PICEH at Kutztown University Campus!

The Board of Directors is proud to announce that PICEH's Administrative Office is now located on the campus of Kutztown University in the Kutztown University Foundation Professional Building, 15155 Kutztown Road, Kutztown, PA  19530.

PICEH's new contact numbers are:  Phone (484) 646-4008 /FAX (484) 646-4018.

The move to the campus has been long anticipated and is seen as a spear head for the progress of PICEH, its mission and goals for the future.  As a division of Kutztown University Foundation, to have the Institute located on campus will help develop an even greater partnership environment between PICEH. the Foundation and the University. 

PICEH Reports "BAD AIR" Day

January 14, 2010:  PICEH reports that Berks County is experiencing a winter bad air day today.  Air quality conditions in Berks County are currently Moderate – Yellow but on the verge of becoming Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups – Orange.  You can view current conditions across southeastern PA at PICEH’s website PICEHAir at www.PICEHAir.org.

The pollutant of concern is fine particulates (PM2.5) which builds up during winter morning inversions.  PA DEP and EPA forecast a bad air day today (see e-mail below) but did not forecast Orange conditions.  These winter pollution episodes are being studied by PICEH to try and understand why the forecasts do not always adequately warn the public about bad air conditions.  EPA does a good job forecasting summer smog (ozone) bad air days but they are not as good at forecasting winter pollution episodes.

Walmart Pulling Jewelry Cited in AP Cadmium Report

By JUSTIN PRITCHARD and JEFF DONN, Associated Press Writers

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Federal and state watchdogs opened a new front Monday in the campaign to keep poisons out of Chinese imports, launching inquiries into high levels of cadmium in children's jewelry while Walmart pulled many suspect items from its store shelves.

A day after The Associated Press documented the contamination in an investigative report, the top U.S. consumer safety regulator warned Asian manufacturers not to substitute other toxins for lead in children's charm braceletsand pendants.

Regulators and lawmakers reacted swiftly to the AP report, which found that some Chinese manufacturers have been using cadmium, sometimes at extraordinarily high levels. Congress clamped down on lead in those products in 2008, butcadmium is even more harmful.  Melissa Hill, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., called the AP findings "troubling." She said the company, which is the world's largest retailer, had a special responsibility "to take swift action, and we are doing so."

Members of Congress voiced anger about the imports. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat, said he's reviewing the law that regulates such substances to decide if a fix is needed.  "Parents will be outraged to learn certain jewelry makers overseas thought they could pull a fast one at the expense of our kids' safety," said Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas, who has championed stronger rules for children'sproducts.

Cadmium, which is known to cause cancer, is a soft, whitish metal that occurs naturally in soil. It's perhaps best known as half of rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries, but also is used in pigments, electroplating and plastic.  Cadmium is attractive to Chinese manufacturers because it is cheap and easy to work with. But, like lead, it can hinder brain development in the very young, recent research shows.

In Hong Kong, Vincent Tan, the director for compliance at the Jetta Co., a toy manufacturer, said he would support a cadmium ban "if scientific evidence supports that it is leaching and causing hazards for children."  Companies like Jetta — which has made electronic and plastic toys for U.S. companies like Hasbro Inc. and Mattel Inc., but does not produce children's jewelry — do not use cadmium in paint. But the metal may be present in alloys it uses. The company doesn't have much experience testing for it, said Tan.

In taped remarks to be delivered Tuesday in Hong Kong, the chairwoman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission urged other countries to ensure that manufacturers do not substitute cadmium, antimony or barium in place of lead in children's products.  "All of us should be committed to keeping hazardous or toxic levels of heavy metals out of ... toys and children's products," Inez Tenenbaum said in a transcript of remarks to an international toy safety conference.

Tenenbaum singled out cadmium for special vigilance and said: "Voluntary efforts will only take us so far."  The commission immediately said it was opening an investigation into the AP's findings, promising to "take action as quickly as possible to protect the safety of children."

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal also said Monday that his office would investigate cadmium content in some products, particularly costume jewelry.  Blumenthal would not say whether he's investigating particular merchants. Rather than "singling out any stores, we're interested in any retail outlets that sell jewelry that may have cadmium," he said.  New York state Sen. James S. Alesi said he will introduce legislation to ban the sale of cadmium in jewelry in his state. "We must act immediately to keep this contaminated jewelry out of the hands of children and reduce their exposure to toxic substances," said Alesi, a Republican.

Lab tests were conducted for the AP on 103 pieces of low-price children's jewelry such as charm bracelets and pendants purchased around the country. Virtually all were imported from China.  Twelve items had cadmium levels of at least 10 percent by weight. One piece had a startling 91 percent, and others contained more than 80 percent. The government has no restrictions on cadmium in jewelry.

