Vehicle emissions are the largest contributor to ground-level ozone, nitrogen oxides from vehicle emissions combined with volatile organic contaminants and sunlight to form ozone and ground-level smog.

View Charlotte-Mecklenburg's Air Quality website. 

CMS is working in partnership with Campaign for Clean Air to reduce vehicle idling time related to schools. As a result, CMS bus drivers have received training about the costs of idling in terms of both air emissions and fuel consumption. In addition, schools have posted signs reminding parents and visitors to "Turn Off Your Engine" while waiting to pick up students or other guests.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools complies with the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act of 1986 (AHERA) and the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for asbestos management purposes. Each school built before 1989 have been inspected for asbestos and is re-inspected every three years by North Carolina Health Hazards Control Unit licensed inspectors until the asbestos has been removed. In addition, buildings are surveyed every six months by Building Services personnel to ensure any changes in condition result in appropriate response action. 

• Asbestos Management Plan

A Management Plan has been prepared for each CMS school that includes the location, condition, and type of asbestos containing materials, re-inspection data, recommendations for response actions, and programmatic information. The Management Plans are located in the Master Management Plan files located at Building Services. In addition, the most recent AHERA inspection data is available at each school's front office and has been filed with the state. Buildings without asbestos are also required to have an asbestos management plan. The plan in schools without asbestos includes a management plan cover sheet and verification that no asbestos is located at the school. 

• Construction Compliance

Buildings are surveyed before renovation and demolition for asbestos. NESHAP asbestos survey information is incorporated into the project specifications and design for occupant and labor safety. In addition, NESHAP inspections include additional materials not generally included in the AHERA surveys referenced above. For instance, roofs and building exteriors are included in the NESHAP surveys, whereas they are not included in AHERA asbestos surveys.

• What Is Asbestos?

"Asbestos" is the name given to a naturally occurring group of minerals composed of tiny, easily inhaled fibers. Because of its many useful characteristics, including fire and heat resistance, asbestos has been used since the mid-1800s to manufacture some 3,000 different products. Common products include floor tile, linoleum, cement siding, roofing, pipe insulation, sprayed-on fireproofing, and decorative ceiling treatments.

In many products, such as vinyl floor tile and siding, asbestos is combined with a binding material that is not readily released into the air. However, suppose the materials are sanded or crushed. In that case, asbestos-containing dust may become airborne and can be inhaled. The asbestos fibers may then enter the lungs, which tend to stay because of their shape. As a result, asbestos fibers can cause lung cancer and other lung diseases that may not appear until many years after exposure.

The CMS Energy Management Department has developed a comprehensive program for energy-efficient operations around the district that has been recognized in the United States Department of Energy, Energy Star Leaders program. This program aims to maximize energy efficiency throughout the district with proper consideration given to environmental and safety issues. School-based Energy Coordinators assist in implementing the Strategic Energy Program at the schoolhouse level. 

• School Energy Coordinators

Each school has a designated energy coordinator. Each month, the energy coordinator receives data detailing the school's electricity, natural gas, and water consumption. The school may use this data to gauge energy performance and in the classroom to supplement academic assignments with the school's data. In addition, energy coordinators are encouraged to post this data for school community use each month. School energy data is also a factor in the new environmental stewardship incentive program, which recognizes schools for environmental stewardship accomplishments.

• Department Of Energy Partnership​

CMS is a partnership with the US EPA Energy Star program as one method of maximizing the energy efficiency of CMS. "Our energy-conservation initiatives include retrofitting lighting for more efficiency, monitoring schools' energy use to detect unusual changes in usage and having an employee at each school serve as an energy coordinator to help keep the campus running energy efficient," said Phil Berman, executive director of facilities. "Energy conservation is a team effort where CMS employees from many different departments help make this happen."

The CMS environmental management system encourages environmentally sustainable products (ESP) and services.  By including environmental considerations in purchasing decisions, the district may reduce its environmental footprint and promote practices that improve human health, conserve natural resources, and reward environmentally conscious vendors.

District personnel is encouraged to actively seek out environmentally preferable products and services for use in day-to-day operations when quality, performance, price, and functionality are comparable to their non-environmentally preferable counterparts. 

