HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – The Holyoke Public Schools are rolling out a new program to go green. Under this new Green Housekeeping Program, each school in the district will receive new cleaning products that meet green standards.

The goal of the program is to minimize the impact on the environment, and create asthma and allergy-friendly classrooms.

“The district decided to start this program because the Holyoke Public Schools have a 27% rate of asthma among our students,” Joseph Metcalf School principal Amy Burke said.

The Metcalf School received distribution kits with the products Tuesday. Once the kits have been distributed to the schools, the staff will then be trained on the green cleaning process.

Sarita Hudson of Partners for a Healthier Community explained to 22News what makes green cleaning products different.

“What’s different is that they’re not asthmagens, and they will help the schools reduce asthma triggers in the classroom,” Hudson said.

The Green Housekeeping Program has been implemented in several districts across the state, including in Springfield and Worcester. Each school in Holyoke will have the new supplies by the end of the school year.