Children’s Environmental Health Issues in Indiana

June 2008 Edition

Version in pdf

IKE Highlights

Empowering Tenants for Healthy Homes

IKE is partnering with the Indianapolis Housing Authority, Managed Health Services, the American Lung Association and the Marion County Health Department on a project to train IHA residents to be their own “master home environmentalists.”  Based on the program developed by ALA, we will train residents on basic healthy homes issues and equip them to help others in their apartment complex identify ways to make their homes healthier by removing asthma triggers, reducing chemical use and other simple steps.  If this first project goes well, we hope to replicate it in other areas.

More than 50 Indianapolis Schools Participate in Smart Schools Don’t Idle Program

IKE and the Indianapolis Knozone program have signed up more than 50 local schools to improve air quality on campus.  Schools can choose from a number of easy to implement, no cost options such as posting No Idle Zones signs (provided by Knozone), publishing a newsletter article about idling and air pollution, or inviting us to present a program for parents, teachers or children on the topic.  Some highlights:

§         Caroline Varie, a 6^th grader at Fall Creek Middle School, decided that her service project would be to convince her former elementary school, Forest Glen Elementary in Lawrence Township, to establish No Idle Zones where parents usually line up to pick up their children.  Not only did the school agree to do it, but Caroline hosted a program for the 3^rd and 4^th graders where staff from IKE and Knozone talked about air pollution.

§         Douglas McArthur Elementary in Perry Township embraced the Smart Schools program and went a step further.  With assistance from Anthem Hoosier Healthwise, IKE and other groups, 5^th grade students have been “flying a flag for clean air” every day this year.  Each morning, they check the Air Quality Index for the day and fly a flag of the correct AQI color on a special flagpole in front of the school.

Looking for a Contractor With Lead Safe Work Practices Training?

After getting too many calls from people trying to find contractors who know how to work with lead paint safely and not being able to help them, IKE decided to compile a list and make it available through our website.   Find a contractor in your area at www.ikecoalition.org/Lead/LSWP_Table.htm.  If you know of a business that would like to be included or are one yourself, contact Janet at mccabe@ikecoalition.org.  And, in the spirit of caveat emptor, be sure to ask any contractor you are considering hiring not just whether they have taken the training, but whether they will use those techniques in your home.

IKE Joins Petition to Regulate Formaldehyde

IKE has joined the Sierra Club and numerous other groups and individuals in a petition to USEPA to regulate emissions of formaldehyde from particle board, hardwood, plywood and medium density fiberboard, products commonly used for paneling, flooring, cabinets, furniture, countertops, molding, and door skins – consumer products found in every home.  The petition asks EPA to adopt regulations like those recently adopted in California, which are expected to reduce emissions by as much as 75%.  The tragedy of the Katrina FEMA trailers has brought this issue to light, but exposure to formaldehyde is common throughout the country.

Legislative News 

For a good summary of environmental legislation enacted this year, see the Hoosier Environmental Council summary at www.hecweb.org/File/HEC_2008_legislature_final_report_March_2008.pdf  or the Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter at http://hoosier.sierraclub.org/legislation/crunch.html.  Very briefly, here are a few of the bills that were enacted into law in some form:

§         SEA 143:  Various Environmental Matters.  A variety of IDEM-related matters, including positive revisions to the Environmental Crimes statute.

§         SEA 143:  Childhood Lead Poisoning.  IKE was heavily involved in pushing for this major step forward towards comprehensive protection for children from lead poisoning.  IKE will continue to be involved—more information is available at www.ikecoalition.org/Lead/2008_indiana_general_assembly.htm.

§         SEA 0045:  Great Lakes Compact.  Legislation needed for Indiana to formally participate in a multi-state agreement that strives to protect the waters of the Great Lakes from withdrawals for use outside of the basin.

§         HEA 1120:  Ban on Phosphorous in Dishwashing Detergent.  Just what it says.

Several issues that were discussed at length but did not result in legislation were:

§         HB 1090:  Climate Change Registry.  This bill would have required Indiana to sign on the Climate Change Registry, a collaboration between states, provinces and tribes aimed at developing and managing a common greenhouse gas emissions reporting system.  Such a system is a prerequisite to expected future regulatory programs for greenhouse gases.  Indiana is one of 11 states that have not signed on.

§         HB 1280:  Energy Efficient Buildings.  This bill would have required public buildings to be built to meet certain environmental and energy efficiency design standards, such as LEED or Green Globes standards.  This is an issue that could be dealt with administratively, and there is some hope that the Daniels Administration will proceed that way.

