eastern pA

Place based environmental health is critical to keeping communities in Pennsylvania free of exposures to hazards such as lead, radon, pesticides, PFAS, and more. Awareness of these hazards is essential, especially for the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable citizens

Philadelphia is a diverse city. Approximately 49% of its residents identify as people of color, 42% of the population speaks Spanish, and 45% of the population has an average household income of less than $50,000 (24% below $25,000). There is a direct correlation between negative health outcomes and race, income level, and other social determinants of health correlated with these areas.

WHE intends to bring the programs and services it offers in Southwestern Pennsylvania protecting citizens from exposure to lead in their environment, reducing asthma triggers, and mitigating the health impacts of a hotter and wetter Pennsylvania, to other parts of the Commonwealth.

Lorna Rosenberg, healthy buildings manager

Eastern PA Staff

Lorna is recently retired from 36 years at the US Environmental Protection Agency, Mid-Atlantic Philadelphia Office, having focused on Superfund, Strategic Planning, Green and Healthy Buildings and Children’s Health during her long career. From 2003-2006 she was “on-loan” from the EPA to the Delaware Valley Green Building Council (a 501c3) when she served as their founding Executive Director before returning to the EPA. Prior to her time at the USEPA, Lorna was an Environmental Manager at Browning Ferris Industries and an Industrial Hygiene Specialist at the Allied Chemical Corporation. Lorna is a LEED Green Associate and has a Master of Science in Environmental Health from Drexel University.

impact

Since 2021 Women for a Healthy Environment has worked with Montgomery County Headstart to create cleaning and infection control procedures to mitigate COVID for teachers and students returning to the classroom. This included the selection of effective cleaning supplies which eliminate the virus with a short dwell time but are non-toxic to users with proper protocols.

WHE has also worked with more than 60 childcare centers through the Public Health Maintenance Corporation, to provide webinars and technical support on environmental exposures and compliance, such as lead dust and water testing, radon testing, integrated pest management, mold etc. Green Cleaning Starter kits were distributed to over 50 of the centers along with fact sheets and user information.

eastern pA

Eastern PA Staff

impact

Site by Fireman Creative

© 2022 Women for a Healthy Environment