Pediatric Environmental Health Toolkit
Resource Guide
This resource listing is a general introduction to environmental health information that is readily available on the Internet or through hotlines and clearinghouses. The purpose of the resource listing is to direct health providers, patients, and the general public who are in search of environmental and health information to a few good starting points that will yield useful information. Many of these starting points, in turn, will lead to other resources of potential interest. By following this initial direction, you can rapidly expand upon the data, knowledge, and resources available to productively address an array of important environmental health concerns. While there are a few wonderful international links listed, it was prepared in support of training programs in the United States, which is consequently the geographical area of focus.
The following are included in this guide:
American Academy of Pediatrics provides networks and resources in children's environmental health, including the handbook Pediatric Environmental Health - 2nd Edition. Created in recognition that environmental hazards are among parent's top health concerns for their children, yet little time is spent training physicians to recognize and treat ailments resulting from exposure to harmful substances and environments. "When introduced in 1999, this first-of-its-kind handbook provided physicians with an invaluable tool for identifying, treating, and preventing pediatric environmental health hazards. Now the 2nd edition updates and expands the scope of the text with 10 new chapters covering emerging environmental threats, as well as updated content for a wide range of health hazards, and much more. By American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Environmental Health. Edited by Ruth A. Etzel, MD, PhD and Associate Editor: Sophie J. Balk, MD." Softcover, 2003, 723 pgs, Price: $44.95
http://www.aap.org
Handbook: http://www.aap.org/bst/showdetl.cfm?&DID=15&Product_ID=1697
American Association of Occupational Health Nurses provides professional resources, educational activities and standards of care and practice.
http://www.aaohn.org
American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine serves as a professional organization of occupational medicine physicians.
http://www.acoem.org
American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM), "with funding assistance from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), is developing an environmental health education program for physicians who want to learn more about identifying, preventing, and treating environmental illnesses and exposures to environmental health hazards. The purpose of the program is to: (1) increase awareness among physicians of the health threats posed by exposure to hazardous substances found in the environment, and (2) improve the ability of physicians to apply the tools of population medicine and clinical prevention to environmental health problems. ACPM is conducting a needs assessment to better understand physicians' educational needs and preferences and identify the appropriate topics, content, and delivery methods for its course offerings."
http://www.acpm.org/survey_intro.htm
American Lung Association has a proven commitment to environmental health. Topics of air quality, chemical hazards in school and workplace settings, and tobacco control are covered in depth on their website with recent statistics available. Materials available (several also offered in Spanish) include: Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Action Kit, Protecting Yourself from Air Pollution, Working Safely With Chemicals, How to Read a Material Safety Data Sheet, as well as tobacco material targeted to youth and adults.
http://www.lungusa.org
American Nurses Association (ANA) continues to explore ways to respond to the ongoing environmental impact of delivering healthcare. They offer valuable resources under their Pollution Prevention in Healthcare initiative to assist nurses concerned with these issues. The ANA Pollution Prevention Kit for Nurses is designed to assist nurses staff nurses, nurse executives, local bargaining unit leaders, community health nurses, and nursing faculty to become active in reducing the toxic pollution created as a health care industry byproduct. The kit is filled with resources to involve nurses in their own work sites and communities, including facilitators guide, background materials, Health Care Without Harm information, personal and political action steps as well as videos and other resources. For program information contact: Susan Wilburn, 800-924-7402, ext 7130; to order kit (for a fee and in limited supply):
http://nursingworld.org/
Pollution Prevention Kit for Nurses: http://nursingworld.org/dlwa/osh/environm.htm
American Public Health Association has a section on Environment that "works to focus attention on human health effects of environmental factors and helps to shape national environmental health and protection policies." Among APHA's useful resources available from their website is an Advocacy Manual for Health Professionals.
http://www.apha.org
Environment Section:
http://depts.washington.edu/aphaenv/
Advocacy Manual:
http://www.apha.org/news/Media_Advocacy_Manual.pdf
Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics includes 55 clinics across the United States and Canada that specialize in occupational and environmental health issues. Provides referrals to clinics for medical advice and care, conducts educational activities, and maintains a lending library. http://www.aoec.org
- Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs) "As part of its ongoing cooperative agreements with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), AOEC has formed a project establishing Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs). The PEHSUs include the collaboration between the pediatric clinic and the AOEC occupational and environmental clinic at each site. The PEHSU's have been developed to provide education and consultation for health professionals, public health professionals and others about the topic of children's environmental health. AOEC coordinates the activities for all of the PEHSUs. Primary funding for the PEHSUs comes from the ATSDR and EPA."
