Ultimate Eco-Healthy Hot Tips for Protecting Kids from Bug Bites
Protecting kids from bug bites the Eco-Healthy way means using fewer harmful chemicals and prioritizing children’s environmental health.
Safer Food Packaging FAQs: BPA Risks & How to Protect Your Family
BPA is found in some baby bottles, sippy cups and food packaging. Safer food packaging can reduce exposure to this chemical that can hurt children’s health.
Artificial Turf and Crumb Rubber: Children’s Environmental Health FAQs
Artificial turf and crumb rubber in play areas can expose children to harmful chemicals
Child Care and Climate Change–Opportunities for Action
Child Care and Climate Change–Opportunities for Action
By Kathy Attar, Program Manager, Eco-Healthy Child Care®
July 2022
Earlier this year the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued a report stating that greenhouse gas emissions must peak by 2025. This is necessary to give the world a chance of limiting future heating to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels–thus averting climate disaster. The IPCC is the scientific group created by the United Nations to assess all global science related to climate change.
From the IPCC report:
The report also showed there is an environmental justice component. The wealthiest countries are responsible for disproportionately more greenhouse gas emissions than developing countries, even though developing countries are experiencing more severe climate impacts.
Children and Climate
Children are at the greatest risk of injury, disability, and death caused by the impacts of climate change because their bodies are still growing. They are less able to physically and mentally cope with life-threatening conditions.
Climate change is adversely impacting children’s health. Impacts include increases in:
- Risk for heat-related illness.
- Certain diseases such as Lyme disease and West Nile, other mosquito-borne illnesses.
- Frequency of natural disasters leading to children losing their lives and homes from wildfires, hurricanes, or flooding.
- Asthma and allergies.
Children who are low-income and Black, Latinx, and Indigenous children are disproportionately impacted by climate change because of racist housing, and economic and social policies.
Climate Change and Child Care
Creating safe, healthy, and affordable child care settings–free of environmental hazards will improve children and staff health AND help alleviate the effects of climate change. Further, as we build new child care systems, they must be integrated into planning for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Child care systems can help protect children and staff health by incorporating environmental health best practices into state licensing and quality improvement initiatives. For example, Utah recognizes the Eco-Healthy Child Care® endorsement program as part of their state Quality Rating Improvement System. Providing additional funding and expert resources and personnel to support child care programs in following these new environmental health-related guidelines is key to success.
Practical steps child care providers can take to tackle climate change:
- Avoid Single-Use Plastic: Opt for reusable shopping bags; avoid plastic straws or disposable plates and cutlery, and avoid unnecessary packaging whenever possible. A co-benefit of reducing plastic is lower exposure to harmful chemicals in many plastics, e,g, BPA and phthalates.
- Lower Food Waste. Order smaller quantities of fresh produce to reduce spoilage. Follow the first-in, first-out system using older produce before it spoils. Whenever possible, repurpose older produce for alternate use before it goes bad (e.g. using the produce for a smoothie).
- Create vegetable gardens with the children. Not only do green spaces reduce carbon dioxide, but they also provide teachable moments. Make sure to always test your soil for heavy metals like lead before beginning gardening.
- Switch to low-energy LED bulbs. Using energy-efficient products is great for the environment and can save you money. This might include lowering the heat temperature during the cooler months by a few degrees, switching bulbs to energy-efficient LED options, or setting lights to sensor-style options (that shut off after periods of inactivity).
El cuidado infantil y el cambio climático: oportunidades para la acción
A principios de este año, el Panel on Climate Change -IPCC (el panel intergubernamental sobre el cambio climático) publicó un informe que indica que las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero deben alcanzar su punto máximo para 2025. Esto es necesario para dar al mundo una oportunidad de limitar el calentamiento futuro a 1.5 C por encima de los niveles preindustriales, evitando así un desastre climático. El IPCC es el grupo científico creado por las Naciones Unidas para evaluar toda la ciencia mundial relacionada con el cambio climático.
