Toxic Free Tips - Household Study

Washington State Department of Ecology

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LEWIS COUNTY PILOT PROJECT

Lewis County Pilot Project

Household Study

Updated October 25, 2008

Learning more about household toxic chemicals and their effects on young children and the environment.

Why a household study?

Toxicologists and other scientists know a lot about certain toxic chemicals like lead and mercury. They also know a lot about how workers are exposed to chemicals, and about the impacts of this exposure. However, they don’t know as much about toxic chemicals in the home.

If the Washington Department of Ecology knew more about the purchasing, use, storage and disposal habits of households, we could better advise Washington’s families on how to reduce their exposure to toxic chemicals and avoid environmental pollution.

What will the study tell us?

The study is designed to help answer the following questions:

What are the most abundant toxic chemicals used by households?
When parents use products with toxic chemicals, are young children exposed to them at harmful levels?
Do households store toxic chemicals safely?
Given the way toxic chemicals are used and stored in the home, what are the threats to human health and the environment?
What changes in cleaning, storage, and disposal habits are parents willing to make that reduce toxic threats to human health and the environment?

Who is the ideal study participant?

If you are a Lewis County household with at least one child aged 5 or younger, you are the ideal participant! Participants must be willing to:

Have Ecology staff visit their home for two interviews and cupboard inventories.
Keep a journal of purchases and certain household habits for two months.
Test FREE products and share the results.

Want to help us learn more about toxic chemicals in the home? collage