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HEC/natorg/pehsu.html
Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) aims to introduce clinicians and their patients to the fundamentals and broad context of children's environmental health issues. Information on the health effects of environmental exposures is presented in a systems approach. Five units summarize the current scientific research regarding environmental influences on: 1) respiratory health, 2) neurobehavioral development, 3) cancer and immune functioning, 4) dermatological health, and 5) reproductive health and congenital anomalies in the young. The project also covers environmental history- evaluation and provides links to additional resources that may be useful to the interested individual. CAPE also provides a commentary on the physician's role in primary prevention of environmental health problems in children.
http://www.cape.ca/
EnviroDX is a multimedia, case-focused, computer-based learning program on environment-related diseases. The organizing metaphor for EnviroDx is an exploratory "virtual clinic" affiliated with a busy medical school. The program user takes the part of a practicing physician faced with a patient with an unknown disease or condition that is possibly caused by exposure to environmental factors. Upon completion of the program, the user should be familiar with: the components of an environmental history, the steps required to diagnose a specific type of environmental disorder tests required to make specific diagnoses, sources of information on industrial chemical product ingredients and their potential health effects, activities of federal, state, and local organizations that address occupational and environmental issues in health, measures a physician might recommend to treat or prevent a specific environmental-related disorder. Created by a team under Eddy Bresnitz, M.D., M.S., EnviroDX is hosted by the Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library at the University of Utah.
http://medstat.med.utah.edu/envirodx/index.html
Health Care Without Harm is an international coalition with 425 member organizations in 52 countries that represents hospitals, health care professionals, environmental advocates, organizations of health- impacted individuals, religious organizations, student groups, and labor unions. It focuses on encouraging health care institutions to stop using products made with PVC plastic and mercury that release dioxin, mercury and other toxic substances into the environment when they are burned as waste. Its mission is to transform the health care industry so it is no longer a source of environmental harm by eliminating pollution in health care practices without compromising safety or care.
http://www.noharm.org
Information on Environmental Problems, a Community Outreach Program of New York University's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Center, is an index of more than 125 environmental issues, including air quality, endocrine disruptors, sick building syndrome, and more, with relevant contacts in their department and on the World Wide Web.
http://niem.med.nyu.edu/outreach/communoutreach.html
National Association of Physicians for the Environment (NAPE) is currently involved in educating providers and the public about environmental issues that impact on human health. Focus areas are energy efficiency in the healthcare sector, protecting biological diversity, the health effects of air and water pollution, and protection against UV radiation from the sun.
http://www.easi.org/nape/
Organization of Teratology and Information Services maintains pregnancy and environmental hot lines throughout the country to answer questions regarding prenatal exposures. Centers and hot lines can be found on their website.
http://www.otispregnancy.org
Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) is a national organization of physicians, health professionals and supporters dedicated to addressing the public health impacts of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, environmental degradation and community violence. PSR has mobilized an Environment and Health Network that links activists and issue experts around the world to address serious environmental threats to human survival. The national PSR website has information for the public and providers on topics of medical waste, persistent toxic pollutants, health effects of global climate change, incineration and dioxin, pesticides, safe food and drinking water, clean air and water, and children's environmental health.
http://www.psr.org
- Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility (GBPSR) is a regional affiliate of PSR that focuses on environment and public health issues, specifically in the areas of reproductive and developmental health and the environment. The 140-page GBPSR report In Harm's Way: Toxic Threats to Child Development can be downloaded free via the GBPSR website, in addition to information on Health Care Without Harm, Generations at Risk, and No Room to Breathe publications, resources, and campaigns.
http://www.igc.org/psr/
- San Francisco Bay Area Physicians for Social Responsibility (SF PSR) is a regional affiliate of PSR that strives to protect public health and the environment, with a focus on populations disproportionately affected by environmental hazards, particularly children. We work to reduce toxic hazards at health care facilities by supporting an end to mercury and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic use, and provide education on environmental health issues to health providers. SF PSR brings a powerful, scientifically credible, and widely respected message to the public about environmental health concerns.
