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
	Toys
	Pesticides and Fertilizers
	Lead
	Mercury

Children's Health

• Children's Health Protection (US EPA)
• America's Children and the Environment data (US EPA)
• Reducing Exposure to Toxic Chemicals (Washington Dept. of Ecology)
• Children’s Health and Safety (Washington Dept. of Health)
• Washington’s Children’s Safe Products Act (Washington Dept. of Ecology)
• Healthy Homes for Healthy Kids Campaign (US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development)
• Clearinghouse of scientific info (Collaborative on Health and the Environment, Washington)
  

Education Materials and Activities

• Ecology for Educators and Students (Washington Dept. of Ecology)
• 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)

• Drinking Water for Kids (Washington Dept. of Health)

• 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)
• Hazards on the Homefront Teacher’s Guide (Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County)
• Lead Outreach and Education Materials (US EPA; in various languages)
• Neuroscience for Kids (University of Washington)

 

Schools

• Washington Green Schools (A government/private partnership)
• 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)
• Dirt Alert –Soil Safety Program (Washington Dept. of Washington)

Toys

• Full listing of recalls and sign up to receive notices (US Gov’t.)
• Healthy toys product search (Washington Toxics Coalition)
• Children’s Safe Product Act (Washington Dept. of Ecology)
• Safe Kids Action Center; toy recalls (Safe Kids USA)
• Children’s Health and Safety (Washington Dept. of Health)

Pesticides and Fertilizers

• 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)

Lead

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

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

• 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)
• Blood Lead Level Testing (Washington Dept. of Ecology)
• Identifying children with Elevated Blood-Lead Levels (National Safety Council)
• Lead and its human effects (Public Health Seattle & King County)
• Dirt Alert – Soil Safety Program (Washington Dept. of Washington)
• Toxic Treats – A guide to lead-tainted candies (The Orange County Register)

Mercury

• Mercury Reduction in 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)

 

For more information, please contact us.

ToxicFreeTips@ecy.wa.gov

Toll-free: (866) 939-9991

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

Or leave a message 24 hours/day

The Washington Department of Ecology funds this website with State Toxics Control Account funds and Worker-Right-to-Know fees.