§         Confined Animal Feeding.  Several bills dealt with confined animal feeding operations this session.  More information at www.hecweb.org/content.cfm?n=cafos.

  §         Renewable Energy.  The effort to pass a renewable energy standard again found strong opposition.

Rulemakings of Note

Administrative rules drive environmental and health policy in Indiana.  IKE monitors rulemaking by IDEM, ISDH, the Pesticide Review Board, and other agencies where children’s health may be affected.  In this newsletter, we will highlight the most significant or active.  You can always contact IKE for more information about these or other rulemakings.

Lead Poisoning Rules.  Acting promptly after passage of the legislation, the ISDH has begun a rulemaking to implement the requirements of SEA 143 summarized above.  IKE will be following this closely, so contact Janet for information or go to the source:  Dave McCormick at ISDH ((317) 233-1293­ or DMcCormick@isdh.IN.gov).

Environmental Impact Statements.  After nearly letting it expire, IDEM has formed a workgroup to consider the rule that implements Indiana’s environmental impact review statute.  This law requires Indiana agencies to consider the impact on the environment of their proposed activities by preparing an environmental assessment and, in some cases, an environmental impact report, available for public review and comment.  This program has been neglected for years.  Its near demise has prompted a welcome look at how this program can be implemented to fulfill the statutory intent. IKE and others will participate in a workgroup with IDEM to discuss issues and options.  The process is expected to go quickly, with draft rules issued during summer 2008.

Pesticide Use at “Sensitive Sites.”  Kudos to the Indiana Pesticide Review Board, which has begun a rulemaking to require that persons who apply pesticides at “sensitive sites” (such as schools and hospitals) be trained and licensed or working under the direct supervision of a licensed applicator.  The Board welcomes comments, which should be sent to Dave Scott at scottde@purdue.edu.  See the draft rule here.

Antidegradation.  This is a really important rulemaking having to do with the regulation of new or increased industrial and municipal discharges to Indiana waters and how the public should be involved in decisions about them.  For more information, look at IDEM’s website at www.in.gov/idem/programs/water/antideg/index.html or contact Bowden Quinn at the Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter at bowden.quinn@sierraclub.org or (317) 822-3750.

Asthma and Clean Air

Indiana Asthma Fact

According to the Indiana State Department of Health’s recently completed Asthma Burden Report, in 2005, there were a total of 29,134 days of hospitalizations due to asthma. The average length of stay for a hospitalization due to asthma was 3.5 days. About 70% of the total days were females hospitalized for asthma when compared to males. The average length of stay for a hospitalization due to asthma for females was 3.8 days and 3 days for males. Length of stay for a hospitalization due to asthma ranged from 1 day to 72 days (median = 3 days; mode = 2 days). The average length of stay (by days) for a hospitalization due to asthma increased with age. People 85 and older had an average length of stay at 5.0 days compared to children 0 to 4 years old at 2.4 days.

USEPA Proposes Revised Lead Air Quality Standard—A Good Step But Not Enough to Protect Kids

USEPA has issued its proposed revision of the lead ambient air quality standard.  Copies of the notice and technical support documents are available at www.epa.gov/air/lead/actions.html. Comments are due on July 21, 2008.  EPA has proposed a range of 0.10 to 0.30 μg/m³, which though a clear improvement from the current standard of 1.5 μg/m³, is higher than the range recommended by USEPA’s external experts and own scientists.  Comments are still needed urging USEPA to set the level to protect the greatest possible number of children.  USEPA must issue the final standard by September 2008.  Contact Janet if you would like more information.   There is one area in Delaware County, Indiana where monitored air quality exceeds USEPA’s proposed standard, near a lead processing facility.

USEPA’s Issues Stricter Ozone Air Quality Standard

USEPA has revised the ambient health standard for ozone to 0.075 ppm.  This stricter new standard will provide greater health protection to Indiana residents but did not go as far as many health advocates urged.   Based on 2005-7 air monitoring data, most urban areas in Indiana and several rural ones exceed this standard.  IDEM expects these levels to decrease, however, as programs such as the Clean Air Interstate rule, which requires emission reductions from power plants, become fully effective.  Any new clean air programs are years away, however, as nonattainment designations are not expected until 2010.  Expect to see more Air Quality Action days called this summer, as the Air Quality Index has been scaled down to reflect the revised, more protective health standard.

