As seen in USAToday. 

Many schools contain harmful toxins and other chemical contaminants that endanger children's health, says Imus, founder and director of the Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology at the Hackensack (N.J.) University Medical Center.

For the past six years, Imus, 43, has worked with her center to identify and prevent children's exposure to environmental factors that could cause or contribute to diseases such as autism, asthma, cancer and other neurodevelopmental health problems.

"The significant increases we see with (these diseases), most of that goes back to environment and pollutants," Imus says.

Replacing potentially dangerous cleaning supplies, lawn chemicals and pest controls with environmentally friendly and non-toxic alternatives is a major focus of Imus' "Greening Your School" program. The focus on cleaning supplies is called "Greening Your Cleaning."

The Imus program also encourages schools to test water and replace older pipes to avoid exposing students to lead.

Schools are a logical place for Imus to focus her efforts. More than 60 million Americans — one-fifth of the population — spend their days inside school buildings as students, faculty, staff and administration, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

And children are particularly susceptible to environmental threats. "Children have unique vulnerabilities that we adults don't," says Mark Blaire, the center's director of environmental programs. "They have a lower center of gravity, so depending on the type of chemical (that could settle closer to the ground), they may have a reaction to environmental exposure that may not impact an adult in the same way."

Likewise, children typically have frequent hand-to-mouth activity, and the ratio of their body weight to the amount of air, water and food they consume is different than in adults.

To date, 76 schools across the country have adopted the program.

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