environmental impacts of restaurants and food services including the impacts of food, energy and water use and supplies, provides a comprehensive framework to guide operations on how to reduce their environmental impacts, the release stated.

According to the release, GS-46 was first published in May 2009 and was developed with input from over 100 stakeholders including industry trade groups, operators, suppliers, academia and environmental and health organizations.

Dr. Arthur Weissman, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Green Seal^®, said: "Green Seal is proud to have this important standard approved by ANSI. ANSI approval validates the consensus and procedural processes used by Green Seal in developing GS-46 as an American National Standard."

Green Seal follows International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14024 guidelines in developing environmental standards and certifying products, the release noted.

The more than 40 Green Seal standards, which comply with Global Ecolabelling Network criteria, are developed using a credible and transparent process and have been applied to more than 3,300 products and services, the release added.

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Students and staff sick and tired of mold

CHARLESTON, SC — The Rita Liddy Hollings Science Center at the College of Charleston is riddled with mold contamination and it is making students and staff ill, according to The Sun News.

According to the story, maintenance crews recently removed several sections of drywall from the 34-year-old building that were covered in green mold.

Many have developed allergic reactions and respiratory problems because the mold easily spreads throughout the three-story brick building due to the lack of ventilation, the story stated.

Mitchell Colgan, chair of the department of Geology and Environmental Geoscience, said: "My colleagues feel ill as soon as they walk into their offices. Some have come to my office with their eyes watering and their skin red. They want to work but they've had to go home."

When building occupants complained that leaks were making ceiling tiles moldy, maintenance workers simply replaced the tiles and did not repair the leaks, prompting some to believe the college has sidestepped their pleas for help by doing minor or cosmetic repairs, the story noted.

The Rita Liddy Hollings Science Center will be renovated to address any potential hazards when the new science building, which is nearing completion, is finished and when funds become available, the story added.

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