Did You Know?

West Michigan
Environmental
Action Council

1007 Lake Dr SE,
Grand Rapids MI 49506
Tel: 616-451-3051
Fax: 616-451-3054

e-mail: info@wmeac.org

Programs

Greater Grand Rapids Children’s Environmental Health Initiative

Preventing childhood lead poisong, radon and mercury exposure by empowering communities and parents through education and collaboration.

The Greater Grand Rapids Children’s Environmental Health Initiative was awarded $411,000 in funding to protect children’s health from in-home toxins and pollutants that affect their well-being and development.

The Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan, The Kent County Health Department, WMEAC, and the Asthma Network of Western Michigan were awarded $411,000 in November, 2007 for the Greater Grand Rapids Environmental Health Initiative. The Initiative was recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a national model. WMEAC will act as fiduciary for $300,000 of the funding.

The funds will be used to educate the community and families about environmental hazards in residences, such as lead dust from old lead paint used in older homes. radon gas, and environmental air pollutants that trigger asthma.

Nine out of ten children with lead poisoning in Kent County have lead-based paint and residual lead dust in the home environment identified as the primary source of their poisoning.

233 children under age 6 in Kent County have blood lead levels that are high enough to impair their health.

Nearly 15,000 of Kent county’s children suffer from asthma, made worse by irritants in their own homes.

More than 10,000 of the state’s infants are at risk for impaired development due to mercury exposure.

http://www.healthyhomescoalition.org/

http://www.accesskent.com/Health/HealthDepartment/

http://www.asthmanetworkwm.org/

Action Items

Great Lakes Great Michigan is a campaign to bring Michigan’s laws in line with the Great Lakes Compact, a regional agreement among the 8 Great Lakes States to preserve, protect and restore our Great Lakes. Take Action! Participate in the campaign at their website.

Clean Kent County - Every day an estimated 1 million gallons of untreated waste from toilets and household drains is discharged from Kent County’s failing septic systems. Clean Kent County is a campaign to improve Kent County’s efforts to address this growing issue. To learn more or get involved contact Shawn Wessel at swessell@wmeac.org.

Hispanic Environmental Health Webpage The EPA has launched a new site in Spanish, for Hispanic U.S. residents. It provides information on environmental issues and their effects.