Secondhand Tobacco Smoke
Secondhand smoke is a mixture of more than
4,000 chemicals, including carbon monoxide,
nicotine, tars, formaldehyde, and hydrogen
cyanide. Children who live with smokers
involuntarily inhale many pollutants in smoke and
several of these chemicals cause cancer and lung
damage. Children exposed to secondhand smoke
tend to have more bronchitis, pneumonia,
respiratory infections, ear infections, and asthma
symptoms. The frequency of infection is directly
related to the amount of smoke in the home.
Recommendation: Please don't smoke or let others
smoke near your kids, especially in your home or
care. If you do smoke, go outside.
For More Information call the Indoor Air Quality
Information Clearinghouse at (800) 438-4318
Ultraviolet (UV)Rays
Overexposure to the sun's harmful UV light may
damage children's skin, cause eye damage, and
suppress the immune system. UV light is the sun's
radiation which has increased on the earth's
surface due to damage to the earth's ozone layer
in the upper atmosphere. Children 10-15 years of
age who have experienced excessive sun-burns
are three times as likely to develop malignant
melanoma, the most deadly kind of skin cancer
later in life. Recommendation: Keep children out
of the mid-day sun; always use sunscreen (with a
sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15); and
wear light clothing, hats, and sunglasses.
For More Information Call the Stratospheric
Ozone Hotline: (800) 296-1996
Clear Your Home Of Asthma
Triggers
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease, a
narrowing of the airways in the lung.
Symptoms include coughing, wheezing,
chest tightness, shortness of breath, and
increased risk of respiratory infections.
Asthma attacks are commonly "triggered"
by irritants and allergens such as cigarette
smoke, wood smoke, smog, pollen, house-
hold dust mites, pet dander, cockroaches
and molds. About 75 to 80 percent of
children with asthma have significant
allergies to these environmental triggers.
Asthma is the leading cause of long-term
illness in children. Recommendation: Do not
allow smoking in your home. Keep your home
as free of these asthma triggers as
possible. For More Information call the
Indoor Air Quality Information
Clearinghouse At (800) 438-4318
Environmental/Health Contacts:
EPA Region 8: PH (800) 227-8917, US EPA
Children's Health Hotline: (877) 590-KIDS
Colorado: Dept. of Public Health and Environment
Information Center at (303) 692-2035 for
Metro residents and (800) 886-7689, ext. 2035
for Colorado residents outside the metro area.
For pesticides, call the Dept. of Agriculture
(303) 239-4139.
Montana: For indoor air quality (asbestos, radon,
secondhand smoke), lead and water, call the
Dept. of Environmental Quality at (406) 444-
2544. For pesticides, lead and water, call the
Dept. of Public Health and Human services,
Environmental Lab Bureau at (406)444-2642.
For pesticides, call the Dept. of Agriculture at
(406) 444-3144.
North Dakota: Call the Dept. of Health at (701)
328-5150.
South Dakota: For asbestos, radon, pesticides,
water and disposal of products containing lead,
call the Dept. of Environment and Natural
Resources at (605) 773-5559. For secondhand
smoke, lead, ultraviolet light and water, call the
Dept. of Health, Children's Special Health
Services at (605) 773-3737.
Utah: For asbestos, radon, lead and water, call
the Dept. of Environmental Quality at (801) 536-
4400. For secondhand smoke, ultraviolet light,
and lead, call the Dept. of Health at (801) 538-
6101. For pesticides, call the Dept. of
Agriculture at (801) 538-7105.
Wyoming: For lead, asbestos and water, call the
Dept. of Environmental Quality at (307) 777-
7938. For radon, second-hand smoke and lead,
call the Dept. of Health at (307) 777-7656. For
pesticides, call Dept. of Agriculture at (307)
777-7321.
United States EPA908-F-99-ooi
Environmental Protection October 1999
Agency
vvEPA
Region 8 Children's Health Program
Kids Grow
Best In
Healthy
Environments
Because young bodies and minds are still
developing, children are much more
susceptible than grownups to pollution.
Pollutants at home, school, and play
areas can harm children. This brochure
points out some common environmental
health threats and provides parents,
health and day-care providers and school
personnel with tips for protecting
children.
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Pesticides/Toxic Chemicals
Pesticides are substances intended to destroy,
control or repel pests, such as insects, weeds,
fungi, rodents, and bacteria. Depending upon
the dose, pesticides may cause a range of harm
such as cancer, acute or chronic injury to the
lungs, nervous, reproductive, endocrine and
immune system damage and may accumulate in
the environment. Children are at greater risk
of pesticide exposure than adults because
pound for pound of body weight, children not
only eat more and breathe more, but they also
have a more rapid metabolism than adults and
they play on the floor and lawn where
pesticides are commonly applied.