And Speaking of Air Quality Action Days…

The summer ozone season has begun.  Meteorologists at IDEM work with others in the Midwest to forecast days when air quality may be unhealthy.  Having this information can be crucial to protect the health of your family.  There are several ways for the public to receive advance notice of predicted air quality.  Scroll down to the bottom of this page on IDEM’s Smogwatch site to find out how:  www.in.gov/apps/idem/smog/.

Environmental Tobacco Smoke

Second-hand or environmental tobacco smoke is the most significant environmental threat to children’s health, especially children with asthma. IKE strongly supports efforts to reduce children’s exposure to tobacco smoke. 

The national prevalence rate for smoking among pregnant women is 10.2%.  In Indiana, it is 18.5%.  Nationwide the smoking prevalence is 20.8%; in Indiana it is 24.8%. (based on 2004 data).  See www.smokefreeindiana.org/documents/2006Disparitiesreport.pdf for more information on which populations in Indiana are disparately affected by smoking.

Sewage and Clean Water

Second Summit on Environmental Health Planned for 2009; Will Focus on Water Issues

IKE, the IU Medical School Center for Health and Environment and the IUPUI School of Public and Environmental Affairs will be hosting the second Indiana Summit on Environmental Health in spring 2009.  The focus of next year’s summit will be issues related to water quality and quantity.  If you are interested in helping plan the Summit or have suggestions for a specific topic or speaker, please contact Janet at mccabe@ikecoalition.org.

Please Don’t Flush those Old Medicines…

The best things to do with unwanted medications are to see if your pharmacist or doctor will take them or take them to a special community disposal event.  More advice on what to do with unwanted medicines, especially if you have no alternative but to throw them away is available here:  www.in.gov/idem/who/media/factsheets/pharmaceuticals.pdf.

Lead and Healthy Homes

HUD Launches New Healthy Homes Newsletter  

In April, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control published the first issue of what is to be a quarterly electronic newsletter.  Its purpose, as stated in the first issue, is “to promote healthy homes principles, including best practices, research findings and education/outreach initiatives. Every quarter the newsletter will bring you articles on health and housing with a special focus on the activities and projects supported by HUD.”  You can find this issue at www.hud.gov/offices/lead/library/hhi/HH_Newsletter_9Apr07.pdf and sign up to receive it by emailing your request to healthyhomesnews-owner@quantech.com.

USEPA Issues Final Rule for Lead Safe Renovations

On April 30, USEPA issued its final Renovation, Remodeling and Painting rule, which will require training of renovators who disturb lead-based paint in older homes and prohibit certain dangerous work practices.  The rule is not perfect, and is likely to be challenged on several issues, but the requirements are long overdue and will make a positive difference.  The requirements will go into effect in 2010.  ISDH is preparing rules to require a lead safe work practices training for renovators even sooner than the federal deadline, as a result of legislation passed this year (SEA 143 summarized above).

Excellent Summary of Childhood Lead Poisoning

An excellent study of the sources childhood lead poisoning and what that means for future prevention strategies has just been published by Environmental Health Perspectives (National Institute of Environmental Health) on US Children’s Lead Exposures, 2008:  Implications for Prevention.”  It’s available at www.ikecoalition.org/Lead/EPH_Lead_Exposures_2008.pdf.

Healthy Schools and Childcare

Grants Now Available for Five Star Childcare Facilities

IDEM is offering grants for 5-Star Childcare Members.  The grant provides up to $5,000 with only a 25% match requirement for the purchase of items made of recycled content material.  In a childcare facility, examples of what the grants could help purchase would be new playground equipment, benches, fences, picnic tables, etc.  To be eligible, the facility must be a member of the 5-Star program and must have achieved the 5 star level.  Grant deadlines are July 25, October 24, January 23 and April 24.  The upcoming deadlines for childcare facilities seeking 5-star status are August 1 and December 1.   More information is available at www.in.gov/idem/childcare or contact Karen Teliha (Community  Environmental Health & Education Director) at(800) 988-7901 or kteliha@idem.IN.gov.

Ft. Wayne School Recognized by EPA for Schoolbus Emission Reductions

Congratulations to the Fort Wayne Community School District, recently recognized by USEPA for its steps to reduce diesel emissions from its buses.  The District used funds from EPA’s Clean School Bus program to install oxidation catalysts on 30 busses and use biodiesel in 372 busses.  These are the kinds of projects that really make a difference to children’s health!

Other News and Notes                                                                          

Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units—Did You Know We Have One In Chicago?