Children can be exposed by sucking or biting such jewelry. But without direct exposure, most people do not experience its worst effects: cancer, kidneys that leak vital protein and bones that spontaneously snap.  The worrisome results came in tests of bracelet charms sold at Walmart stores, at the jewelry chain Claire's and at a Dollar N More store. High amounts of cadmium also were detected in "The Princess and The Frog" movie-themed pendants. 

Eighty-nine items were free of cadmium.  U.S.-based trade groups, as well as distributors and sellers of the jewelry containing cadmium, said their products meet safety standards. Cadmium is regulated in painted toys but not in jewelry.

A cadmium specialist with the Beijing office of Asian Metal Ltd., a market research and consultancy firm, said products with cadmium are normally directed to the Chinese domestic market.  "This is just the latest example of the need for stronger consumer safety laws in this country, especially for products manufactured and marketed for children, and shows yet again why products from China should be subject to additional scrutiny," said Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat.

"Between children's jewelry, tainted milk and contaminated pet food, China has a long record of producing unsafe products, and the U.S. should continue to be wary of all products arriving from China."  A 2008 law imposed limits on lead in children's products and sent factories rushing for substitutes. About the same time, cadmium prices dropped, in part because nickel-cadmium batteries are swiftly being replaced with newer designs.

In her speech, Tenenbaum praised manufacturers for largely abandoning lead in their goods. The tests run for the AP found little lead.  The jewelry testing was conducted by chemistry professor Jeff Weidenhamer of Ashland University in Ohio, who over the past few years has provided the government with results showing high lead content in products that were later recalled.

His testing of children's jewelry for AP also showed that some items easily shed cadmium, elevating concerns about exposure to children.  "Clearly it seems like for a metal as toxic as cadmium, somebody ought to be watching out to make sure there aren't high levels in items that could end up in the hands of kids," Weidenhamer said.

"There's nothing positive that you can say about this metal. It's a poison," said Bruce A. Fowler, a cadmium specialist and toxicologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On the agency's priority list of 275 most hazardous substances in the environment, cadmium ranks No. 7.

If the cadmium-laden jewelry were industrial garbage, it could qualify as hazardous waste. But since there are no cadmium restrictions on jewelry, such items are sold legally. The federal government has never recalled an item for cadmium, though it has fielded scattered complaints for at least two years. The CPSC cited "an upward trend" in reports of products containing cadmium.

Private-sector testing confirms this. Two laboratories that analyze more than a thousand children's products each year checked their data at AP's request. Both said their findings of cadmium above 300 parts per million in an item — the current federal limit for lead — increased from about 0.5 percent of tests in 2007 to about 2.2 percent of tests in 2009.

However, Sheila A. Millar, a lawyer for the Fashion Jewelry Trade Association, said members had not noticed "widespread substitution" with cadmium. She said jewelry makers these days often opt for zinc, which is a safer substitute.

Some children's advocates weren't reassured.  "If they're going to substitute one chemical for another ... they need to have some indications it's a safe thing to have in a product that a child is going to use," said Nancy Cowles, director of Kids in Danger, a Chicago-based nonprofit that advocates for safety in children's products. "With cadmium, we've known for years it's unsafe."

Donn reported from Boston. Associated Press writers Stephen Singer in Hartford, Conn., and Rik Stevens in Albany, N.Y., contributed to this report.  The AP National Investigative Team can be reached at investigate(at)ap.org.

PICEH Air Monitoring Network Records Improved Air Quality in Berks County

October 7, 2009 (Berks County, PA)   The Pennsylvania Institute for Children’s Environmental Health(PICEH) has compared air quality readings from its PICEH Air monitoring network and has noted a significant improvement in air quality readings between the summers of 2008 and 2009.   

In 2008, Berks County had a total of 6 days where the PM2.5 levels reached the new federal standard of 35 micrograms per cubic meter as compared to 2 days in 2009.  The county also experienced a significant reduction in days that exceed the new federal Ozone standard of 75 parts per billion (8-hour average) experiencing only 2 daily exceedences in 2009 as compared to 12 in 2008.

While this snapshot of the two years shows an improvement in air quality, it is premature to conclude that this is a long term trend and greater research is needed.   Much of the improvement could be attributed to meteorological conditions along with a reduction in emissions due to the recession.  Cleaner cars and installation of pollution controls at some electric utility and industrial sources also contribute to lower PM2.5 and Ozone levels. 

The period of time compared was May 1 through August 31 2008 and 2009.  The data is as follows.

While PICEH has measured the improvement in summertime air quality conditions, PICEH has been following elevated levels of pollution in the winter months, due to inversions and stagnant or southeasterly wind conditions. It is not uncommon for Berks County to experience rapid and severe spikes in the hourly PM 2.5 readings during the winter from atmospheric inversions that trap pollutants.   