Del informe del IPCC:
El informe también mostró que existe un componente de justicia ambiental. Los países más ricos son responsables de una cantidad desproporcionadamente mayor de emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero que los países en desarrollo, a pesar de que los países en desarrollo están experimentando impactos climáticos más severos.
Los niños y el clima
Los niños corren el mayor riesgo de sufrir lesiones, discapacidad y muerte causadas por los impactos del cambio climático porque sus cuerpos aún están creciendo. Son menos capaces de hacer frente física y mentalmente a las condiciones que amenazan la vida.
El cambio climático está afectando adversamente la salud de los niños. Los impactos incluyen aumentos en:
- Riesgo de enfermedades relacionadas con el calor.
- Ciertas enfermedades como la enfermedad de Lyme y del Nilo Occidental, otras enfermedades transmitidas por mosquitos.
- Frecuencia de los desastres naturales que llevan a los niños a perder sus vidas y hogares por incendios forestales, huracanes o inundaciones.
- Asma y alergias.
Los niños de bajos ingresos y los niños negros, latinos e indígenas se ven afectados de manera desproporcionada por el cambio climático debido a las políticas sociales, económicas y de vivienda racistas.
El cambio climático y el cuidado infantil
La creación de entornos de cuidado infantil seguros, saludables y asequibles, libres de peligros ambientales, mejorará la salud de los niños y del personal Y ayudará a aliviar los efectos del cambio climático. Además, a medida que construimos nuevos sistemas de cuidado infantil, deben integrarse en la planificación para la mitigación y adaptación al cambio climático.
Los sistemas de cuidado infantil pueden ayudar a proteger la salud de los niños y del personal al incorporar las mejores prácticas de salud ambiental en las iniciativas estatales de licencias y mejora de la calidad. Por ejemplo, Utah reconoce el programa de respaldo Eco-Healthy Child Care® como parte de su Sistema de Mejoramiento de Clasificación de Calidad estatal. Proporcionar fondos adicionales y recursos y personal experto para apoyar los programas de cuidado infantil en el seguimiento de estas nuevas directrices relacionadas con la salud ambiental es clave para el éxito.
Pasos prácticos que los proveedores de cuidado infantil pueden tomar para abordar el cambio climático:
- Evite el plástico de un solo uso: opte por bolsas de compras reutilizables; evite las pajitas de plástico o los platos y cubiertos desechables, y evite los envases innecesarios siempre que sea posible. Un co-beneficio de reducir el plástico es una menor exposición a químicos dañinos en muchos plásticos, por ejemplo, BPA y phthalates (ftalatos).
- Reducir el desperdicio de alimentos. Pida cantidades más pequeñas de productos frescos para reducir el deterioro. Siga el sistema de primeras entradas, primeras salidas utilizando productos más antiguos antes de que se echen a perder. Siempre que sea posible, reutilice los productos más viejos para un uso alternativo antes de que se echen a perder (p. ej., use el producto para un batido).
- Crear huertas con los niños. Los espacios verdes no solo reducen el dióxido de carbono, sino que también brindan momentos de aprendizaje. Asegúrese de analizar siempre la tierra en busca de metales pesados como el plomo antes de comenzar a trabajar en el jardín.
Cámbiate a las bombillas LED de bajo consumo. El uso de productos de bajo consumo es excelente para el medio ambiente y puede ahorrarle dinero. Esto puede incluir reducir la temperatura del calor durante los meses más fríos grados, cambiar las bombillas a LED de bajo consumo o ajustar las luces a opciones de estilo sensor (que se apagan después de períodos de inactividad).
Emergency Preparedness and Child Care
Emergency Preparedness & Child Care
By Kathy Attar, Program Manager, Eco-Healthy Child Care®
September 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic placed a spotlight on the child care community and the need for improved health and safety practices, policies, and planning–AND more funding for these essential workers. The child care workforce was placed at heightened risk during the pandemic, as many remained open without the necessary protocols or supplies that would have kept them safe.