http://www.sfbaypsr.org/
Public Health Training Network (PHTN) is a distance learning system that takes training to the learner. PHTN uses a variety of instructional media ranging from print-based to videotape and multimedia to meet the training needs of the public health workforce nationwide.
http://www.phppo.cdc.gov/phtn/default.asp
Science and Environmental Health Network advocates "the wise application of science to protecting the environment and public health...serving as both network and think tank for the environmental movement."
http://www.sehn.org
Teratology Society is a multidisciplinary scientific society founded in 1960, the members of which study the causes and biological processes leading to abnormal development and birth defects at the fundamental and clinical level, and appropriate measures for prevention.
http://www.teratology.org/
Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisoning (AECLP) offers newsletters, fact sheets, policy statements, and other resources useful to preventing lead poisoning among children. Among fact sheet topics are general information on lead poisoning, testing homes, screening children, and advice on painting and rehabilitation. Policy statements cover health care reimbursement, tenant/landlord rights, and other areas such as new strategies for low income housing.
http://www.aeclp.org/
American Lung Association (ALA) of Washington has developed a Home Environmental Assessment List (HEAL) consisting of a 10 page checklist used by Master Home Environmentalist volunteers when doing a general environmental assessment in a community member's home. It's also available in a 5 page Do-It-Yourself version. For copies, contact Aileen Gagney, agagney@alaw.org, 1-800-732-9339, or 1-800-lungusa - American Lung Association - Master Home Environmentalist Program.
http://www.alaw.org/
Beyond Pesticides, a service of the National Coalition against the Misuse of Pesticides (NCAMP), provides access to a national directory of least toxic service providers and has programs on pesticide use in schools and public buildings, pesticide legislation, exposure of children to polluted soils around public utility poles. The site includes a fact sheet on What to Do in a Pesticide Emergency.
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/
Bio-Integral Resource (BIRC) is a nonprofit organization offering over 25 years of insight experience, and leadership in the development and communication of least-toxic, environmentally sound, integrated pest management (IPM) methods and policies of urban and agricultural applications.
http://www.birc.org/
Center for Informed Decision-Making has as its objective to help citizens make informed decisions about important environmental, health, and safety issues. Their web site explains the basics of environmental and health assessments, provides case studies, offers expert forums, and links to additional resources.
http://members.aol.com/cygnusgrp/index.html
Center for Health, Environment and Justice trains and assists local people to fight for justice, become empowered to protect their communities from environmental threats and build strong, locally controlled organizations. CHEJ connects these local groups with each other to build a movement from the bottom up. CHEJ has several national campaigns: Stop Dioxin Exposure; Health Care Without Harm; and Child Proofing our Communities.
http://www.chej.org/
Children's Environmental Health Network is a national project dedicated to pediatric environmental health. The Network's mission is to promote a healthy environment and to protect the fetus and the child from environmental hazards. Three areas of concentration for the Network are education, research, and policy. Publications include numerous fact sheets in English and Spanish on toxic chemicals, as well as the CEHN Training Manual on Pediatric Environmental Health. In addition to explaining children's vulnerability, routes of exposure, absorption, metabolism, etc., it also explains adult teaching methods and effective learning techniques.
http://www.cehn.org
Children's Health Environmental Coalition (CHEC) is a charitable, nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public, specifically parents and caregivers, about environmental toxins that affect children's health.
- HealtheHouse is CHEC's "interactive resource for information on how to reduce environmental health risks to children in and around the home". Here there is a Virtual House that shows where dangerous everyday household products can be found and eliminated, a Quiz for personalized information about what you're doing right, what you can change and how, a Resource Room with how-to's, articles, and a chemical database, and six simple House Rules for keeping a healthy home.