The elevated levels of pollution pose a health risk for the general community and in particular to sensitive populations, such as children, asthmatics, the elderly and those with other breathing related difficulties.  In addition, elevated levels of PM 2.5 have been associated with several illness including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Contact Information:      Troy Greiss (610) 670-9200

EPA Provides TIPs During Children's Health Month

WASHINGTON, DC  October is Children’s Health Month. To heighten awareness about environmental issues impacting children, EPA is providing parents and caregivers simple tips they can use to help protect children in their homes, schools and communities.

“As both EPA Administrator and a mother, I understand the importance of protecting our children from environmental threats,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Throughout Children’s Health Month, we will work to help parents and caretakers ensure the safety of our children and build a safer, cleaner, more sustainable world for their future.”

Children eat, drink and breathe more per pound than adults. When food, water or air is polluted, children are more affected by that pollution when compared to adults. These concerns about children’s health are a driving force behind many of EPA’s programs, policies and regulatory activities.  There are simple steps that parents and other caregivers can take to protect children from environmental health hazards in their surrounding daily environment.

Here are some simple steps that can be taken to help keep children safe and healthy:

1. Discover how climate change may affect the health of children, and how reducing energy helps the climate and reduces air pollution.
2. Have a health care provider or local health department test children’s blood lead levels.
3. Wash floors and window sills to remove dust and peeling lead-based paint, especially in older homes, where lead based paint is more likely to be found. Repair peeling or chipping paint in older homes.
4. Reduce asthma attacks by controlling triggers such as pet dander, mold and second-hand smoke.
5. Don’t expose children to cigarette, cigar or pipe smoke at home or in a car.
6. Check the local public water supplier for annual drinking water quality reports. Have private water wells tested annually by a certified laboratory.
7. Store pesticides and other chemicals in a locked cabinet. Never put them in other containers that can be mistaken for food or drink.
8. Replace mercury thermometers with digital or mercury-free thermometers.

        9)  Homes should be tested for radon, as it is the second leading cause of lung cancer.

Contact Information:

Enesta Jones jones.enesta@epa.gov,

202-564-7873 or 202-564-4355
 

More tips: http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/calendar.htm

PICEH & Oley Valley School District's Air Monitoring Station Project

The completion of the installation of Oley Valley School District's air monitoring station was recently announced by the Pennsylvania Institute for Children's Environmental Health ("PICEH"), a non-profit organization dedicated to children's environmental health. PICEH, a division of the Kutztown University Foundation, operates air quality monitoring equipment in Berks County PA to better understand air pollution impacts in southeastern Pennsylvania. 

The Oley Valley School District Project, which includes not only the air monitoring station, but a grant for the development of an environmental curriculum program for the Oley Valley middle and high schools.  Funding for the project was provided by East Penn Manufacturing, National Penn Bancshares and the County of Berks. 

The Oley Valley air monitoring station includes a full suite of weather sensors and a real-time fine particle monitor, a beta attenuation monitor (BAM), that provides concentrations of fine particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5).  PM2.5 concentrations in the Oley Valley will be compared to levels monitored at Reading and at Kutztown in Berks County and with PM2.5 levels throughout southeastern Pennsylvania. 

The Oley Valley real time data can be viewed at www.OleyWeather.com.

Childhood incidence of asthma and other respiratory and cardiovascular diseases will be correlated with air pollution levels that are monitored throughout the Berks County Air Monitoring Network.  Real-time air quality monitoring data throughout the region can be viewed at PICEH's air monitoring website at www.PICEHair.org  and at the U.S. EPA's air monitoring website at www.AirNow.gov.

PICEH Air Monitoring Network Records Improved Air Quality in Berks County

October 7, 2009 (Berks County, PA)   The Pennsylvania Institute for Children’s Environmental Health (PICEH) has compared air quality readings from its PICEHAir monitoring network and has noted a significant improvement in air quality readings between the summers of 2008 and 2009.   

In 2008, Berks County had a total of 6 days where the PM2.5 levels reached the new federal standard of 35 micrograms per cubic meter as compared to 2 days in 2009.  The county also experienced a significant reduction in days that exceed the new federal Ozone standard of 75 parts per billion (8-hour average) experiencing only 2 daily exceedences in 2009 as compared to 12 in 2008.

While this snapshot of the two years shows an improvement in air quality, it is premature to conclude that this is a long term trend and greater research is needed.   Much of the improvement could be attributed to meteorological conditions along with a reduction in emissions due to the recession.  Cleaner cars and installation of pollution controls at some electric utility and industrial sources also contribute to lower PM2.5 and Ozone levels. 

The period of time compared was May 1 through August 31 2008 and 2009.  The data is as follows.