Child care providers, who are often women of color, and who are of child-bearing age, and low income are already more likely to be exposed to environmental hazards, including chemicals found in cleaning products, or poor indoor air quality. Studies show that black and brown communities are more likely to live in substandard housing and near hazardous waste sites, polluting industries, and mobile sources of pollution including cars, trucks, and ships.
We must do better to protect our children and our workforce.
Each September national preparedness is observed as a way to increase awareness and understanding of the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies or the next pandemic. This is a great opportunity for child care providers to assess their readiness. Each week in September, the campaign will focus on a different aspect of preparedness for individuals, families, and communities. The Ready Campaign organizes the annual event.
There are many great free resources to assist child care professionals in becoming emergency prepared.
Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA) has fact sheets on what child care providers and Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies should include in their emergency supply kit. CCAoA also has developed an emergency preparedness checklist for providers.
Head Start has an emergency preparedness web page with tip sheets and an Emergency Preparedness Manual for Early Childhood Programs. These resources address the social and emotional needs of children and staff as well as the development of emergency plans.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s Choose Safe Places for Early Care and Education Disaster Recovery Supplement can help environmental and public health professionals protect children from environmental exposures after a disaster. The supplement helps identify environmental exposures that might harm children while they are in child care.
Child care providers who would like to receive monthly updates on best practices for keeping their child care free of environmental hazards should sign up for Eco-Healthy Child Care®’s eco-hot tip emails.
Eliminating environmental hazards like poor indoor air quality will help keep children and child care providers healthier AND better prepare them for the next emergency.
Preparación para emergencias y cuidado infantil
La pandemia de COVID-19 puso de relieve a la comunidad de cuidado infantil y la necesidad de mejorar las prácticas, políticas y planificación de salud, seguridad, y más fondos para estos trabajadores esenciales. La fuerza laboral de cuidado infantil se vio expuesta a un mayor riesgo durante la pandemia, ya que muchos permanecieron abiertos sin los protocolos o suministros necesarios que los hubieran mantenido a salvo.
Los proveedores de cuidado infantil, que a menudo son mujeres de color, y que están en edad fértil, y de bajos ingresos tienen más probabilidades de estar expuestos a peligros ambientales, incluidos los productos químicos que se encuentran en los productos de limpieza o la mala calidad del aire interior. Los estudios muestran que las comunidades negras y marrones tienen más probabilidades de vivir en viviendas de mala calidad y cerca de sitios de desechos peligrosos, industrias contaminantes y fuentes móviles de contaminación, incluidos automóviles, camiones y barcos.
Debemos hacer mejor para proteger a nuestros niños y nuestra fuerza laboral.
Cada septiembre, la preparación nacional se observa como una forma de aumentar la conciencia y la comprensión de la importancia de prepararse para desastres y emergencias o la próxima pandemia. Esta es una gran oportunidad para que los proveedores de cuidado infantil evalúen su preparación. Cada semana de septiembre, la campaña se centrará en un aspecto diferente de la preparación de las personas, las familias y las comunidades. La Campaña lista organiza el evento anual.
Hay muchos recursos gratuitos excelentes para ayudar a los profesionales del cuidado infantil a prepararse para emergencias.
Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA) tiene hojas de datos sobre lo que los proveedores de cuidado infantil y las agencias de Recursos y Referencias de Cuidado Infantil (CCR&R) deben incluir en su Kit de suministros de emergencia. CCAoA también ha desarrollado una lista de verificación de preparación para casos de emergencia para los proveedores.
Head start tiene una página web de preparación para emergencias con hojas de consejos y un Manual de preparación para emergencias para programas de la primera infancia. Estos recursos abordan las necesidades sociales y emocionales de los niños y el personal, así como el desarrollo de planes de emergencia.
