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Photo courtesy John Winters Thanks to The Boren Foundation, and Jack and Karen Kay Leonard for making this website possible. |
Healthy Stores for Kids
Key Links
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Retail stores can have a tremendous impact on children's environmental health in three ways.
1. Selling consumer products that contain hazardous materials such as insecticides in treated lumber, toxic chemicals in cleaning products, hazardous air pollutants in paint strippers, mercury thermostats, and various pesticides.
2. Selling consumer products that can be used to identify and control hazardous materials such as carbon monoxide monitors with peak level recorders, spot test kits to identify lead hazards, radon detector kits, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuums, and supplies for lead-safe work practices.
3. Providing sound advice regarding the use of its products so that hazardous materials in its products are safely used or so that the work can be safely completed. The store clerk provides advice regarding the selection and use of pesticides, how to prepare a painted surface that may be lead-based paint, or how to properly seal treated lumber.
The do-it-yourselfer often relies heavily on the advice of the retail paint store or hardware store clerk, especially when the store markets is advice with slogans such as "Ask Sherwin Williams" or "Lowes Knows".
Therefore, IKE has made it a priority to evaluate and improve the products and advice provided by retail stores.
In 2000, IKE conducted a limited survey of retail paint and hardware stores focused on lead-based paint hazards thanks to a Children's Environmental Health grant from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Region 5 Office. This survey resulted in outreach to the stores, regional offices and industry associations. Kevin O'Malley of Porter Paints received a Lead-Safe Indiana Award in 2001 to recognize his work on training the company's clerks.
In 2002, IKE conducted a more comprehensive survey of paint retail and hardware stores focusing on lead-based paint hazards. This effort was funded by Jack and Karen Kay Leonard and the Boren Foundation. IKE presented its results and recommendations to a National Paint and Coatings Association survey. The report prompted changes in the paint industry outreach.
In 2004, IKE conducted a more comprehensive review that focused on retail hardware stores and dealt with both lead-based paint hazards and pesticide hazards. This effort was funded by The Boren Foundation and Jack and Karen Kay Leonard. IKE released its report on March 17, 2004. Due to popular demand, on June 6, IKE released a draft toolkit to help local groups launch similar efforts in their community.
Some relevant webpages by IKE
2000 Survey & Report - Who Needs Training? Retail Paint Suppliers
2002 Survey & Report - Dangerous Advice from Your Paint Retailer
2004 Survey & Report - Inept But At Your Service: Can You Trust the Advice from Your Hardware Store.
2004 Draft Toolkit for Local Groups Seeking to Assess Stores in their Community.
Lead-Based Paint Hazards
- Kevin O'Malley of Porter Paints receives 2001 Lead-Safe Indiana Awards
- Room for Improvement - Paint Retailers - March 2002
- Proposal for Paint Producers to Improve the
- National Paint and Coatings Association and State Attorneys General Reach Agreement
Pesticides
- Is Your Garden Center Registered? January 2001
- Indy Urban Pesticide Initiative - May 2001
- Pesticides in Indy Homes: Use and Misuse Workshop - November 2001
- Progress on Pesticides at Retail Stores - Selling Illegal Pesticides - May 2002
Treated Lumber
Mercury