While PICEH has measured the improvement in summertime air quality conditions, PICEH has been following elevated levels of pollution in the winter months, due to inversions and stagnant or southeasterly wind conditions. It is not uncommon for Berks County to experience rapid and severe spikes in the hourly PM 2.5 readings during the winter from atmospheric inversions that trap pollutants.   

The elevated levels of pollution pose a health risk for the general community and in particular to sensitive populations, such as children, asthmatics, the elderly and those with other breathing related difficulties.  In addition, elevated levels of PM 2.5 have been associated with several illness including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Contact Information:      Troy Greiss (610) 670-9200

EPA Provides TIPs During Children's Health Month

WASHINGTON, DC  October is Children’s Health Month. To heighten awareness about environmental issues impacting children, EPA is providing parents and caregivers simple tips they can use to help protect children in their homes, schools and communities.

“As both EPA Administrator and a mother, I understand the importance of protecting our children from environmental threats,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Throughout Children’s Health Month, we will work to help parents and caretakers ensure the safety of our children and build a safer, cleaner, more sustainable world for their future.”

Children eat, drink and breathe more per pound than adults. When food, water or air is polluted, children are more affected by that pollution when compared to adults. These concerns about children’s health are a driving force behind many of EPA’s programs, policies and regulatory activities.  There are simple steps that parents and other caregivers can take to protect children from environmental health hazards in their surrounding daily environment.

Here are some simple steps that can be taken to help keep children safe and healthy:

1. Discover how climate change may affect the health of children, and how reducing energy helps the climate and reduces air pollution.
2. Have a health care provider or local health department test children’s blood lead levels.
3. Wash floors and window sills to remove dust and peeling lead-based paint, especially in older homes, where lead based paint is more likely to be found. Repair peeling or chipping paint in older homes.
4. Reduce asthma attacks by controlling triggers such as pet dander, mold and second-hand smoke.
5. Don’t expose children to cigarette, cigar or pipe smoke at home or in a car.
6. Check the local public water supplier for annual drinking water quality reports. Have private water wells tested annually by a certified laboratory.
7. Store pesticides and other chemicals in a locked cabinet. Never put them in other containers that can be mistaken for food or drink.
8. Replace mercury thermometers with digital or mercury-free thermometers.
9. Homes should be tested for radon, as it is the second leading cause of lung cancer.

Contact Information:

Enesta Jones jones.enesta@epa.gov,

202-564-7873 or 202-564-4355
 

More tips: http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/calendar.htm

PICEH & Oley Valley School District's Air Monitoring Station Project

The completion of the installation of Oley Valley School District's air monitoring station was recently announced by the Pennsylvania Institute for Children's Environmental Health ("PICEH"), a non-profit organization dedicated to children's environmental health. PICEH, a division of the Kutztown University Foundation, operates air quality monitoring equipment in Berks County PA to better understand air pollution impacts in southeastern Pennsylvania. 

The Oley Valley School District Project, which includes not only the air monitoring station, but a grant for the development of an environmental curriculum program for the Oley Valley middle and high schools.  Funding for the project was provided by East Penn Manufacturing, National Penn Bancshares and the County of Berks. 

The Oley Valley air monitoring station includes a full suite of weather sensors and a real-time fine particle monitor, a beta attenuation monitor (BAM), that provides concentrations of fine particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5).  PM2.5 concentrations in the Oley Valley will be compared to levels monitored at Reading and at Kutztown in Berks County and with PM2.5 levels throughout southeastern Pennsylvania. 

The Oley Valley real time data can be viewed at www.OleyWeather.com.

Childhood incidence of asthma and other respiratory and cardiovascular diseases will be correlated with air pollution levels that are monitored throughout the Berks County Air Monitoring Network.  Real-time air quality monitoring data throughout the region can be viewed at PICEH's air monitoring website at www.PICEHair.org  and at the U.S. EPA's air monitoring website at www.AirNow.gov.

PICEH Makes Presentation to Berks CountyCommissioners

July 13, 2009  The Pennsylvania Institute for Children's Environmental Health ("PICEH") recently made a presentation to the Berks County Commissioners on the state of the air quality in Berks County.  Making the presentation were Gavin L. Biebuyck of Liberty Environmental, Inc. and Craig D. Hafer,  PICEH's Chairman. 

The following article, detailing the presentation, appeared recently in the Pottstown Mercury:

=======================================================

Air Quality Improving in Berks, Commissioners Told

 Sunday, July 12, 2009

By Lynn A. Gladieux, Special to The Mercury

READING -- Commissioners in Berks County recently received some encouraging news about the quality of air in the county. Gavin L. Biebuyck of Liberty Environmental, Inc., told Commissioners Mark C. Scott, Kevin S. Barnhardt and Christian Y. Leinbach that air testing in various parts of the county has shown that ongoing efforts to reduce particle pollution and ozone levels have been successful. 

