ERF Chemical Fact Sheets
ERF’s Fact Sheets give you easy-to-read toxicological facts and health concerns for each of the chemicals listed below and several more. They also offer info on ways to protect yourself and have links to sites for more detailed information. 

Arsenic Fact Sheet
Lead Fact Sheet
Perc Fact Sheet
Toluene Fact Sheet
Home Lead Test Fact Sheet
Lead Stabilizers Fact Sheet
View all >>

Web links:
Find links to key sites we recommend for more information on toxicology, environmental law, Proposition 65, advocacy organizations, occupational health and others.

Environmental/Toxics Advocacy Organizations
Legal Resources
Health and Toxicology Resources 
Government Agencies and Information Resources
Proposition 65 Resources
Other Articles and Resources of Interest

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ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS

Californians for Alternatives to Toxics

CAT serves as a clearinghouse for information and strategic action on toxics issues. The site has an extensive list of links on toxics and other environmental issues and organizations and is a resource for information on pesticides in wine and grapes, roadside herbicides, methyl bromide, forest pesticide use and more.

Greenpeace on Toxics

This section of the Greenpeace site includes an article discussing PVC in the home and a Greenpeace study on the potentially hazardous chemicals in PVC. There is a great Q & A page about PVC dangers, a list of safer alternatives to PVC and a “report card” for certain toy companies and manufacturers. Greenpeace also has good articles about PVC in toys at Toys R Us. Stores in Europe have removed them from the shelves but not in Canada. Go to: http://archive.greenpeace.org/pressreleases/pvctoys/1997nov27.html

Environmental Working Group

This is a great site for clear-cut and detailed information on toxics in the home and in your area. It has regular listings of articles pertaining to toxic chemicals and how they affect people/children including information on lead, pressure treated wood, and mold.

Natural Resources Defense Council website 

The NRDC is a very well known environmental advocacy organization and their site has links relating to kids’ health including teaching them to spot hazards and how to deal with them.

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 LEGAL RESOURCES

The Environmental Defense Fund

The site includes several information resources including Scorecard, a web resource that allows you to search for local environmental concerns using your zip code.  The site also includes action alerts, a free newsletter and numerous publications and reports.  Many of the pages are offered in Spanish as well as English.

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HEALTH / TOXICOLOGY RESOURCES

National Toxicology Program

Part of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the National Toxicology Program coordinates toxicological testing programs, strengthens the science base in toxicology; develops improved testing methods; and provides information about potentially toxic chemicals to health regulatory and research agencies, the scientific and medical communities, and the public.

Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Duke University.

Provides many annotated links to sites for information on toxics, health and regulatory information.

National Institutes of Health

Includes links to NIH publications and a clinical trials database as well a health hotline and literature references.

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

The agency's mission is to prevent exposure and adverse human health effects and diminished quality of life associated with exposure to hazardous substances from waste sites, unplanned releases, and other sources of pollution present in the environment.

The site includes a glossary of toxic and chemical related terms, a HazDat Database, ToxFAQs, Interactive Map Server, Top 20 Hazardous Substances list and the National Exposure Registry and info on Minimal Risk Levels.

Keep Kids Healthy

A great site for parents with helpful information including safety tips, toxic chemical info, symptom guides and more.

The Healthy Schools Network

The Healthy Schools Network is an advocate for the protection of children's environmental health in schools. Their site gives advice for how to protect your child and access to the organization's reports and resources. Also has a valuable list of Internet resources on children and toxics.

The Children’s Health Environmental Coalition Website

This is an excellent and informative site to help protect children from toxins and it includes interactive resources. The site also includes an online store for safer products. 

Children's Environmental Health Network

A national multi-disciplinary project whose mission is to protect the fetus and the child from environmental health hazards and promote a healthy environment.

Early Childhood Information Clearinghouse

This site has links to information pertaining to various child health issues such as car seats, poisoning, and toys.

Two sites with helpful links on everyday toxins

Curezone.com has a list of links pertaining to everyday toxins to which children are often exposed. Topics include carcinogens, fluoride, mercury poisoning and more.

Another great listing of online resources can be found at everydaytoxins.com

Many of the government sites listed above also contain information on health and toxicology concerns.

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GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND INFORMATION RESOURCES

Environmental Protection Agency

The EPAs website is a treasure-trove of information on legal issues, government regulations, and environmental concerns in your community. The EPA also has an Office of Children’s Health Protection and a great search tool that allows you to find out about a particular chemical or activity that may expose children to toxics.

For information on lead go to: Protect your family from Lead in Your home

You can also read the EPA’s Child-Specific Exposure Factors Handbook – this handbook provides a summary of the available and up-to-date statistical data on various factors assessing exposures. These factors include drinking water consumption, soil ingestion, inhalation rates and many more.

For EPA information on common toxics in the home and safer alternatives to products containing harmful substances go to: http://es.epa.gov/techinfo/facts/safe-fs.html

Consumer Product Safety Commission

This government site has useful information regarding consumer product safety. It is less about toxics and more about general safety. They also have a page just for kids. The site also includes articles on recent recalls of unsafe products.

Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control

This federal agency is dealing with lead hazards and safety. The site discusses the Healthy Home Initiative that was started by Congress in 1999 to address multiple housing-related problems affecting the health of children.

Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment

OEHHA has information on many health hazards and an area dedicated specifically to children’s health.

Children’s Health Month

This site includes many government documents pertaining to environmental hazards for children.

Reduce Toxic Chemicals in Your Home

The Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance has a site with many suggestions for ways to reduce the presence of toxic chemicals in your home. Issues discussed include changing what you eat, how to clean your home, yard work and more.

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PROPOSITION 65 RESOURCES

Prop 65 News

Offers a short summary and explanation of Prop 65 as well as news clips on recent developments, document request services, links to resources and just about anything you want to know about Prop 65.

CalProp65

Provides litigation and regulatory updates and a summary and explanation of Prop 65 among other resources.

California Attorney General

Provides Prop 65 FAQs, Complaint, Settlement and Judgment Reporting information and regulations and a current chemical list and toxicity criteria database.

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OTHER ARTICLES AND RESOURCES OF INTEREST

Article regarding “The 10 Most Dangerous Toxins in Your Household”
http://www.emagazine.com/September-october_1998/0998gl_ecohome.html 

Children’s Safety Association of Canada – provides a listing of potentially dangerous household products. 
http://www.safekid.org/potent.htm

Listing of Top Ten household toxins to be aware of (unverified):
http://www.mtnhigh.com/housepzn.html

Health Hazard Internet Resources List
http://www.holisticmed.com/www/hazards.html

General information on how to avoid toxins hidden in the household cleaners, toys and more http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/caroltox2.htm

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