The use of pesticides in agriculture and the discarding of industrial chemical waste into the air, soil, and water constitute two major pathways of human exposure to toxic substances. It is argued that these practices release hundreds of millions of tons of potentially hazardous substances into the environment each year. Speculation continues into…

In conjunction with a bond proposal for energy related items, the North County Public Schools (Missouri) undertook the task of removing friable asbestos Missouri school district undertook the task of removing friable asbestos from schools. Specifications for asbestos abatement prepared by the district administrative office were reviewed by the…

The environmental movement of the 1960's and early 1970's resulted in unprecedented attention to environmental issues both in the mass media and in the scholarly literature. Interest has waned in recent years, with a concomitant erosion of coverage of what many consider enduring problems--particularly in water and air pollution and nuclear power.…

This report was developed to address institutional biosafety committees' implementation of federal guidelines applicable to the environmental release of genetically engineered organisms. These committees are from universities, companies, and other organizations that are using recombinant DNA technology in their laboratories. The committees are…

In 1984, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated that friable asbestos-containing materials were present in 31,000 school buildings throughout the country. Once inhaled, asbestos fibers may remain in the lungs indefinitely and can lead to various diseases. This handbook is intended to provide administrators--in nontechnical…

Discusses some of the ways that local school systems are dealing with federal and state safety, health, and environmental laws with regard to the disposal of hazardous substances. Recounts the experiences of the Fairfax County (Virginia) Schools in dealing with the hazard communication (or right-to-know) standard. (TW)

Accidents and injuries involving students, employees, or others using school facilities or equipment can result in lengthy and costly litigation. A proven way to reduce potential accidents and injuries is to work to eliminate the circumstances in which accidents occur. It is important to identify risks; the areas with the highest accident…

This is a collection of commonly asked questions about the new Asbestos-Containing Material in Schools rule announced by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in October 1987, under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) of 1986. It is offered as a guide to help school officials, training providers, and accredited…

To determine how school districts are handling the problems of asbestos in their schools, the General Accounting Office (GAO) conducted interviews and asked standarized questions of officials at 6 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regional offices, 12 state offices, and 36 school districts in 12 states. This report presents information on the…

Noting that children may be affected by environmental contaminants quite differently from the way adults are affected, this report is the first on trends in measures reflecting environmental factors that may affect the health and well-being of children in the United States. For most measures presented, data between 1990 and 1999 were provided by…