Liberty Environmental, along with the Pennsylvania Institute for Children's Environmental Health (PICEH), have been working with the county for nearly five years in improving air quality in Berks. Biebuyck presented to commissioners his "state of the air" summary based on monitoring collected from stations at Kutztown University — where Liberty's monitoring data has received official EPA approval — and the Reading Airport. 

According to Biebuyck, particle pollution, fine particles of soot produced from combustion sources, has dropped over the last year. Ozone levels have also been tracking downwards as well. 

Craig Hafer, chairman of PICEH, said the lowered pollution levels were in part attributable to the efforts of the county commissioners. 

"Four years ago the commissioners made air quality and the environment and how it affects adults and children a top priority. Instead of saying we can't do anything, through the support of the leadership of many, including Commissioner Scott, we have received money to purchase air quality monitoring equipment and thus help the county to go to the forefront of the issue," Hafer said. 

Hafer said that PICEH is the state's leading institution for environmental health, and have expanded their outreach efforts to Kutztown University where they have, among other things, established grant programs and hosted visiting professors. Hafer said PICEH is the only organization in the nation with such a robust children's environmental program. 

Along with the good news on air quality, data also indicates that work still needs to be done. Biebuyck said that lead pollution is an issue in Berks, and that while data shows lead levels improving, the EPA recently lowered its quality standard and Berks has not yet met that standard, one of only a few counties in Pennsylvania that would not meet standards. 

Lead has been widely known to reduce children's IQ levels and cause other serious health issues. Hafer said that lead exposure in Reading is at epidemic proportions due to the city's lack of oversight of rental units and other older buildings. 

East Penn Manufacturing, an emitter of lead, is taking a proactive approach to lowering their lead emissions. Biebuyck said that a letter received from East Penn indicated that the company soon expects to meet the new lower standards set by the government. A DEP monitor is located not far from the East Penn facility in Lyons. 

Biebuyck also talked about a new monitoring system that would be placed at the Oley Valley Middle School. An overwhelming number of asthma cases at the school have prompted school and other officials to test the air quality in and around the school.  Both Hafer and Biebuyck said their model for air quality testing and control is being duplicated throughout the state and country which, according to Hafer, is "a lot to brag about." 

"We do have air quality issues in Berks County but we also recognize that what we've done differently is instead of using subjective models, we're going to get hard data and measure it — and wherever the chips fall, we're going to deal with it. It was radical then but it's a model now." 

PICEH recently won the Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence for outreach and other educational and community efforts.

URL: http://www.pottsmerc.com/articles/2009/07/12/news/srv0000005730075..prt

 © 2009 pottsmerc.com, a Journal Register Property

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PICEH to Honor East Penn Manufacturing

May 27, 2009 The Pennsylvania Institute for Children’s Environmental Health (PICEH) will be honoring East Penn Manufacturing (Lyon Station, PA) with the organization’s highest honor, the Cevallos Award, for children’s environmental health and environmental stewardship.     

The Cevallos Award is named in honor of Dr. F. Javier Cevallos, president of Kutztown University, for his commitment to children’s environmental health issues.  Dr. Cevallos’ leadership was instrumental in providing Kutztown University’s support in establishing the Pennsylvania Institute for Children’s Environmental Health.  Dr. Cevallos’ commitment to the founding of PICEH personifies the spirit and dedication to children’s environmental health issues that the Institute desires to recognize in others with this award.    

The criteria for the Cevallos Award is that the recipient(s) must display a personal, public and financial commitment to advancing children’s environmental health issues and have proven themselves as an advocate for children’s environmental health issues.  The award is not an annual award, and is bestowed upon those that the PICEH's board of directors would like to recognize for their accomplishments in making clear improvements in advancing the health of children by protecting them from environmental harms. 

East Penn Manufacturing is being acknowledged with the Cevallos Award for the following achievements:

1. Since 2000 as production has increased more than (54%) East Penn's ambient air lead concentrations have decreased more than 50%.
2. East Penn is the only facility within the industry to operate a zero discharge wastewater treatment faculty. The process wastewater is treated and recycled/reused on-site in the manufacturing process. The recycling/reuse of the wastewater minimizes the demand for groundwater consumption, a valuable and limited resource.
3. East Penn is the only battery manufacturer in the United States to recycle their sulfuric acid.
4. Waste Minimization/Pollution Prevention.  Process gases are scrubbed with ammonia to produce Sulfur/Nitrogen solution, fertilizer additive. Wastewater treatment process produces a high quality Sodium Sulfate Salt, commercial product additive/filler. Air pollution control equipment with secondary HEPA filtration recirculation, minimize need for comfort heating during winter.
5. East Penn Environmental Management System is third party certified to ISO 14001 standard.
6. East Penn’s Battery Recycle Center/Metals Division is a STAR site in the OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program –  a recognition for best of the best in Safety and Health programs.
7. East Penn is a recipient of the Pennsylvania Governor’s Award (acid recycle facility and zero discharge wastewater treatment plant) and now will have the distinct honor of having employees who have won this award on more than one occasion as employee of East Penn and a member of PICEH.
8. Most recently, East Penn has made a commitment to the County of Berks and to PICEH to meet more stringent ambient air lead standards, of which they are already close to achieving four years ahead of the date required by the US EPA. 

“This award represents East Penn’s longstanding support of environmental initiatives within the community - both internally and externally. They are a model of how industry and environmental groups can work together to achieve goals that will benefit all parties by assuring a safer environment for our children”, stated PICEH's Chairman, Craig D. Hafer. 

A reception honoring East Penn will be held on Saturday May 30, 2009 at Kutztown University.

PICEH Wins Governor's 2009 Award for Environmental Excellence

April 28, 2009  The Pennsylvania Institute for Children's Environmental Health was honored by Governor Rendell and the PA Department for Environmental Protection for its work in air quality monitoring around Berks County and its quarterly publication, "The Stepping Stone".   

The Institute was also honored for focusing on public outreach for children's health issues through its Child's World Lecture Series which is free to the public and held at Kutztown University.  Several renown speakers of the lecture series have been Dr. Devra Davis, Director, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and a professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Steven Gilbert, Director of the Institute of Neurotoxicology & Neurological Disorders and Jim DiPeso, Policy Director, Republicans for Environmental Protection.

"It is a good day for Berks County," stated Craig D. Hafer, Chairman of the Institute. "This award brings recognition to Berks County for something very positive.  Berks County is one of the commonwealth's leading counties in children's environmental health and the Governor's award confirms this," he concluded.

The Institute was founded in 2006 as a partnership with Kutztown University to study how air quality and the environment affect children's environmental health.

The Pennsylvania Institute for Children’s Environmental Health ("PICEH") is focused on children’s environmental health issues within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. By combining educational initiatives, outreach efforts and research activities, PICEH can pursue its mission of understanding why children are not little adults and help Pennsylvanians protect our children from unnecessary environmental harms.

To view archived news articles, click here.

Safer Alternatives to Looking Pretty

April 23, 2009  Each day millions of women apply makeup with little or no understanding of its toxicity.  Little girls are encouraged to play by applying makeup to their faces.  But is there a health risk? 

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is a national coalition of nonprofit health and environmental organizations. Their collective goal is to protect the health of consumers and workers by requiring the personal care products industry to phase out the use of chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects and other serious health concerns, and replace them with safer alternatives.  They even offer alternatives, so that those who want to wear makeup can still keep a smile on their face. 

PICEH Issues Air Toxic Report

March 25,2009  The Pennsylvania Institute for Children's Environmental Health ("PICEH") has completed the first ever study of toxins in the air of Berks County, Pennsylvania using data collected in the County.  "Previous studies have relied solely on modeling and broad assumptions that are not as concrete as the actual data we have been collecting", stated Troy Greiss, head of research for PICEH.

The study conducted by Avatar Environmental has noted that the toxins in the air are not as severe as previously estimated by the US EPA and pose a lesser risk for cancer then previously thought.  This is not to say that there are diminished air pollution problems in Berks County.  The county is having historic problems with particulate matter (PM 2.5), which is associated with numerous health related problems.  What this report does demonstrate is that while there continues to be a problem with PM 2.5, the particulate is not as cancerous as estimated by the US EPA, but still can result in other health related issues, such as heart disease and asthma.  

Click here full report  Inhalation Human Health Risk Assessment, Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Make it a Dozen....Poor Air Returns to Berks !

March 18, 2009  For the 12th time this year, air quality in Berks County has hit unhealthy levels.  The PICEH air monitoring site on the campus of Kutztown University recorded a PM 2.5 (particulate matter 2.5 microns) Air Quality Index level of  104 at 2:00 PM.  This level indicates that the air was unhealthy for children, the elderly and those with breathing problems. 

The pollution was easily noticeable as several citizens contacted PICEH to express their concern about the “blanket of haze over the region”.  One local resident noted that “it looked like baby powder was in the air as the mountains below the Pagoda all appeared hazy and a light gray”.  In April of 2008 the Pennsylvania DEP was to have submitted a plan to the US EPA to address Berks County’s noted PM pollution problem, but the agency has been late in offering any solution.    

For more  information please click on PICEH Air tab above. 

Southeastern PA Air Quality Drops....Again !

March 17, 2009  Air quality readings at the PICEH air monitoring site have been recording unhealthy levels of air quality for the Berks County and neighboring counties.  The site located on the campus of Kutztown University began recording particulate matter readings (AQI P.M 2.5) of 108 on Saturday March 14^th followed by a record high of 125 on March 17^th. 

Researchers at PICEH are following the trend closely as there have been three consecutive days of unhealthy air quality in the region.   This most recent occurrence of poor air quality is the seventh occurrence of elevated levels of air pollution for the region.  Children, the elderly and those with breathing difficulties are particularly sensitive to air pollution and are advised to be cautious during these periods. 

For more  information please click on PICEH Air tab above.

PICEH Adds Carlisle to Growing Air Monitoring Network

February 18, 2009   The Pennsylvania Institute for Children’s Environmental Health (PICEH) announced the addition of Carlisle to its Air Monitoring Network.  The addition of Carlisle to the Network will enable researchers at PICEH to gather data on air quality west of Harrisburg and help the citizens of Cumberland County have an easy way to interface and gather real-time data on local air quality.  “ This additional site will enable us to get a broader view of transport pollution issues in Southeastern Pennsylvania”, said PICEH Chairman, Craig D. Hafer. 

For more detailed information please click on PICEH Air tab above.

For 6th Time this Year, Air Quality in Berks County is Unhealthy

February 11, 2009  The PICEH air monitoring station, located on the campus of Kutztown University, has for the sixth time this year recorded unhealthy air quality conditions for the region.  The air quality as measured by the PM 2.5 Air Quality Index was 105 at 11:00 AM and indicated that the air was unhealthy for sensitive groups: children, the elderly, asthmatics and those with difficulty breathing.  

For more detailed data please visit the PICEH Air tab above.

Air Quality in Berks County Worsens as Temperatures Rise

February 7, 2009 The PICEH air monitoring station, located on the campus of Kutztown University, has for the fifth time this year recorded unhealthy air quality conditions for the region.  The air quality, as measured by the PM 2.5 Air Quality Index, began for rise at 6:00 AM and continued to increase as temperatures also began to warm up in the region.  The highest reading of 126 was at 2:00 PM indicated that the air was unhealthy for sensitive groups: children, the elderly, asthmatics and those with difficulty breathing.  As mentioned in previous releases, PICEH and the US EPA measures the air quality on a 12-hour weighted average basis, whereas the PA DEP uses a 24 hour average.  

PICEH is working with the PA DEP in studying these winter related air pollution episodes, which until recently went undetected in Berks County. 

For more detailed data please visit the PICEH Air tab above.

UK Seeks Ban on Food Dyes Linked to Childhood Hyperactivity

February 3, 2009   In the United Kingdom, food makers have been voluntarily asked to recall six artificial colors used in food that are suspect for leading to adverse effects on children’s attention, concentration and levels of activity. 

In the United States, the FDA is reviewing a petition by the Center for Science in the Public Interest to ban eight artificial food colors: Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 3, Red 40, Orange B, Yellow 6 and Yellow 5 (tartrazine). Kellogg’s strawberry Nutri-Grain cereal bars are still tinted with Red 40, Yellow 6, and Blue 1 for U.S. consumers, yet the company has replaced these dyes with beetroot red, annatto and paprika extract for those sold in the UK.   

The reason for the European Community ban is their conclusion that these dyes may negatively affect children’s behavior and contribute to levels of hyperactivity. It is unclear if the United States will instill a similar ban. 

Go to http://articles.latimes.com/2009/oct/13/health/he-foodcolor13 for more information.

Once Again Bad Air Hits Berks County and Southeastern PA

February 2, 2009   For the fourth time in a little over two weeks, the PICEH air monitoring station on the campus of Kutztown University has measured an Unhealthy For Sensitive Groups air quality reading in the region as  the Air Quality Index ranged between 115–110 between the hours of 7:00 AM and 12:00 PM.  This 5 hour episode was followed by air quality levels improving to the Moderate level of risk. More information on local air quality levels can be found at PICEH Air.  

The readings at the Kutztown site are consistent with other air monitoring stations within Southeastern Pennsylvania that are indicating similar unhealthy air quality conditions throughout the region.   It appears that the conditions are being caused by relatively low wind speeds and inversions that are keeping air pollution closer to the ground.  PICEH plans to work with the Pennsylvania DEP to better understand these winter air pollution episodes.  

Repeat Incidence of Polluted Air in Southeastern PA                  

January 30, 2009  Readings from the PICEH Air Quality Station at Kutztown University today (1/30) indicate a repeat incidence of high polluted air for southeastern PA, which includes Lancaster, Chester (Philadelphia), Kutztown and the Lehigh Valley. This is the third such episode occurring in less than 12 days of readings, with the second occurring on 1/22 and the first on 1/18. 

Whereas the first two events were Code Orange, indicating the air quality was “unhealthy for sensitive groups”, today’s event is the first Code Red event of 2009 indicating the air is “unhealthy”. The Air Quality Index (AQI) at Lancaster and Kutztown are in the Code Red range this morning (1/30), the first such occurrence in southeastern PA in 2009.

When the AQI is in the Code Red range, it means the air is "unhealthy" and everyone may begin to experience health effects when AQI values are between 151 and 200. Members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. When the quality of the air is within the Code Orange range, it is advised that individuals with asthma or breathing difficulties, as well as children, limit their time spent out of doors.

Please click here for further information.

Obama Reverses Bush Administration's Position on Auto Emissions

January 25, 2009  True to his campaign pledge, President Obama’s newest directive, put forth today, orders the EPA to immediately begin working on granting Pennsylvania and 13 other states the right to regulate automobile tailpipe emissions and for the Transportation Department to set stricter automobile emission and fuel efficiency standards to comply with a proposed 2007 regulation, which required increasing fuel efficiency standards of passenger vehicles to 35 mpg, from the current national standard of 27 mpg and that was rejected by President Bush and his administration.

Automobile emissions account for more than 60% of many of the pollutants in the air in Pennsylvania that result in respiratory illnesses. They also have been linked to the increase in greenhouse gases and global warming. Pennsylvania joined this program as a way to improve its historic poor air quality and in particular to address children’s environmental health concerns regarding air pollution. 

Go to http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/26/us/politics/26calif.html for further details.

Another Incident of Increased Levels of Polluted Air in Southeastern PA

January 26, 2009   A repeat occurrence of high polluted air quality was evident on Thursday night (1/22) at the PICEH Air Quality Station at Kutztown University with PM2.5 levels hitting Orange-USG levels, which are generally consistent with the EPA’s AirNow levels EPA’s AirNow levels.

The atmospheric inversion could be seen outside with a layer of polluted air at about the 500 feet level. These numbers indicate that the air quality was "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups." The Code Orange range on the AQl scale is based on the 24-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) as there is no hourly PM2.5 standard. Go to http://www.epa.gov/air/criteria.html.

In addition to elevated PM2.5 pollution levels, nitrogen oxide (NOx) levels were also elevated (over 100 ppb) at many monitoring sites in SE PA. The high NOx levels appeared to contribute to the PM2.5 pollution; however, insufficient data was available to show that the NOx did indeed cause the high PM2.5.

Please click on PICEH Air tab above for further information.

Flame Retarding Chemicals Can Pollute Unborn Fetus Even More than PCBs

January 22, 2009   The American Council on Science and Health has defended flame retarding chemicals (PBDEs) saying there is no credible evidence they represent a danger to humans, yet a new study in Montreal, Quebec, has found that PBDEs can cross the placenta barrier and pass from mother to her fetus, accumulating in the fetus’ liver.

Use of flame retardants has increased during the past two decades with the chemical being found in clothing, electronics, mattresses, carpeting and furniture, essentially polluting all aspects of our environment. Click here for more information.

Pollution Levels Unhealthy in Southeastern Pennsylvania

January 26, 2009   PICEH’s Air Monitoring Station located at Kutztown University, which charts the levels of contaminants in the air we breathe, identified pollution levels increased Sunday night (1/18), affecting the air quality on Monday (1/19) in Harrisburg, Carlisle, Chester and Kutztown. Listed as “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups,” this may have been the first day of the fall/winter with a severe PM2.5 pollution episode where Kutztown’s average was the highest in four months and during which time SE PA violated the new 24-hour PM2.5 standard of 35 ug/m3.

While the pollution phenomenon noted is something seen in past winters where stagnant wind conditions with temperatures in the 20s coupled with very high NOx concentrations (traffic and power plant related pollution) lead to high secondary PM2.5 formation, the levels are significant and should be regarded as a concern for residents of these areas.

Estimates of unhealthy air conditions are based on data from PA DEP and PICEH real-time monitors that are not the official monitors used to determine whether areas are classified as nonattainment with the federal health-based standards.

Air quality levels in these areas have improved since this isolated event. 

For more information on the current air quality in your area, please click on PICEH Air and explore the many options you have to gather information in many formats from the tabs at the lower left of the page.

100,000 Children Being Recruited for National Study

January 16, 2009   The United States is launching an unprecedented, in-depth study focusing on how the environment impacts the health of humans from pre-term birth to adulthood. Volunteers are being recruited for the study, which is an ambitious undertaking dedicated to advancing the understanding of children’s environmental health issues. Encompassing the work of experts throughout the nation, Pennsylvania will become a part of the study in April. For more information, click here.