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Update on Children’s Environmental Health Issues in Indiana
December 2002 Newsletter
In This Issue:
Special thanks to these organizations for sponsoring this newsletter and IKE’s webpage. Their support is critical. While IKE appreciates their support, their sponsorship does not imply endorsement of IKE or the content of this webpage. IKE is wholly responsible for the content of this newsletter. Key acronyms:
ISDH = Indiana State Department of Health |
Indy’s Citizens Healthy Homes Initiative
IKE has partnered with the Concerned Clergy of Greater Indianapolis and the Citizen’s Multi-Service Center to pilot a new method to protect children and families from environmental threats in their home. The goal is to combine quantitative sampling with local organizing to bring about sustained and significant improvements in the quality of low-income rental housing. The partnership is called the Citizen’s Healthy Homes Initiative. The Marion County Health Department, Indianapolis Housing Agency, King Park Area Development Corporation, Purdue University’s Center for Urban and Industrial Pest Management, Citizen’s Health Center, and the Legal Services Organization of Indiana are helping the initiative succeed.
The initiative is designed to:
Reduce environmental hazards in the homes of residents in Indianapolis’ Kennedy-King Park Neighborhood and surrounding areas;
Empower residents in low-income housing so they can identify environmental hazards and take steps to remedy them; and
Develop a healthy homes model that could be readily adapted to other low-income neighborhoods in Indianapolis and the United States.
The initiative will address lead dust, lead in paint, lead in soil, cockroaches, rodents, carbon monoxide, and mold. It is one of a dozen pilots sponsored by Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisoning (AFHH) as part of its Community Environmental Health Resource Center (CEHRC). Twenty youth volunteers, tenant leaders, and counselors have already been trained to take the samples.
The initiative is funded with a $20,000 grant from AFHH and $70,000 from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. Thanks to both of those organizations for helping to make housing healthier in Indy’s low-income residents.
IKE’s Legislative Efforts for 2003
The Indiana General Assembly has an excellent track record for the past two years when it comes to children’s environmental health. The highlight was last year’s unanimous adoption of House Enrolled Act 1171 to reduce lead poisoning from lead-based paint. This year, IKE is pursuing six legislative proposals. It is an aggressive agenda – perhaps too aggressive – but these bills will address critical issues for the benefit of children’s environmental health. Let’s hope the General Assembly continues its record of success. If you are interested in any of these proposals, please contact Tom Neltner at mccabe@ikecoalition.org or 317-442-3973.
.- Unlike most states, Indiana does not require training, testing or licensing for pesticide applicators unless they are a contractor doing it for a fee or they are applying particularly dangerous pesticides known as "restricted use" pesticides. A landlord, a golf course manager, a city transportation department, or a hotel operator can have its employees apply pesticides without those employees having to demonstrate to the state that they know what they are doing. The Indiana Pesticide Review Board has long wanted to fill that gap in public health protection.
The gap became especially serious this past summer when communities responded to the threat posed by West Nile Virus. With 285 confirmed or probable human cases of West Nile Virus in Indiana, communities had little choice but to respond. But an untrained applicator with a fogger on the back of a pickup truck who claims to be helping the neighborhood is dangerous – and probably has little impact on West Nile Virus.
IKE is asking the Indiana General Assembly to give the Indiana Pesticide Review Board the authority to:
The monitoring data shows that the levels of benzene are well in excess of those that may cause long-term health effects such as cancer. In addition, there are spikes when the air toxics may cause immediate health effects to students at the school and residents in the neighborhood. Certain atmospheric conditions may aggravate the problem.
Putting the concepts in its draft strategy into action, IDEM worked with the City of Indianapolis, IKE, Citizens Gas and Coke and other organizations to investigate the monitoring results more fully. EPA provided an $80,000 grant to support intensive monitoring at the school and to help build Indiana’s capacity to monitor air toxics and evaluate the results. IDEM is working now to install a sophisticated monitor that will track organic hazardous air pollutants continuously providing hourly totals. Hopefully, this intensive monitoring will help determine how serious the problem is and how to prevent it from occurring. Thanks to Mike Brooks, Jon Chavez and Dick Van Frank for their work!