El Suplemento de recuperación por desastre de la Agencia para Sustancias Tóxicas y el Registro de Enfermedades puede ayudar a los profesionales del medio ambiente y de la salud pública a proteger a los niños de la exposición ambiental después de un desastre. El suplemento ayuda a identificar las exposiciones ambientales que pueden dañar a los niños mientras están en el cuidado infantil.
Los proveedores de cuidado infantil que deseen recibir actualizaciones mensuales sobre las mejores prácticas para mantener su cuidado infantil libre de peligros ambientales deben inscribirse a los correos electrónicos eco-hot tip de Eco-Healthy Child Care®.
La eliminación de peligros ambientales como la mala calidad del aire interior ayudará a mantener a los niños y a los proveedores de cuidado infantil más saludables y a prepararlos mejor para la próxima emergencia.
Water Quality in Child Care
Water Quality in Child Care
By Kathy Attar, Program Manager, Eco-Healthy Child Care®
August 2021
August is National Water Quality Month. Do you know about the quality of your water in your home or child care facility?
If your water comes from a community water system, you can call to request a copy of its annual water quality report, called a consumer confidence report (CCR). Most people in the United States receive water from a community water system. Typically, customers receive the CCR with their water bill once a year. The report contains information on contaminants found, possible health effects, and the water’s source. If you do not receive a report, contact your water company to collect this important information.
If your water comes from a household well or other private source, you are responsible for assuring the water is safe. For this reason, routine testing of the most common contaminants (e.g. bacteria, nitrates, and lead) is highly recommended. Often county health departments will help you test for bacteria or nitrates. If not, you can have your water tested by a state-certified laboratory. You can find one in your area by calling the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 or visiting www.epa.gov/safewater/labs.
What is the source of your drinking water?
Drinking water that is supplied to homes and child care facilities comes from either surface water or a groundwater source. Surface water accumulates in streams, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. Groundwater is water located below the ground where it accumulates in spaces within rocks and in underground aquifers. Water travels to the tap from surface water, or groundwater source through the local water utility, or through an individual water system, such as a private well. A private well uses groundwater as its water source.
Contaminants in water can cause health issues, such as gastrointestinal illness, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders. Infants, young children, and pregnant women may be at increased risk of becoming sick after drinking contaminated water. For example, lead exposure can cause permanent brain damage in infants and children.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates many contaminants that pose known human health risks.
If you are concerned about water quality at your home or child care facility, one best practice is to filter your water. However, different water filters have different uses. Certain filters can remove harmful contaminants like lead. Visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s water filter page to learn more.
For more information on lead in water and child care facilities and steps to reduce lead exposures, check out the free Lead-Safe Toolkit. The Toolkit offers easy-to-understand policies and worksheets on strategies for eliminating lead hazards in child care environments.
To learn more about what local and national public health and environmental organizations are doing to ensure clean water for all communities visit the Clean Water For All website.
Calidad del agua en el cuidado infantil
Agosto es el Mes Nacional de la Calidad del Agua. ¿Conoce la calidad del agua en su hogar o centro de cuidado infantil?
Si su agua proviene de un sistema de agua comunitario, puede llamar para solicitar una copia de su informe anual de calidad del agua, llamado informe de confianza del consumidor (CCR por sus siglas en inglés). La mayoría de las personas en los Estados Unidos reciben agua de un sistema de agua comunitario. Normalmente, los clientes reciben el CCR con su factura de agua una vez al año. El informe contiene información sobre los contaminantes encontrados, los posibles efectos sobre la salud y la fuente del agua. Si no recibe un informe, comuníquese con su compañía de agua para recopilar esta importante información.
Si su agua proviene de un pozo doméstico u otra fuente privada, usted es responsable de asegurarse de que el agua sea segura. Por esta razón, se recomienda encarecidamente realizar pruebas de rutina de los contaminantes más comunes (por ejemplo, bacterias, nitratos y plomo). A menudo, los departamentos de salud del condado le ayudarán a realizar pruebas de detección de bacterias o nitratos. De lo contrario, puede hacer que un laboratorio certificado por el estado analice su agua. Puede encontrar uno en su área llamando a la línea directa de agua potable segura al 1-800-426-4791 o visitando www.epa.gov/safewater/labs.