- CHEC also offers First Steps, a monthly email program for pregnant women or the parents of a newborn, to provide information on protecting baby's health. First Steps is designed to provide timely information to minimize the fetus' or baby's exposure to toxic chemicals. Monthly emails identify common sources of toxic exposure at each stage of development followed by simple steps you can take to minimize the risk to your baby.
http://www.checnet.org
HealtheHouse: http://www.checnet.org/healthehouse/home/index.asp
Duke University Occupational & Environmental Medicine hosts a very large and diverse web site with multiple links to sources of environmental and occupational health information. One of the best on the web. Offers a listserve for clinicians and public health professionals to instantly communicate with one another.
http://gilligan.mc.duke.edu/oem
EnviroLink is a nonprofit organization that attempts to link all grassroots organizations and volunteers through an online community. The site provides information and referral links through the Library on a variety of topics including activism and education. Current awareness on environmental topics worldwide is done through the News Service. The Sustainable Business Network is a marketplace for information about and resources from businesses that practice environmentally sound operations.
http://www.envirolink.org
Environmental Health Center was established in 1988 as a division of the National Safety Council to improve public understanding of significant health risks and challenges facing modern society. Their homepage is useful for public education and outreach efforts, emergency planning and management, and environmental journalism. They offer Environmental Journalism Resources, Hazardous Chemical Backgrounders (fact sheets on physical properties, health effects, economics, and regulations), information on air quality, children's health, climate change, radioactive and solid waste, as well as water quality.
http://www.nsc.org/ehc.htm
Environmental Health Clearinghouse, a service of Information Ventures, Inc. and sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, is staffed by junior and senior scientists trained in environmental health issues. Questions can be directed to them over the telephone (800-643-4794, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., EST); by electronic mail (envirohealth@niehs.nih.gov); or through their Internet site. In response to questions, the clearinghouse staff will conduct customized research, perform literature searches, and mail results to requestors. The clearinghouse also offers fact sheets on pesticides, environmental impact statements, human and ecological risk assessments, and information packets on a variety of topics. Among the environmental topics included in the clearinghouse collection are health effects, worker exposure, waste site and chemical spills and releases information, materials for schools and students, environmental justice issues, and women's health issues.
http://infoventures.com/e-hlth/
Environmental Information on the WWW lists non-commercial sites on specific environmental topics. Links are provided for waste management and recycling, air and water pollution, chemicals and toxic substances, sustainable development, and other topics.
http://www.ovam.be/jahia/Jahia/pid/25
Environmental Research Foundation provides information to grass-roots community activists, environmentalists, journalists, librarians, and others to further environmental justice at the local level. It specializes in information on hazardous substances and technologies, including landfills, incinerators, pesticides, organochlorine compounds, risk assessments, and their effects on human and environmental health. A newsletter, Rachel's Environment & Health News is available by e-mail.
http://www.rachel.org/home_eng.htm
Healthy Schools Network (HSN) is a nationally recognized, state-based advocate for the protection of children's environmental health in schools. HSN strives to build awareness of children's environmental health needs and assure every child and school employee an environmentally healthy school, through research, information and referral, advocacy, and coalition building.
http://www.healthyschools.org
Indiana Department of Environmental Management offers Simple Steps for Families (to make the environment a better place) available to download from their website. Included is a series of posters and brochures that are very well illustrated to demonstrate household hazards.
http://www.in.gov/idem/envirohealth/simplesteps.html
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) is a Minnesota-based non-profit organization dedicated to promoting resilient family farms, rural communities and ecosystems around the world through research and education, science and technology and advocacy. IATP raises awareness about pollutants in food and from food production, their sources, and their demonstrated or possible impacts on human health. IATP helps consumers make safe food choices by providing tools like the Eat Well Guide and the Smart Fish Guide. IATP advocates for health protective public policies and pollution prevention and provides information for the public and providers on the following issues: use of antibiotics in animal agriculture, public health impacts of factory farming, pesticides, toxins in sludge and fertilizers, children's environmental health and persistent toxic pollutants, such as mercury, brominated flame retardants and dioxins. IATP provides key leadership in the following initiatives: Health Care Without Harm (HCWH), Keep Antibiotics Working, the Collaborative on Health and the Environment and Mercury Free Minnesota.
http://www.iatp.org
Institute for Children's Environmental Health (ICEH) is a non-profit educational organization working to ensure a healthy, just, and sustainable future for children. The primary mission of ICEH is to foster collaborative initiatives to mitigate environmental exposures that can undermine the health of current and future generations. Their site includes a primer on Environmental Health Basics that lists multi-media resources and hotlinks. ICEH hosts a Partnership for Children's Health and the Environment that organizations can join.
