EPA Grant to Help Protect Children's Health in Washington, D.C.

PHILADELPHIA (November 7, 2011) - - A $100,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will help protect children in Washington, D.C. from environmental health hazards such as lead, mold, pesticides and carbon monoxide.

EPA's grant to the National Nursing Centers will be used to help social service agencies reach more low-income pregnant women and low-income families in the District. The ultimate goal is to ensure that children are raised in hazard-free homes that promote their healthy development.

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Washington, D.C.: A National Model for Lead Poisoning Prevention and Healthy Housing

Lead poisoning remains a serious environmental health threat for children in the United States, despite the fact that it is completely preventable. For 30 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has emphasized the need for local jurisdictions to adopt lead poisoning prevention strategies that eliminate lead hazards in a home before a child is exposed. However, even though substantial progress has been made through federal and state efforts to reduce risk of lead exposure, challenges, largely at the local level, persist, and become greater without strong and savvy leadership…

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National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is recognizing National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW), October 23-29, 2011 to raise awareness of lead poisoning in children…

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CDC misled District residents about lead levels in water, House probe finds

The nation's premier public health agency knowingly used flawed data to claim that high lead levels in the District's drinking water did not pose a health risk to the public, a congressional investigation has found. And, investigators determined, the agency has not publicized more thorough internal research showing that the problem harmed children across the city and continues to endanger thousands of D.C. residents.

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Impact of High Lead Levels on D.C. Kids

A new study has found high levels of lead in D.C. children, due to high concentrations of the metal in the city's water supply from 2001 to 2004.

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Companies Should Stop Toying with Children’s Health

The recent recall of top-selling toys made by Mattel Inc. because they “could” contain the neurotoxin lead should cause government, academia and the public to consider why we are still allowing lead to harm our communities. Can’t we do better?

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More D.C. Landlords Sued Over Lead Paint

The District's attorney general finished filing a dozen cases yesterday against city landlords and property owners, trying to force them to get rid of lead paint in their buildings.  Their names and addresses were brought to her attention after doctors ran blood tests on children younger than 8, all of whom lived in or frequently visited the homes and apartments scattered across the city, and found they had elevated levels of lead...

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