Progress on Pesticides at Retail Stores
Thanks to a grant from EPA, IKE launched the Indy Urban Pesticides Initiative. The purpose of the grant was to eliminate the misuse of pesticides and stop the sale of illegal pesticides such as an insecticidal chalk imported from China. The initiative morphed into the Citizen’s Healthy Homes Initiative described earlier in this newsletter. The effort also focused on helping the Indiana State Chemist implement its new regulations required retail outlets that sell pesticides to either train their staff or stop giving out advice regarding the selection and use of pesticides. In September 2002, IKE wrapped up the effort with these successes:
56 small stores that catered to the Indy’s African American and the Spanish-speaking communities did not have illegal pesticides on their shelves and were not giving out illegal advice was given. Better results that IKE had with the large hardware chains.
165 retail store employees registered with the Indiana State Chemist as pesticide consultants
6 training courses for store clerks were approved by the Indiana State Chemist. There is no mechanism to track how many clerks were trained.
Friends of Frankfort Public Library – and Kids
On Saturday, March 15, 2003, the Friends of Frankfort Public Library will host a workshop entitled "Fatal Harvest - What is Happening to Our Health?" at the library. Pete Myers – coauthor of the landmark "Our Stolen Future" book and Monica Moore – contributor to "Fatal Harvest: The Tragedy of Industrial Agriculture" will be key speakers. It promises to be a great discussion. Please plan to attend.
88% of Public School Districts Adopt Model Pesticide Use Policy
To forego a legislative mandate, in February 2001 the Indiana School Board Association (ISBA) committed to the House Education Committee that 100% of the 289 public school districts in Indiana would voluntarily adopt a model school pesticide policy before July 1, 2002. According to ISBA’s December 2001 report, 222 districts adopted the policy, 3 had rejected it, and 64 were pursuing adoption.
IKE used this ISBA report to see how the school districts were doing.
IKE contacted all 64 school districts that indicated that they were planning to adopt the policy. IKE found that 33 had adopted the policy. The remaining 31 were still considering the policy.
IKE contacted the three schools districts that reportedly rejected the policy.
Milan School District (Ripley County has 1256 students. It had previously rejected the policy but was reconsidering its decision.
New Durham School District in Westville (LaPorte County) has 709 students. No response to repeated inquiries.
Zionsville School District in Zionsville (Boone County) has 3750 students. Staff said policy not needed, but parents not told of use.
IKE also checked 20% of the school districts that reportedly had adopted a policy to confirm their status as of September 2002 and to see how implementation was going. 17 schools did not respond. Twenty schools described the results of their efforts to implement the policy. Two provided all parents with notice. Eleven said no parents had asked to be on the list. To find out the results for a specific school district, click here for IKE’s searchable database.
Assuming ISBA’s report is correct, 88% of the school districts appear to have adopted a policy by the deadline. Parents and staff need to continue to make sure that schools adopt – and properly implement – the State’s model policy. If you see someone spraying for ants or cockroaches, they are not following the policy.
The Indiana Pesticide Review Board has nearly completed development of a model policy for child-care facilities. Thanks to Julia Tipton-Hogan, Board member, for her work on this critical policy.
This effort builds on the outstanding work of a joint pilot project by IDEM, Purdue University and Indiana University to create pest-fee learning environments for children while at child-care. IDEM provided $100,000 in funding and critical project leadership to the effort. Four child-care facilities participated in the effort. For more information.
Beyond pesticides, IDEM continues to encourage child-care facilities to excel on a variety of children’s environment health issues with its 5-Star Environmental Recognition Program for Child-Care Facilities. 70 facilities have been recognized in the program. If you are looking for child care, ask to see if the facility participates in the program. For more information on IDEM nationally recognized program, contact Karen Teliha at (317) 233-5555 or toll-free at (800) 988-7901.
