Safer Schools and Children

Young children are a special concern when it comes to health risks of hazardous substances.

Pound for pound, children breathe more air, drink more water, and eat more food than adults.

They also put hands and toys in their mouths, crawl on the floor, and play on the ground – being exposed to toxic substances in a way adults aren’t.

Explore these resources for kids and the adults who care for them.

	Children's health
	Education materials and activities
	Schools
	Asbestos
	Lead
	Mercury
	Pesticides
	Toys

Children's Health

• Reducing Exposure to Toxic Chemicals (Washington Dept. of Ecology)
• Healthy Homes for Healthy Kids Campaign (US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development)
• Health Educators Toolbox (Seattle-King County)
• Resource guide, education projects, ToxRAP, and other child and pediatric resources (Children's Enviornmental Health Network, CEHN)
• HealtheHouse and substance profiles (Children's Health Environmental Coalition)
• Clearinghouse of scientific info (Collaborative on Health and the Environment, Washington)
• Children's Health Protection (US EPA)
• America's Children and the Environment data (US EPA)
• Breathe easier do-it-yourself environmental checklist (Thurston County Environmental Health)
  

Education Materials and Activities

• Environmental Education (Washington Dept. of Ecology)
• Health Educators Toolbox (Seattle-King County)
• Tox Town for Teachers (US National Library of Medicine)

• Environmental Kids Club Home Page (US EPA)

• Planet Protector Club for Kids (US EPA)

• High School Environmental Center (US EPA)

• Teaching Center (US EPA)

• Tiny footprints baby shower kit (Oregon Environmental Council)
• Pesticide Information for Kids, Students, and Teachers (US EPA)
• Hydroville curriculum with pesticide spill, indoor air, water quality (Oregon State University)

 

Schools

• Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools Program (US EPA)
• Pesticide Information for Kids, Students, and Teachers (US EPA)
• Asbestos in Schools (US EPA)
• Schools and Mercury (US EPA)
• Mercury in Schools (Washington Dept. of Health)
• No Idle Zone/Anti-idling campaign for schools (Air Watch NW)
• Integrated pest management for schools (Urban Pesticide Education Strategy Team, UPEST)
• Build green schools (US Green Building Council)

 

Asbestos

• Dirt Alert - Soil Safety Program (Washington Dept. of Ecology)
• Asbestos in Schools (US EPA)

Lead

• Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention (CLPP) Program (Washington Dept. of Health)

1-800-909-9898 (Toll free in Washington State)

• Lead and Your Kids: A Parent’s Guide (Washington Dept. of Health)

• 10 Tips to Protect Children from Pesticide and Lead Poisonings (US EPA)
• Healthy Homes for Healthy Kids Campaign (US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development)
• Lead Health Effects on Children (National Safety Council)
• Identifying children with Elevated Blood-Lead Levels (National Safety Council)
• Lead Facts and resources, blood testing information (Seattle-King County)
• Dirt Alert - Soil Safety Program (Washington Dept. of Ecology)

Mercury

• Mercury Washington (Washington Dept. of Ecology)
• Mercury and Your Family, In School, In Business (Washington Dept. of Health)
• Products containing mercury (Washington Dept. of Health)
• Schools and Mercury (US EPA)

Pesticides

• Children’s Pesticide Right to Know Act (RCW 17.21.415) (Washington State Legislature)
• Pesticide Information for Kids, Students, and Teachers (US EPA)
• About Pesticides (US EPA)
• 10 Tips to Protect Children from Pesticide and Lead Poisonings (US EPA)
• Consumer Alerts for Pesticides (US EPA)
• Integrated pest management for households (Urban Pesticide Education Strategy Team, UPEST)
• Integrated pest management for schools (Urban Pesticide Education Strategy Team, UPEST)

Toys

• Full listing of recalls and sign up to receive notices (US Gov't.)
• Healthy toys product search (Washington Toxics Coalition)

 

For more information, please contact us.

HSIEO@ecy.wa.gov

1-800-633-7585

Monday - Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

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The Washington Department of Ecology funds this website with Worker Right-to-Know fees collected from Washington businesses by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries.