The traditional approach to environmental health laws and regulations is that harm to children's health must be proven before we can enact measures to protect children’s health.  Current medical and scientific knowledge shows that this approach is outmoded.  Waiting for evidence of harm means that we are placing our children at risk of life-long, irreversible -- yet preventable -- damage.    

CEHN's policy activities:
Today we already have solid information that children are at risk. Policy-makers need to act to protect today's children. 
 

• Why do policies need to specifically consider children?

• Some children are at greater risk than others.  

                chemicals:

                -  How most chemicals are regulated                       

         ► Creating healthier environments for children: 

                - From Home

                - To child care and schools

                          »  Child Care
                          »  Environmental Health in Schools  

                          »  Green Schools Initiatives  

                          »  Protecting Children from Environmental Toxicants 

                - To the wider world -- since children will be the first and worst hit by                                   climate change.

• Recent policy statements by the Network

• The Toxic Control Substance Act (TSCA) is the statute that governs most of the chemicals used for industrial and consumer purposes; it was enacted in 1976, it is widely recognized as being ineffective, and it does not adequately protect human health, especially children's health. Here is a policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics regarding the need to reform TSCA and recommendations of what a re-written TSCA should look like. 

• The U.S. Department of Education announced that it will be creating a Green Ribbon school program to recognize schools that are leaders in addressing environmental health and environmental literary and reducing the school's environmental footprint. Criteria for the Green Ribbon award are being developed.  

To contact us for more information on our policy activities, e-mail Carol Stroebel, CEHN Director of Training and Policy at CarolS at cehn.org