Hazardous Chemicals Are Piling Up in K-12 Science Labs — and the Risk Is Growing

By Kevin Doyle, EdDKevin Doyle Consulting, LLC

A recent article published by Chemical & Engineering News highlights a serious, often overlooked concern in K-12 education: hazardous chemicals are accumulating in school science laboratories due to limited oversight, aging inventories, and inconsistent disposal practices.

The issue is not theoretical. It is systemic.

According to the report, many schools retain chemicals long after they are instructional-ly necessary, sometimes for decades. In some cases, teachers inherit chemical stockrooms without clear inventories, expiration dates, or training in hazard recognition. Over time, what began as well-intentioned preparation quietly becomes unmanaged risk.

🔬 Why Accumulated Chemicals Are a Problem

Chemical hazards do not remain static. As chemicals age, they may:

• Degrade into more reactive or unstable forms

• Form explosive peroxides

• Lose proper labeling

• Become incompatible with the modern curriculum needs

Even when these materials remain unused, they still carry legal, health, and safety implications. The presence of hazardous chemicals, even if they are never used, creates Duty of Care exposure for educators, supervisors, and districts.

⚠️ A Leadership and Systems Issue — Not a Teacher Failure

One of the most important takeaways from the article is that this problem is not caused by negligence, but by a lack of systems.

Teachers are rarely trained in:

• Chemical lifecycle management

• Hazard classification beyond classroom use

• Disposal regulations and contracting

Without district-level procedures, chemicals accumulate quietly as staff change, programs evolve, and budgets fluctuate.

🧭 What Duty of Care Requires

From a Duty of Care perspective, districts must demonstrate that they have taken reasonable and prudent steps to identify and mitigate known hazards. In the context of chemical storage, this includes:

• Conducting routine chemical inventories

• Eliminating chemicals that are no longer aligned with the curriculum

• Properly labeling and securing storage areas

• Scheduling regular chemical cleanouts

• Providing training for educators and supervisors

Failing to address known risks, once identified in national reporting and professional literature, becomes increasingly difficult to justify.

🏫 A Call to Action for Science Leaders

This is a moment for supervisors, administrators, and safety leaders to pause and ask:

• Do we know exactly what chemicals are in our schools?

• Do we need them?

• Are we prepared to respond if something goes wrong?

Proactive action today prevents emergencies tomorrow.

At Kevin Doyle Consulting, we support districts with chemical inventory reviews, lab safety audits, and Duty of Care-aligned training to help schools move from legacy risk to modern, defensible safety systems. Contact us for more information.

Source: Chemical & Engineering News, Hazardous chemicals pile up in K-12 science labs (Jan 2026)