Recommendation: Never use powerful
agricultural products in or around your home.
Don't use pesticides if you don't have to. If
you must use pesticides, always follow label
directions. Remove garbage and food crumbs
that attract pests. Wash fruits and
vegetables thoroughly under running water
before eating, and keep children, toys and pets
away from areas where pesticides have been
used. For More Information Contact the
National Pesticide Telecommunications
Network Hotline at
(800)858-7378
Kids Run Better Un-Leaded
Lead is a major environmental health hazard
for young children. About 75 percent of
US homes built before 1978 contain some
lead paint, the principal source of lead
exposure today. Children living in older
homes are threatened by chipping or
peeling lead paint, and by lead-
contaminated dust from paint removal
during remodeling. Kids may be exposed to
lead through drinking water tainted by lead
plumbing. Lead exposure can cause a
variety of health problems including blood
and kidney disorders. In the fetus and in
young children, elevated lead may damage
the brain. Recommendation: Have your home
tested for lead. Wash walls and window
sills to protect kids from dust and peeling
paint contaminated with lead (esp. in older
homes). Find out if you have lead pipes or
lead solder. Check with your water supplier
to find out if your water is corrosive (which
makes lead a bigger problem). IF lead is a
problem in you area, run the cold water for
30 seconds to flush lead pipes. Eat Right -
kids who get proper levels of iron and
calcium in their diet will absorb less lead.
If you have reason to believe that you have
lead in your home, see your doctor to get
your children tested for lead.
For More Information Contact the National
Lead Information Center Hotline at (800)
424-LEAD
Radon Gas In Indoor Air
Radon gas is a naturally occurring radionuclide
formed in the soil throughout the world. It is
odorless, tasteless, and colorless. Breathing air
containing radon carries the risk of developing
lung cancer. The amount of risk depends on the
radon concentration in the air and total time of
exposure (years). Next to smoking, radon is the
leading cause of lung cancer deaths each year.
EPA recommends an indoor air concentration of
radon less than 4 picoCuries per Liter (pCi/L) of
air. EPA also estimates about 10 percent of
homes in the U.S. have indoor air concentrations
of radon above 4 pCi/L. Recommendation: Test
the air in your home for radon gas. If the test
shows a concentration greater than 4 pCi/L, take
action to install a radon reduction system. For
sources of radon test kits, call your state radon
contact. For More Information Contact the
Indoor Air Quality/Radon Information Line at
(800) 55-RADON
Asbestos Causes Cancer
Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that was used to
strengthen a variety of products, provide heat
insulation and fire resistance. It was widely
used in construction materials, such as shingles
for roofing and siding, pipe and boiler insulation,
floor tiles, ceiling panels, coating, and gaskets.
It is present in schools and other public buildings
as well as in some houses. Tiny asbestos fibers
can easily penetrate tissues if inhaled or
swallowed and can remain in the body for many
years. Recommendation: Leave any suspect
material undisturbed - if material appears
damaged, have it sampled and evaluated by a
certified professional.
For More Information call (800) 462-6706 or
(800)368-5888
Water Water Everywhere
Children's exposure to waterborne
contaminants can occur from drinking
water, eating contaminated fish, or
swallowing water while swimming in
contaminated lakes, oceans or streams.
Drinking water: Nitrates are a result of
the use of chemical fertilizers which then
leach into the water. Consuming small
amounts of nitrate is not harmful, but
larger amounts are toxic to infants and
cause oxygen depletion in the body. Fish
consumption: Pollutants, such as mercury
that accumulates in the tissues of fish,
are of great concern because of the
potential to cause birth defects, liver
damage, cancer and other serious health
problems. Recreation: Disease-causing
organisms in sewage-contaminated water
can cause hepatitis, dysentery, fever,
gastrointestinal illness, ear infections, and
other health problems. Recommendation:
Making Water: If you suspect your
drinking water has questionable nitrate
concentrations, contact your local water
supplier and ask for the test results or
have your private well tested. Fish
Consumption: Because the developing
fetus may be the most sensitive to the
effects of mercury, women of child-
bearing age should limit their consumption
of marine and fresh water fish taken from
contaminated waters. Recreation: Don't
allow your child to swim near areas of
questionable water quality. For More
Information call the Safe Drinking Water
Hotline at (800) 426-4791
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