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Healthy Homes and Gardens Season
On April 22, the City of Portland and the Children's Healthy Environment Campaign (led by the Environmental Health Strategy Center, Portland Tenants Union, and United Somali Women of Maine) announced Healthy Homes and Gardens Season in Portland.
>> Read the City Proclamation
>> Read the news release
This page includes many resources about how to reduce your family's exposure to toxic chemicals. We can protect ourselves by reducing toxic chemicals in our homes and yards and by making laws and policies that promote safer alternatives to unnecessary toxic chemicals.
> To learn more, keep reading.
> To sign up for educational and action emails, click here.
SPECIAL HEALTHY HOMES AND GARDENS RESOURCES
REDUCE YOUR EXPOSURE
Everyone has a fundamental right to live, work and play in an
environment in which the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water
we drink is healthful and sustains all life. Unfortunately, this often
isn't the case. The widespread use of toxic chemicals and dirty
technology threatens public health.
We must
change the corporate practices and government policies that are the
root causes of environmental health hazards. In the mean time, people
can take personal action to protect themselves from toxic chemical
exposures. Here are a few suggestions and resources.
SUMMARIES
DRINKING WATER
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Test your private well for ARSENIC; add treatment if the levels are high |
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Test all water supplies for LEAD that may leach from solder in older pipes |
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Test your drinking water from private wells for other contaminants |
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For
public water supplies, review the Annual Water Quality Report (or
Consumer Confidence Report) available from your local utility |
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Have You Tested Your Well Water for Arsenic? Arsenic in Well Water, Maine Bureau of Health |
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Water Testing Guide and Application Form, Maine Public Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory |
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AROUND THE HOME
General
• See "Healthy Homes and Families" booklet above under Summaries
• Visit Maine's Household Hazardous Waste web site
• Learn about hazards room-by-room in the Chemical House
Reduce ARSENIC exposure from pressure treated wood:
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Replace pressure treated wood with safer alternatives when practical |
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Seal your pressure treated wood decks, play sets, etc. every 1–2 years |
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Never burn pressure treated wood or dispose of by incineration |
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Take safety precautions when cutting or sanding treated wood |
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Arsenic Wood: Hazards and Alternatives, Healthy Building Network |
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Test your wood or soil for arsenic, Environmental Working Group |
Prevent childhood LEAD poisoning from lead paint dust and chips:
Reduce PESTICIDE exposure:
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Minimize the use of pesticides in favor of non-toxic pest control methods |
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The Pesticide Advisor, Pesticide Action Network North America |
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EATING FISH
To reduce MERCURY exposure, women of childbearing age and young children should:
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Avoid eating any swordfish, shark and most fresh water fish |
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Limit canned tuna to one can per week (or less for small children) |
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Eat fish that are low in mercury |
Resources from the Maine Bureau of Health:
To reduce exposure to DIOXINS, PCBs and DDT, everyone should:
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CONSUMER PRODUCTS
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OTHER FOOD
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ON THE JOB
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