http://www.iceh.org/
Partnership for Children's Health & the Environment: http://www.partnersforchildren.org
Institute for Global Communications provides a gateway to five online communities of activists and organizations working for peace, conflict resolution and negotiation, labor force representation, women in development, and environmental health and ecology (through EcoNet). Each network provides worldwide coverage for current awareness. IGC also maintains a member's directory.
http://www.igc.org
International Joint Commission (IJC) is a collaboration between the U.S. and Canada to address water quality along boundary waters between the two nations. The IJC Health Professionals Task Force offers Environmental Health in Family Medicine modules on lead, outdoor air, indoor air, pesticides, water quality, and persistent organic pollutants that can be downloaded at no charge. Also available free on their site is The Health Effects Review, a quarterly review and summary of the scientific literature on human health effects and environmental pollutants.
http://www.ijc.org/en/home/main_accueil.htm
Medweb offers numerous on-line links to public and private environment and health resources.
http://www.MedWeb.Emory.Edu/MedWeb/
Minnesota Department of Health has created a web site to improve access to information about children's environmental health. The site describes MDH programs and activities related to a variety of children's environmental health issues, including cancer surveillance, school indoor air quality, chemical exposures, health professional education and asthma. The site also provides information about practical steps to prevent and reduce children's exposures to common chemicals.
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/children/national.html
Our Stolen Future is a scientific detective story that explores the emerging science of endocrine disruption: how some synthetic chemicals interfere with the ways that hormones work in humans and wildlife. The website is the web home for the authors of Our Stolen Future, where they provide regular updates about the cutting edge of science related to endocrine disruption. They also post information about ongoing policy debates, as well as new suggestions about what people can do as consumers and citizens to minimize risks related to hormonally- disruptive contaminants.
http://www.ourstolenfuture.org
Pesticide Action Network of North America (PANNA) advocates the adoption of ecologically sound practices as an alternative to pesticide use. With other groups, it promotes sustainable agriculture, food security, and social justice. In addition to action alerts, connections to other organizations, fact sheets, and reports, the PESTIS database is available to search online for information on specific pesticides and alternatives. Another feature maintained is the PANNA Pesticides and Children Web Page that offers links to information and resources regarding children's unique vulnerability to pesticides.
http://www.panna.org/
Preventing Harm is a project of the Clean Water Fund to increase awareness of how learning and behavioral developmental disabilities may be related to toxics in air, water or food. This site is geared towards parents and parents-to-be, physicians and health care professionals, educators, and environmentalists working together to learn more, find resources, share what we learn, and take family and community action to protect children from environmental harm during vulnerable periods of development.
http://www.preventingharm.org/
REPROTOX, the Reproductive Toxicology Center, provides summaries of reproductive and developmental health data for chemical and physical agents. Targeted to health care providers and researchers with several levels of subscriptions available.
http://www.reprotox.org/
Sustainable Communities Network promotes communications and collaborations among grassroots and community-based programs. Groups involved in environmental protection efforts such as recycling, conservation, watershed and wildlife protection share case studies and resources.
http://www.sustainable.org/
University of California at Berkeley maintains a resource guide to Toxicology and Occupational Health Resources. The site links to agencies, publications and databases.
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/PUBL/tox.html
University of Minnesota Extension Service offers Lead - Your Safe Home, a Hmong/English information guide (6-page) that contains information on where lead is found, what happens when lead gets in our bodies, should a child be tested for lead, and how to protect children. Call the University of Minnesota Distribution Center at (612) 625-8173 or contact:
Anne.Murrill@health.state.mn.us
University of Wisconsin Extension offers Help Your Self to a Healthy Home, a 24-page booklet, including five short home environment checklists -"Questions to Ask" on air, lead, drinking water, hazardous household products, and pesticides. Designed as a self-assessment screening tool for parents and other caregivers.