¿Cuál es la fuente de su agua potable?
El agua potable que se suministra a los hogares y las instalaciones de cuidado infantil proviene de aguas superficiales o subterráneas. El agua superficial se acumula en arroyos, ríos, lagos y embalses. El agua subterránea es agua ubicada debajo del suelo donde se acumula en espacios dentro de rocas y en acuíferos subterráneos. El agua llega al grifo desde el agua superficial o la fuente de agua subterránea a través de la empresa de agua local, o mediante un sistema de agua individual, como un pozo privado. Un pozo privado utiliza agua subterránea como fuente de agua.
Los contaminantes en el agua pueden causar problemas de salud, como enfermedades gastrointestinales, problemas reproductivos y trastornos neurológicos. Los bebés, los niños pequeños y las mujeres embarazadas pueden tener un mayor riesgo de enfermarse después de beber agua contaminada. Por ejemplo, la exposición al plomo puede causar daño cerebral permanente en bebés y niños.
La Agencia de Protección Ambiental (EPA por sus siglas en inglés) regula muchos contaminantes que presentan riesgos conocidos para la salud humana.
Si le preocupa la calidad del agua en su hogar o en el centro de cuidado infantil, una de las mejores prácticas es filtrar el agua. Sin embargo, los diferentes filtros de agua tienen diferentes usos. Ciertos filtros pueden eliminar contaminantes dañinos como el plomo. Visite la página de filtros de agua Centro para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades para obtener más información.
Para obtener más información sobre el plomo en el agua y las instalaciones de cuidado infantil y los pasos para reducir la exposición al plomo, consulte el Kit de herramientas seguro para el plomo gratuito. El kit de herramientas ofrece políticas y hojas de trabajo fáciles de entender sobre estrategias para eliminar los peligros del plomo en los centros de cuidado infantil.
Para obtener más información sobre lo que están haciendo las organizaciones ambientales y de salud pública locales y nacionales para garantizar el agua limpia para todas las comunidades, visite el sitio web Agua limpia para todos.
Quality Child Care and Environmental Health
Quality Child Care and Environmental Health
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a heightened focus in child care settings on maintaining safe and effective cleaning, disinfecting and ventilation practices. This is important for not only children’s health but also for staff safety.
The National Accreditation Commission for Early Care and Education Programs offers early childhood leaders the opportunity to demonstrate and document quality performance using research-based criteria and evidence-based practices. The National Accreditation Commission provides a comprehensive, ongoing quality improvement system that recognizes the inherent diversity among programs through the self-study and award process. Over 1,300 early learning programs in 35 states, the District of Columbia and overseas participate. The National Accreditation Commission recently comprehensively incorporated environmental health best practices into their accreditation standards. These new standards can help providers maintain a safe and healthy child care facility during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Eco-Healthy Child Care® (EHCC) program worked with the National Accreditation Commission to update the standards. The updated standards are based upon EHCC’s eco-healthy checklist. EHCC endorses facilities (center and family child care) who comply with 24 of 30 simple, free or low-cost environmentally healthy best practices found on the checklist.
Below are some National Accreditation Commission standards relevant to safer ventilation, cleaning and disinfecting practices.
National Accreditation Commission Standard: D13. Steps are taken to ensure that indoor and outdoor air quality is monitored.
- Adequate ventilation is maintained by using an HVAC system, fans, and/or open screened windows.
- HVAC filters are changed or cleaned at least every 3 months or more often if indicated by manufacturer’s guidelines.
National Accreditation Commission Standard D17: Least-toxic cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting products are consistently used according to manufacturers’ instructions.
- Sanitizer/disinfectant other than household bleach is used:
- Sanitizer/disinfectant is EPA registered.
- Sanitizer/disinfectant is the least toxic option for use around children.
