Protecting Children from
Radon in
Schools and Childcare Centers
Authors : Dolores Parker and Samantha Hernandez Article Date : April 19 th , 2024 https :// womenforahealthyenvironment . org
WHE ’ s Healthy Learning Program is dedicated to assisting school personnel and childcare providers to ensure that their facilities are healthy and safe from environmental hazards such as lead , radon , and indoor air contaminants . This program is offered in the Pittsburgh office serving Western Pennsylvania and in the Philadelphia office serving Eastern Pennsylvania . Between both offices
, Women for a Healthy Environment delivers the Eco‐Healthy Child Care ® Program by the Children ’ s Environmental Health Network . This comprehensive program includes a checklist of 35 low‐cost eco‐healthy best practices for childcare with tips and strategies to eliminate environmental hazards , including radon . An e‐learning course is also offered to childcare providers to familiarize themselves with the concepts introduced in the checklist. Through this program , childcare centers are awarded an Eco‐Healthy Child Care ® endorsement . Women for a Healthy Environment offers site visits and supplies such as radon testing kits from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to help centers comply with eco‐healthy best practices . These short‐term radon test kits are analyzed by the state , free of charge .
Childcare provider Ha ' Sin Upshur sets a short‐term radon test in her family childcare on 4 / 18 / 24 Photo : Lorna Rosenberg , WHE