The Center for Children's Environmental Health at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, which is operated in partnership with USEPA and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), is a clinic that specializes in children’s environmental health in USEPA’s Region V (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota and Wisconsin). The Center:

• Provides clinical evaluation services for children with environmental illnesses or overexposures

• Conducts health hazard evaluations of children's environmental health problems in communities throughout our region

• Is available to consult with public health and environmental agencies on children's environmental health issues

• Provides training on children’s environmental health issues to pediatricians, environmental and occupational medicine physicians, medical toxicologists, and other health professionals

• Conducts research aimed at preventing children's environmental diseases

If you need advice on a case where environmental exposure is a concern, you can reach the Center at http://www.uic.edu/sph/glakes/kids/ or 312-996-7887.

Session on Climate Change and Public Health Raises Awareness and Questions

The Indiana Mid-America Public Health Training Center recently held a day of speeches and panels on the issue of climate change and public health.  All of the presentations and videos of the sessions are available at http://www.maphtc.iupui.edu/ClimateChange/index.html.

Great Sources of Information                                                                           

New Website Hopes to Become Reliable Wikipedia-type Source for Environmental Science

A relatively new addition to the many sources of information about environmental topics available through the internet is a website called The Earth Portal.  A project of the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE), the Earth Portal describes itself as a “comprehensive resource for timely, objective, science-based information about the environment. It is a means for the global scientific community to come together to produce the first free, expert-driven, massively scaleable information resource on the environment, and to engage civil society in a public dialogue on the role of environmental issues in human affairs.”  The site explains more about how they assure the quality of the articles posted and what types of information are available.  Check it out at www.earthportal.org/. 

Upcoming Meetings and Events                                                                            

Indiana Joint Asthma Coalition 2008 Meetings

All meetings are on the 8^th floor of the ISDH building, 2 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis.  Check www.in.gov/isdh/programs/asthma/index.htm for more information. 

June 19,   1:30-4

September 17, 9-11:30

December 11, 1:30-4

Indianapolis Asthma Alliance

This group of health care and other professionals works to reduce the asthma burden in Indianapolis through education and development of policies and programs to reduce asthma triggers.  More information is available at www.asthmaindy.org/ and the next meeting will be on June 27 at 8:30 AM at the Marion County Health Department, 3838 N. Rural St., Indianapolis.

Indiana Lead Safe and Healthy Homes Task Force

Staff from local health departments, state agencies, and others who seek to improve environmental conditions for children in their homes meet quarterly to discuss issues, challenges and projects.  Meetings are held at the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield facility at 2425 N. Meridian St., Suite A, Indianapolis, IN 46208.  The 2008 meetings will be:

August 21, 9:30 – 11:30

November 20, 9:30 – 11:30

Contact Janet McCabe at 317-902-3610 or mccabe@ikecoalition.org to confirm meeting dates or for the call-in number.

Indianapolis Green Commission

Next meeting:  June 18, 3 - 5 PM at 1200 S. Meridian Street. Indianapolis.   www.indygov.org/eGov/Mayor/GreenPrint/home.htm for more information about the Green Commission.

Indiana Environmental Education Symposium

A program of the Environmental Education Association of Indiana, the symposium will focus on current trends and issues in environmental education and how they affect Indiana.  The event will be June 26-27 at the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis.  For more information, contact the Natural Resources Education Center at nrec@dnr.in.gov.

Later this year….

Balanced Transportation for Healthier Communities—2^nd Conference hosted by Health by Design.  September 8 at the Hyatt Regency in Indianapolis.  More information at http://www.healthbydesignonline.org/.

Indiana Lead Safe and Healthy Homes Conference—November 5-6 at the Marten House, Indianapolis.  More information coming at www.ikecoalition.org.

Thanks for improving kids' environment!

If you have any questions or comments about this newsletter or Improving Kids’ Environment, contact Janet McCabe at mccabe@ikecoalition.org , 317-902-3610 or 1201 N. Central Avenue, #9, Indianapolis, IN  46202...  Please let us know if you do not want to receive this newsletter.  You may get enough emails and faxes already.  We do not want to add to the burden if you are not interested in receiving the materials.  IKE also publishes the Indiana Lead-Safe & Healthy Homes newsletter on behalf of the Indiana Lead-Safe and Healthy Homes Task Force.  This newsletter deals with issues and events involving lead-poisoning and healthy homes in Indiana.  Let Janet McCabe know if you want to get copies of those newsletters. 

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