- Sanitizer/disinfectant is prepared and used according to manufacturer’s instructions, including appropriate contact time.
- The sanitizer/disinfectant is only used for its intended purpose and in strict accordance with all label instructions.
To learn more about safer cleaning, disinfecting and ventilation best practices related to early care and education and COVID-19, access EHCC’s free fact sheets which are user-friendly and include links to numerous science-based resources. Share these EHCC fact sheets with your colleagues and the families you serve.
If you are looking for an interactive learning experience EHCC’s newly updated Protecting Children’s Environmental Health e-course is a great resource. The e-course provides no-to-low cost strategies for preventing children and staff from unnecessary exposures to harmful chemicals found in cleaning products, plastics, and furnishings, among other hazards.
The Protecting Children’s Environmental Health course is approved for adult learning clock hours in 48 states. Fulfill your hours and gain a better understanding of what environmental hazards may be found in and around your child care facility.
SAVE the DATE! On April 29th at 1pm ET EHCC and the Association for Early Learning Leaders/National Accreditation Commission will be hosting a webinar on children’s environmental health and NAC’s new accreditation standards.
Moving the Child Care Field Forward-Updated Environmental Health Standards
Moving the Child Care Field Forward-Updated Environmental Health Standards
By Kathy Attar, Engagement Manager, Eco-Healthy Child Care®
BIG NEWS!!! The Association for Early Learning Leaders (AELL) has recently released updated accreditation standards for center-based child care providers. These new standards are now more inclusive of children’s environmental health.
The Eco-Healthy Child Care® program worked with AELL to ensure environmental health best practices were included in their newly updated standards. For example, AELL recommends monitoring indoor air quality by: ensuring adequate ventilation is maintained by using an HVAC system and/or opening screened windows; avoiding conditions that lead to excess moisture; and not using aerosols, among other best practices. Protecting children from outdoor air pollution can be done by checking the Air Quality Index and instituting an anti-idling policy, in addition to other strategies.
A primary AELL goal is to ensure high quality child care programs for young children. One way they do this is by accrediting center-based facilities. Their updated accreditation standards reflect current research and evidence-based practices within the early learning field. For example, including information and strategies to reduce air pollution in order to protect children’s health.
All national child care accreditation standards are voluntary strategies for improving the quality of child care. There currently are no mandated national regulations related to environmental health in child care facilities. Some states require child care facilities to test for lead in water and paint, or require facilities to test for radon, but more often than not, environmental health is not comprehensively addressed in child care licensing requirements.
EHCC’s work to incorporate environmental health best practices within national child care accreditation–AELL’s and the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s— as well as within the National Center for Healthy and Safety in Child Care and Early Education’s (NRC) Caring for Our Children’s health and safety standards is a path towards strengthening local child care licensing. When local licensing agencies are seeking to update regulations they often look to accreditation and NRC’s Caring for Our Children’s health and safety standards for model practices that have been agreed upon by subject matter experts.
High quality child care must include considerations for the health and safety of the children and staff–environmental health is a key part in ensuring our children and the people who care for them are free of exposures to potential environmental pollutants.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for comprehensive and safer strategies to address cleaning, disinfecting and indoor air quality in child care. Many of Eco-Healthy Child Care® ‘s cleaning and disinfecting best practices found on our checklist align with the Center’s Disease Control’s COVID-19 best practices for keeping child care facilities safe during the pandemic. We have also developed NEW user-friendly and science based COVID-19 fact sheets for child care professionals on cleaning, disinfecting and indoor air quality (available in both English and Spanish).
Are you a child care provider looking to create a child care environment free of environmental hazards such as: BPA, pesticides or lead? Get Eco-Healthy Child Care® Endorsed!
As an Eco-Healthy Child Care® endorsed provider you will create and maintain a child care facility that is healthy and safe by reducing children’s exposure to environmental hazards like lead in paint and water, unsafe plastics and toxic chemicals found in cleaning supplies.