ISDH Monitors Indoor Air Quality at Fort Wayne School
Senate Enrolled Act 407 directs ISDH to investigate the complaints about air quality in Indiana’s schools. IKE has contacted ISDH to get an update on investigations to no avail. Thanks to Kevin Kilbane – a reporter with the Fort Wayne News Sentinel – IKE obtained a copy of ISDH’s report on Harlan Elementary School in Fort Wayne. ISDH investigated the problem at the request of Fort Wayne – Allen County Health Department. The health department was responding to parent complaints. ISDH found high carbon dioxide levels in 9 of 11 rooms tested – with a highest level of 2561 ppm with four of the rooms almost double the acceptable levels defined by ISDH.
At their doctor’s order, the family left their home and belongings behind. ISDH investigated. They found elevated levels of mold and carbon monoxide in the air but drew no conclusions about the source or the seriousness of the problem. Farm Bureau Insurance investigated and found ventilation and drainage problems as well as several dangerous types of mold in the crawl space under the kitchen. Farm Bureau denied coverage despite the water damage. A local community action agency tried to help but found that the damage was too extensive. The mortgage company foreclosed on the home. The mother asked that the home be condemned rather than sold to another family. The local health department agreed and has condemned the home according to the mother.
Recent Topics in IKE’s Two Other Newsletters:
·
Sewage in Our Streams Newsletter – See October 2002 Edition. IKE Publishes the "Sewage in Our Streams" newsletter on behalf of the Indiana Clean Water Coalition. This newsletter deals with issues and events that directly relate to sewer overflows, sewer management and septic systems.¨
IKE’s on-line facility construction permit database provides information on 11,116 permits issued by IDEM since 1993.¨
60% of CSO communities received deficiency letters from IDEM for not properly reporting combined sewage overflows.¨
Consensus reaches on rulemaking to require public notification of combined sewer overflows.¨
Indy takes leadership role in use attainability analysis.¨
IDEM continues to issue permits that increase sewage overflows.¨
Looking at stormwater separation and retention as a test situation for a community’s commitment.¨
Communities report 3.5 billion gallons of sanitary sewer overflows and bypasses since 1997. IKE puts IDEM database on-line to help the public understand when and where the overflows and bypasses occur.·
Indiana Lead-Safe and Healthy Homes Newsletter – See November 2002 Edition. IKE publishes the "Indiana Lead-Safe & Healthy Homes" newsletter on behalf of the Indiana Lead-Safe Task Force. This newsletter deals with issues and events involving lead-poisoning and healthy homes in Indiana.¨
Next year’s Lead-Safe and Healthy Homes Conference set for October 15 & 16, 2003¨
Who received the Lead-Safe Indiana Award?¨
IDEM publishes draft revisions to the State’s lead licensing rules.¨
Fort Wayne, Indy and IKE find success in funding.¨
What other funding opportunities are pending?¨
Highlights of the 2002 Lead-Safe Indiana Conference.¨
Getting it wrong – two examples of problems with sloppy contractors.
Thanks for improving kids' environment!
If you have any questions or comments about this newsletter or Improving Kids’ Environment, contact Tom Neltner at mccabe@ikecoalition.org, 317-442-3973 or 5244 Carrollton Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46220-3181. 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 publishes two additional newsletters on a quarterly basis. Let Tom Neltner if you want to get copies of either of those newsletters. To avoid duplication, issues addressed in these newsletters are only briefly mentioned in this newsletter.
- "Sewage in Our Streams" newsletter on behalf of the Indiana Clean Water Coalition. This newsletter deals with issues and events that directly relate to sewer overflows, sewer management and septic systems.
- "Indiana Lead-Safe & Healthy Homes" newsletter on behalf of the Indiana Lead-Safe Task Force. This newsletter deals with issues and events involving lead-poisoning and healthy homes in Indiana.