Home Assist: http://www.uwex.edu/homeasyst/
Booklet: http://www.uwex.edu/homeasyst/hasorder.html
Washington Toxics Coalition is dedicated to protecting public health and the environment by identifying and promoting alternatives to toxic chemicals. They advance research, grassroots organizing, publications and presentations, conferences, and provide a Toxics Hotline to provide reliable information about preventing pollution in homes, schools, workplaces, agriculture, and industry. You can also access online their guide, Protecting Children from Toxic Exposures, that includes facts on topics such as air, lead, drinking water, hazardous household products, and pesticides.
http://www.watoxics.org/pages/root.aspx
Envirofacts contains data from five EPA systems that are used to assist the Agency in monitoring and overseeing compliance with federal regulations. The general public can use this source to obtain information about facilities in their community. The five systems represented are: 1) Aerometric Information Retrieval System Facility Subsystem (which contains air pollution data for about 150,000 regulated facilities), 2) Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Information System (Superfund data on hazardous waste sites), 3) Permit Compliance System (water discharge permit information for over 75,000 facilities), 4) Resource Conservation and Recovery Information System (data used to track handler permit or closure status for over 450,000 facilities and transporters), and 5) Toxic Release Inventory System (data on releases of over 600 toxic chemicals by over 33,000 reporting facilities). Online queries and mapping tools are also available through this site.
http://www.epa.gov/enviro/index.html
Environmental Defense provides a wonderful site, Scorecard.org, for geographically specific information about toxic chemicals in the United States: where they come from in your community, what their human health effects are, and what actions you can take.
http://www.scorecard.org
Risk Screening Environmental Indicators is a computer-based (Windows) model that is also available through the EPA to help interpret the information that you find. The model permits screening-level analysis of risk-related impacts of toxic chemical releases and transfers in the U.S.
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/rsei
Agency for Toxics Substances and Disease Registry has as its mission to prevent exposure and adverse human health effects associated with exposure to hazardous substances from waste sites, unplanned releases, and other sources of pollution. ATSDR is mandated by the US Congress to assess waste sites, respond to emergency releases of hazardous substances, and to perform and support research and education. Their web site leads to summaries and reports of hazardous substances, guidebooks, and HazDat (a database of information about Superfund sites, hazardous substance releases, and health effects). The site is also useful for the links it provides through the ATSDR Information Center Bookmarks.
http://atsdr1.atsdr.cdc.gov:8080/atsdrhome.html
Children's Environmental Health & Safety Inventory of Research (CHEHSIR) is a publicly accessible database created to ensure that researchers and federal research agencies have access to information on all research conducted or funded by the federal government that is related to adverse health risks in children resulting from exposure to environmental health risks or safety risks. This information is available to the public, scientific, and academic communities, as well as all federal agencies.
http://oaspub.epa.gov/chehsir/chehsir.page
Environmental Health Project (EHP) was established by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Its goal is to assist the agency to achieve reductions in illness and death among children under five in developing countries from major diseases related to environmental conditions.
http://www.ehproject.org/
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides a wealth of information about EPA activities, products, recommendations, and requirements on its extensive website. The site leads to information about community participation, resources for environmental education, grant information, chemical fact sheets, pesticides, software and database resources, hotlines, EPA libraries, regional and state contacts, and more. EPA Office of Children's Health Protection serves as a clearinghouse for EPA's initiatives and information on children's health. Contains links to fact sheets on a range of exposures, provides information on current research, where you can get additional information.
EPA Homepage: http://www.epa.gov
Office of Children's Health Protection:
http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/homepage
- Community data and mapping are available through Envirofacts, a database that integrates data obtained to support EPA's oversight activities and the public's right-to-know. Other branches lead to a section for Concerned Citizens and a Community-Based Environmental Homepage.
Envirofacts:
http://www.epa.gov/enviro/index_java.html
- National Pesticide Information Service
NPIC is a cooperative effort of Oregon State University and the U.S. EPA
1-800-858-7378
Questions on pesticides to: npic@ace.orst.edu
http://npic.orst.edu/
Healthfinder® is a free gateway to reliable consumer health and human service information developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthfinder can lead you to select online publications, clearinghouses, databases, web sites, and support and self-help groups, as well as the government agencies and not-for-profit organizations that produce reliable information for the public. http://www.healthfinder.gov
National Center for Environmental Health is part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), provides leadership to promote health and quality of life by preventing or controlling those diseases, birth defects, or disabilities resulting from interaction between people and the environment. Their site has information and education resources on a broad range of topics, including asthma, birth defects, radiation, sanitation, and lead in blood.
