Each of the elements required to create a healthy baby--genetics, the anatomy of the male and female reproductive system, the processes by which eggs and sperm are produced, the processes by which the embryo is created and implanted, maternal health during pregnancy, and embryonic/fetal growth and development--is vulnerable to damage by…

Biomonitoring is a public health tool that has been used by scientists and researchers for decades to test blood, bone, urine, hair, human milk, adipose tissue, and other body substances for the presence of toxic chemicals, in order to assess what is called the "chemical body burden." Biomonitoring helps to: (1) identify which chemicals…

Complex environmental health problems--like air and water pollution, hazardous waste sites, and lead poisoning--are in reality a constellation of linked problems embedded in the fabric of the communities in which they occur. These kinds of complex problems have been characterized by some as "wicked problems" wherein stakeholders may have…

Administrative agencies seeking to impose sanctions for regulatory violations can handle matters internally or through civil or criminal courts. Organizational culture, legal constraints, and political and private actors may influence governance and hence choice of enforcement venue. An enforcement behavior model is constructed and tested…

Education administrators always are trying to get better performance from their custodial-services department. When schools use more efficient and cost-effective methods, administrators can focus on more pressing issues and worry less about routine problems. In this article, the author discusses some basics to consider: (1) site safety…

This article examines the issue on the quality of water in Seattle's school districts. Seattle's water woes became public when four little containers of rust-colored water from fountains in the city district's Wedgewood Elementary School, collected by concerned parents, were tested by a certified laboratory and found to exceed federal lead limits.…

Tips that laboratory researchers and beginning graduate students can use to safeguard against explosion hazard with emphasis on clear illustrations of molecular structure are discussed. Those working with hazardous materials must proceed cautiously and may want to consider alternative and synthetic routes.

Every day, school-aged children encounter a wide variety of hazards that occur both outside and inside schools. This document presents findings of a report that examined the scientific data on the risks for student injury and illness in the school environment. The information is designed to help administrators set priorities for reducing risks to…

This book provides information about health and safety hazards in art classrooms. The book outlines a practical plan for an art room safety program. It includes recommendations for providing protective equipment and enlisting students' active participation. Included are sample worksheets and checklists, explanations of legal liability, and…

Proceedings of a hearing concerning the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) administration of the Asbestos in School Program are presented in this report. Specifically, the hearing's purpose was to examine the EPA's progress in implementing the Asbestos Hazardous Emergency Response Act (AHERA), wherein the agency was responsible for…

A House of Representatives subcommittee convened to consider legislation (H.R. 3677) to reauthorize the Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Act of 1984 (ASHAA) that provides financial assistance to needy school districts in the form of loans and grants for asbestos-related activities. The hearing record contains the text of H.R. 3677, testimony, and…

This guide offers a guide to the literature in the collections of the Library of Congress on the state of the environment in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the nations of Eastern Europe. Although only English-language sources are listed, references to other materials in other languages can also be traced by means of the subject…

In response to a request from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Region V of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sponsored a workshop on waste management in universities and colleges. It consisted of four sessions: (1) managing general university waste and regulatory concerns; (2) chemical waste management; (3)…

The average home has chemical products to clean floors, kill insects, clean ovens, thin paint, remove grease, and perform countless other chores. Many consumers remain unaware of the dangers these products bring into the home. This booklet provides information on the safe use, storage, and disposal of these products. The compounds found in…

This booklet explains the basic technology of nuclear fission power reactors, the nuclear fuel cycle, and role of nuclear energy as one of the domestic energy resources being developed to meet the national energy demand. Major topic areas discussed include: (1) "The Role of Nuclear Power"; (2) "The Role of Electricity"; (3)…