Describes how the largest school district in Utah complied with the regulations for school safety--the Occupational Safety and Health Administration expanded chemical hazard communication standard and the Environmental Protection Agency Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986. (MLF)

Land; exploitation of land; and changing Indian needs, attitudes, and religious demands define environmental issues facing modern Native Americans. Such issues are related to agriculture and ranching, forests and watersheds, hunting and fishing, water, natural resource mining and pollution, hazardous and radioactive waste storage, urbanization of…

Presents a solid waste disposal perspective gleaned from personal visits to landfill operations and conversations with landfill employees. Describes a modern landfill, solid waste disposal techniques, recycling efforts, overpackaging, the "not-in-my-backyard" syndrome, incineration, toxic wastes, and other approaches to handling solid…

At the International Labor Conference held in Geneva in June 1990, the following topics were discussed: the Director-General's report on the environment and the world of work; night work; safety in the use of chemicals; working conditions in hotels, restaurants, and similar establishments; and the promotion of self-employment. (JOW)

School systems should test the air in every school building for the presence and level of contaminants such as radon and asbestos and whether the ventilation system is circulating the proper amount of air. Periodic maintenance is required for all mechanical systems. (MLF)

Explores the inclusion of risk reduction, as it relates to the handling of hazardous materials, within the chemical engineering curriculum and current teaching efforts on this topic at the University of Louisville. Includes common course outlines, selected textbooks and other required materials, guest lecture list by topic, and examples of…

Cites a recycling success story involving sludge production from wastewater and transformation into an effective plant fertilizer. Discusses related concerns such as dealing with pollutants like heavy metals and PCBs often found in sludge. Provides an example of an application of sludge produced in Chicago to an area reclamation site. (MCO)

The pros and cons of air pollution control efforts are discussed. Both national and regional air pollution control plans are described. Topics of discussion include benefit-cost analysis, air quality regulation, reducing ozone in the urban areas, the Los Angeles plan, uncertainties, and policy implications. (KR)

A Weberian perspective suggests that increased perceptions of environmental risk are related to fears of recreancy (institutional failure to fulfill societal responsibilities) rather than to ignorance or irrationality. Regarding nuclear waste facilities, analyses of survey data find that the recreancy perspective explains three times more variance…

Discusses methods for training camp counselors in safety standards. Safety awareness and camp wellness should be introduced during staff interviews. During precamp training, staff should complete a test in OSHA requirements, followed by role playing to expand staff's knowledge in each OSHA safety and health area. First aid training, fire safety,…

Semistructured interviews were conducted with 40 adolescents who reported inhaling volatile solvents. All were aware of the short-term health risks involved in use, and most reported experiencing ill effects. Offers suggestions for intervention. (Author/GCP)

Discusses how, in response to the growing problem of poor air quality in schools, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set new voluntary air-quality guidelines for schools. Addresses common air-related irritants; successful efforts at Guerrero Elementary School in Mesa, Arizona; preventive maintenance; and a sample of the EPA's…

Developmental, learning, and behavioral disabilities are a significant public health problem. Environmental chemicals can interfere with brain development during critical periods, thereby impacting sensory, motor, and cognitive function. Because regulation in the United States is based on limited testing protocols and essentially requires proof of…

The purpose of this qualitative research was to determine the ways that knowledge is constructed and used by emergent citizen's groups (ECGs are grassroots, action-oriented, problem-solving groups) engaged in environmental conflicts, and by a state government environmental regulatory agency that interfaced with them. Four…

The author looks at the sharp increase in a number of childhood disorders--including asthma, certain cancers, and learning/behavioral disabilities--and the role environmental toxins may play in this increase. He describes the need to train many more health professionals in prenatal and children's environmental health and the national network of…