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) has a good site for information of public interest concerning human productive health. Included is access to scientific assessments of reproductive health risks associated with human exposures to naturally occurring and man-made chemicals.
http://www.niehs.nih.gov
http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov
NIEHS and EPA operate the Superfund Basic Research Program (SBRP) which offers funding support for research on hazardous waste sites and their health effects as well as networking opportunities for researchers and partnering organizations. The NIEHS and the U.S. EPA website for the programs posts research summaries and grant opportunities. You can join a listserve to learn about current research by sending your e-mail address to inhof@niehs.nih.gov
http://www-apps.niehs.nih.gov/sbrp/index.cfm
Research Briefs:
http://www-apps.niehs.nih.gov/sbrp/RB2000/RB.cfm
National Library of Medicine (NLM) hosts the Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program (TEHIP) which provides a wealth of health, toxicological, chemical, and chemical release information. TEHIP databases are available on the Toxicology Data Network (TOXNET), a free web-based search system. It is also a gateway to MEDLINE. Among the many databases available from Toxnet are:
- CCRIS (Chemical Carcinogenesis Research Information System) contains evaluated data and information, derived from bioassays on nearly 8,000 chemicals. Studies relate to carcinogens, mutagens, tumor promoters, cocarcinogens, metabolites and inhibitors of carcinogens.
- DART/ETIC (Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology/Environmental Teratology Information Center) is a bibliographic database covering teratology and developmental toxicology literature published since 1950.
- EMIC (Environmental Mutagen Information Center) are bibliographic databases covering agents tested for genotoxic activity in literature from 1965 to the present.
- GENE-TOX a data bank created by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with genetic toxicology test results on over 3,000 chemicals.
- TOXLINE a bibliographic database covering the biochemical, pharmacological, physiological, and toxicological effects of drugs and other chemIcals. It contains over 2.5 million citations, almost all with abstracts and/or index terms and CAS Registry Numbers.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/
- Medline is a bibliographic database of abstracted medical literature. The National Library of Medicine offers it free.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/databases/databases_medline.html
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is entrusted with overseeing worker protection and enforcement of workplace standards. Web site offers information and links on programs and services, compliance assistance, standards, and technical information.
http://www.osha.gov
EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics provides Chemical Fact Sheets and technical summary documents. Some of these fact sheets are available through the Internet.
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/chemfact
EXTOXNET is a cooperative effort of the University of California, Davis, Oregon State University, Michigan State University, and Cornell University. Together, they maintain Pesticide Information Profiles, a databank of profiles on over 160 pesticides. Each profile covers acute and chronic toxicity, environmental effects, manufacturing information, and references. These profiles are not based on an exhaustive literature search; nevertheless, they are highly informative and supplement the information found on pesticide product labeling and other sources.
http://ace.orst.edu/info/extoxnet/
Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) contains EPA carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risk assessment and regulatory information on over 500 chemicals. The risk assessment data have been scientifically reviewed by groups of EPA scientists and represent EPA consensus. IRIS also contains EPA Drinking Water Health Advisories and literature references.
http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?IRIS
Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) is a comprehensive, scientifically reviewed, factual database containing records for over 4500 toxic or potentially toxic chemicals. It contains extensive information in such areas as toxicity, environmental fate, human exposure, chemical safety, waste disposal, emergency handling, and regulatory requirements.
http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?HSDB
Material Safety Data Sheets are designed for workers and emergency personnel to provide guidance on proper procedures for handling and working with toxic substances. The sheets include physical data, toxicity, health effects, first aid, storage and disposal procedures, and more. Many sites on the Internet include MSDS.
http://www.ilpi.com/msds/index.html
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services Right to Know Program provides online access to hundreds of chemical fact sheets. Information on each fact sheet includes: identification, hazard summary, how to determine exposure, workplace exposure limits, ways of reducing exposure, acute and chronic health hazard information, workplace controls and practices, personal protective equipment, safe handling and storage, definitions of terms, information on flammability and reactivity, and recommended first aid practices.
http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/rtkweb/rtkhsfs.htm
ToxFAQs is a series of over 50 summaries of hazardous substances being developed by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Division. Each fact sheet provides answers to frequently asked questions about exposure to substances found around hazardous waste sites and corresponding human health effects.