What Are Environmentally Sustainable Products?

Environmentally sustainable products and services have fewer negative effects on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose. Potential comparisons may consider the environmental cost of acquiring raw materials, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse, operation, maintenance, and disposal.

CMS Custodial Services takes pride in providing clean and safe learning environments. In addition, green cleaning is healthier for staff and students because one of the benefits of Green cleaning chemicals is the elimination of scents that can trigger asthma or upper respiratory irritants. 

• What Is Green Cleaning?

Green cleaning is defined as cleaning to protect health without harming the environment. A green cleaning program goes beyond chemical and equipment choices. It includes policies, procedures, training and shared responsibility efforts that minimize the impact of cleaning materials on the health of building occupants and protect the environment as a whole.

• Green Cleaning Chemicals

CMS's number of cleaning chemicals has been reduced from twelve to four. In addition, cleaning products are dispensed through a dilution system, reducing the amount of water used, resources necessary for packaging, transportation costs, and eliminating the need for staff to handle the more harsh cleaning chemical concentrates. 

• Green Cleaning Equipment

Custodial Services is also converting custodial equipment to more environmentally friendly options. Examples of such technologies are vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters that catch tiny airborne particulate and battery-operated burnishers that do not exhaust greenhouse gases.

• Green Cleaning Improves Academic Environment

Choices in cleaning products, equipment and procedures also dramatically impact the lifespan of building materials and furnishings while preserving the environment. CMS Custodial Services staff prides itself on providing students and staff with the most environmentally friendly learning environment possible.

The CMS Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program aims to control pests safely effectively and reduce exposure of school children and school occupants to pesticides.  Integrated Pest Management is a comprehensive approach to pest management that combines biological, physical, chemical, and cultural tactics to prevent and solve pest problems.  The emphasis of IPM is on pest prevention. CMS practices IPM on a district-wide basis.

All materials in the Mecklenburg County recycling program can be deposited in regular recycling bins. Therefore, there is no need to separate cans, bottles, and paper for recycling. 

Recycled materials will be deposited together in the recycling dumpster for pick-up.  Items that may be included in your recycling bins are mixed paper; junk mail; empty drink containers including cans, milk cartons, juice boxes and bottles; plastic containers; rigid plastics like toys and buckets; empty aerosol cans;  metal food cans, magazines and phone books and more. Posters are being published for every classroom that describes what may and may not be placed in recycling bins. 

It is important to be aware that certain waste items may not be recycled and could result in contaminating your recycling bins or dumpster.  A contaminated load of recycled material may be treated and disposed of as trash, depending on the volume of contamination.

Please only deposit milk or other drink containers WITHOUT beverages still inside.  Drink containers must be empty!

Stormwater is an important facet of our environment. Stormwater meanders into local streams and rivers in the stormwater drainage system. Unlike sewer waters, storm waters are not treated. Runoff from land modified by human activities can harm surface water resources in several ways, including changing natural hydrologic patterns, elevating pollutant concentrations and heating stream temperatures. Stormwater runoff may contain or mobilize high levels of contaminants, such as sediment, suspended solids, nutrients, heavy metals, pathogens, oxygen demanding substances, and floatables.

• CMS Joins With County And Municipalities For Stormwater Permit Action

Recognizing the importance of stormwater management, CMS has joined with Mecklenburg County and the Towns of Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Matthews, Mint Hill, and Pineville in the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) joint permit. The NPDES joint permit covers stormwater discharge directly to creeks and lakes. CMS is teaming to protect our region's surface waters through joint permit activities.

CMS staff receives stormwater training assisting in both operations and management controls; participates in inspecting and labeling stormwater drains; implements stormwater pollution prevention plans including spill response procedures, manages stormwater runoff at construction sites and is working with Mecklenburg County Storm Water Services to distribute stormwater-related information through schools and volunteer opportunities.

• Stormwater Permit

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is a co-permittee under the State's Phase II Stormwater Permit Number NCS000395, along with Mecklenburg County, Central Piedmont Community College and the 6 Towns.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Storm Water Service - To obtain information regarding activities undertaken to protect and restore water quality in our storm sewer systems, creeks and lakes, including volunteer opportunities, please visit our website at StormWater.CharMeck.org