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Envirobytes - An Environmental Newsletter
EnviroBytes, a Summary of Issues and Events for Week Ending October 24, 2008
NATIONAL LEAD POISONING PREVENTION WEEK PROMOTES NEW RULE TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION
EPA designated National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week ("Let's Wipe Out Lead Poisoning – Renovate Right!") from Oct. 19-25 to remind the public about the dangers of lead exposure, especially lead-paint hazards in housing. This year's theme highlights EPA's March 2008 ruling requiring lead-safe practices during renovation, repair and painting activities. Contractors must be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination before disturbing lead-based paint in pre-1978 homes, child care facilities, and schools, beginning in April 2010. For additional information, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/lead To view a podcast on the silent and unseen effects of lead poisoning, go to http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/MMWebCon.nsf/HTML/KCHK-7K7PWU?OpenDocument
IS IT TIME TO CONSIDER AN IDLING REDUCTION PROGRAM FOR YOUR SCHOOL OR SCHOOL DISTRICT?
The goals of EPA's Clean School Bus USA program are to reduce children's exposure to diesel exhaust and the amount of air pollution created by diesel school buses by encouraging participation in its National Idle-Reduction Campaign and other programs. Children are especially sensitive to diesel exhaust, which causes respiratory problems and worsens allergies and asthma. School districts can improve the health and air quality in their communities by encouraging policies and practices to eliminate unnecessary public school bus idling, retrofitting (upgrading) buses with better emission-control technologies, fueling them with cleaner fuels, and replacing the oldest buses in the fleet with new, less-polluting buses. To learn more about the Clean School Bus USA program, go to epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/index.htm
ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN SCHOOLS THROUGH THE EPA HEALTHY SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS PROGRAM
Millions of children and adults spend a significant portion of their days in public and private school buildings which can contain environmental conditions that inhibit learning and increase health risks. EPA's Healthy School Environments program provides the resources needed so that school administrators, architects, design engineers, school nurses, parents, and teachers can address many of the environmental health issues found in schools such as chemical releases, pesticide exposures, flaking lead paint, mold, and asbestos. For more information on The Healthy Schools program go to http://www.epa.gov/schools/ For other resources to address environmental health issues in schools, go to http://cfpub.epa.gov/schools/index.cfm
OUTDOOR WOOD HEATERS PROVIDE GREENER CHOICES
Key manufacturers of outdoor wood-fired heaters pledged to make cleaner outdoor wood heater (hydronic) units. The units will emit 90 percent less air pollution, under the second phase of a voluntary partnership program with EPA launched in 2007. Sales of EPA-qualified units to date will prevent nearly 1,200 tons of fine particle emissions (PM 2.5) annually, providing more than $600 million in estimated annual health benefits. Fine particle pollution exposure is linked to serious health problems in susceptible populations such as children, people with heart or lung disease, and older adults. For more information, go to epa.gov/woodheaters To choose from a greener list of hydronic heaters, go to http://www.epa.gov/woodheaters/models.htm
2008 CHAMPIONS OF CHILDREN'S HEALTH HONORED; ONE IN REGION 3
The EPA Children's Environmental Health Champion Recognition Program is paying tribute to 12 champions of children's environmental health for their commitment to protect children from environmental risks. The Migrant Clinicians Network (MCN) was honored for minimizing the number of migrant workers and their children exposed to environmental health hazards in Virginia. Region 3 is helping MCN by providing education to caretakers of migrant workers and their children to help minimize environmental exposures in the migrant environment to pesticides and other health risks. For more details and a list of champions, go to http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/2008_CEH_Awards.htm
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