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html
Air and Radiation
U.S. EPA Air RISC Hotline
Risk Information Support Center
(919) 541-0888
Health, risk, and exposure information.
U.S. EPA National Indoor Air Quality Information Hotline
(800) 438-4318
Health information, on passive smoke, formaldehyde, and other indoor air quality issues.
Lead
National Safety Council's National Lead Information Center
(800) 424-LEAD
Information, publications, referrals, and technical assistance in English or Spanish on lead-related issues.
Community Right-to-Know
U.S. EPA Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know (EPCRA) Information Hotline
(800) 424-9346
Information on community right-to-know and emergency planning regulations.
RTK-Net
A Project of OMB Watch
(202) 234-8494, http://www.rtknet.org/
Call for information about this computer network that provides access to TRI data, health facts on chemicals, census data, and other information and data on hazardous waste, air, and water.
U.S. EPA TRI User Support Service
(202) 566-0250
Support obtaining and using the Toxics Release Inventory.
Environmental Justice
Office of Environmental Justice Small Grants Program
(202) 564-2515, (800) 962-6215
Grants to fund Environmental Justice projects by community-based organizations.
Consumer Product Safety
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Hotline
(800) 638-2772
Information and educational materials on consumer product safety, including children's toys and electrical products. Spanish speaking staff available.
Electromagnetic Fields
U.S. EPA Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Infoline
(202) 343-9370
Current information and answers to questions on electric and magnetic fields.
Hazardous Emergencies
Chemtrac Emergency Spill Information
(800) 424-9300
Emergency number providing information regarding large chemical spills and leaks.
Health
March of Dimes
1-888-MODIMES (663-4637)
National Women's Health Network
(202) 628-7814
Women's health advocacy group with general women's health information and a resource center.
Occupational Safety and Health
Clearinghouse for Occupational Safety and Health Information (at Center for Disease Control)
Technical Information Service: (800) 35-NIOSH
Access to NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) information, resources, and activities.
Library: (513) 533-8321
Interlibrary loans, catalog available. Maintains an automated database and library open to the public.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Referral Service
(800) 321-OSHA
Referral service concerning occupational safety and health complaints and emergencies. Call with life threatening emergencies.
Pesticides and Toxics
National Pesticide Information Center
(800) 858-7378
Pollution Prevention
U.S. EPA Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse
(202) 566-0799
Technical, policy, and grant information for companies and communities seeking to reduce use and production of hazardous materials.
Technology Transfer Center at the Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute, University of Massachusetts Lowell
(978) 934-3275, (978) 934-3050
Clearinghouse and research library, and literature search service for reports, case studies, and fact sheets on pollution prevention and toxics use reduction.
Water and Wastewater
National Drinking Water Technical Assistance Unit, West Virginia University
(800) 624-8301, Option 3
Collects, develops, and provides information about drinking water issues.
U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline
(800) 426-4791
Information about EPA's drinking water regulations and other related drinking water and ground water topics.
U.S. EPA Water Resource Center
202-260-7786
Distributes EPA Office of Water publications.
General
Technology Transfer Publications and Support Division
800-490-9198 or (513) 489-8190
Formerly Center for Environmental Research Information (CERI), the focal point for the exchange of EPA's scientific and technical information.
http://www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl
U.S. EPA Directory Assistance
(202) 272-0167
Directory assistance to EPA offices that have information on the environment and EPA: brochures, fact sheets, consumer guides, and educational materials.
U.S. EPA National Service Center for Environmental Publications
(513) 489-8190
Clearinghouse, publication information, and ordering service for EPA publications, including ACCESS EPA, an extensive yearly directory of EPA and other public sector information resources including hotlines, libraries, and databases.
National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Title Identification Service / Document Ordering Service
(703) 605-6000
To research a title or to order documents from government agencies.
U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, DC 20402
(888) 293-6498, (202) 512-1530
Supplies documents from government agencies.
Acknowledgement: This guide is based on materials developed by the JSI Center for Environmental Health Studies (www.jsi.com).
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Physicians for Social Responsibility
