Additional Resources
For New and Expectant Families
When a new baby is about to arrive, parents get to work preparing a safe environment for their new addition. Avoiding certain chemicals, eating healthy and exercising are vital during pregnancy. We’re here to help create a healthy environment by offering parents (and soon-to-be parents) resources for a safe and healthier pregnancy, baby and home.
“The scientific evidence over the last 15 years shows that exposure to toxic environmental agents before conception and during pregnancy can have significant and long-lasting effects on reproductive health.”
The umbilical cord is the lifeline between the mother and baby. However, studies show that the umbilical cord and placenta do not have the ability to protect the baby from harmful chemicals that the mother inhales, ingests, or absorbs through the skin
The Healthy Home Guide for
New & Expectant Families
Improving Our Indoor Air Quality
Within the home, many environmental triggers can impact the quality of the air we breathe, including cleaning products, ventilation, moisture, tobacco smoke, radon, and other household products. Poor indoor air quality can be a trigger for respiratory conditions like asthma and allergies both in adults and children.
- For routine cleaning of hard/non-porous surfaces, select plant-based soaps/sprays rather than petroleum-based products. You can even make your own cleaning products by using household items such as vinegar and baking soda to remove dirt and germs.
- For disinfecting hard surfaces, be sure to clean the surface first with a soap/detergent. Avoid bleach or chlorine based ready-to-use products and use hydrogen peroxide-based products for a safer alternative. Hydrogen peroxide (5-8%) or rubbing alcohol (at least 70%) can be used as a disinfectant and can be found in most stores.
Everyone has to deal with unwanted critters in their home. The droppings or body parts of cockroaches and other pests can trigger asthma and/or allergic reactions. There are safer and more effective ways to deal with pests than using chemicals. Insecticides and pesticides are not only toxic to pests — they can harm people, too.
- Some pest management methods pose less of a risk:
- Keep counters, sinks, tables, and floors clean and free of clutter.
- Clean up dishes, crumbs, and spills right away.
- Store food in airtight containers.
- Seal cracks or openings around cabinets and the home’s foundation.
- Use physical controls like sticky traps for insects and snap traps for rodents.
- If after using all these methods, you may need to consider using a pesticide; choose products that limit hazards.
Also known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), toxic fumes are found in paint, stains, adhesives, carpet, cosmetics, cleaning fluids, and air fresheners. Parents usually decide to paint the nursery before the baby arrives and do not realize that these paints could release VOCs, which can be harmful to parent and children’s health. Seek paints with low or no VOCs when renovating/ remodeling/repainting.
- Seek paints with low or no VOCs when renovating/ remodeling/repainting.
- Change your furnace/AC filter every three months and vacuum carpets regularly (with a HEPA vacuum).
Maintenance Makes a Difference
Keeping our home safe, intact, and maintained is crucial to limiting environmental exposures within our walls. Common exposures like chipping/peeling paint, rodents/pests, radon,
and mold can be linked to serious health effects
If your home was built before 1978, it is highly likely that lead-based paint is present. Lead is a neurotoxin, meaning it impacts the brain and central nervous system. When paint chips, crumbles, or begins peeling, the resulting dust contains lead and poses a health risk. Homes painted with lead paint on the exterior may leach lead into the soil when the paint is disturbed. Vacant lots may contain lead in the soil, especially if lead-containing products or materials were used in the once-standing property.
There is no safe level of lead in children. Even low levels of lead in blood affect IQ, the ability to pay attention, and academic achievement
If you live in a home that was built before 1978, keeping paint intact is crucial to minimizing exposure (especially around high-impact surface areas like windows and doors). Routine cleaning and wet dusting can also help minimize dust exposure.
If you are planning to do renovations in a home built before 1978, be sure to hire a RRP certified contractor who is qualified to minimize lead dust and properly clean after the renovation is complete. If you are planning to do your own renovation, make sure you are doing it in a lead safe way. Refer to GetTheLeadOutPgh.org for more information on safely renovating your home.
No More Mold
Mold grows where there is moisture, such as around leaks in roofs, windows, or pipes; condensation (e.g., warm air on cold surfaces); or where there has been a flood. Mold grows on paper, cardboard, ceiling tiles, and wood. Mold can also grow in dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery.
Some people exposed to damp and moldy environments can experience a stuffy nose, wheezing, red and itchy eyes or skin, while others show no symptoms at all. Individuals with mold allergies or asthma may have more intense reactions. Severe reactions can include fever and shortness of breath.
Mold Prevention
Humidity
Keep humidity levels low. An air conditioner or dehumidifier will help
Ventilation
Increase ventilation by opening doors and windows. Use fans and bathroom exhaust fans.
Limit Carpet
Limit carpet use in bathrooms and other high moisture areas.
Repair Leaks
Repair leaks as soon as possible. Find the source of the problem first, fix it, and dry the area.
Cleaning Mold
Clean mold with soap and water or 1 cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water.
Invisible Invader: Radon
Radon is a gas that you cannot smell, taste, or see, and it forms naturally when uranium, radium, and thorium break down in rocks, soil, and groundwater. People can be exposed to radon primarily from breathing it in air that comes through cracks and gaps in buildings and homes. Inhaling radon can cause health problems, as radon is known to be the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.
Test annually during the winter months, if the level reads above 4 pCi/l consider installing a radon reduction system in the basement.
Shop Smart
The more you understand the products you buy and bring into your home, the healthier your home will be.
Baby Products
Many infant and child personal care product brands have natural lines, but buyers beware that these products may still contain toxic chemicals. Choose products that are plant-based and have the fewest and safest ingredients. Remember, don’t expose your baby to products such as nail polish and makeup; they will have time for that as they get older.
Formula
It is not always possible to breastfeed, or a mother may have to supplement with formula. The American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends that you seek iron-fortified formula for all infants who are not breastfed, and use filtered water when preparing it. Make sure to use an NSF-certified filter to remove the lead from the tap water. If you cannot filter your water, be sure to always use cold tap water when preparing formula or cooking food.
Flooring
Many infant and child personal care product brands have natural lines, but buyers beware that these products may still contain toxic chemicals. Choose products that are plant-based and have the fewest and safest ingredients. Remember, don’t expose your baby to products such as nail polish and makeup; they will have time for that as they get older.
Cribs, Bedding, and Blankets
It is not always possible to breastfeed, or a mother may have to supplement with formula. The American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends that you seek iron-fortified formula for all infants who are not breastfed, and use filtered water when preparing it. Make sure to use an NSF-certified filter to remove the lead from the tap water. If you cannot filter your water, be sure to always use cold tap water when preparing formula or cooking food.
Your Guide to Smart Shopping
When selecting feeding items such as baby bottles and sippy cups, choose products that are PVC, BPS, and BPA free.
Beware of toys that contain toxic plastic softeners (phthalates), PVC (#3 plastics), and fragrances. When you’re not quite sure, avoid soft plastics that have a strong plastic smell (think rubber ducky). Also, be cautious of imported or antique toys that may contain toxic lead paint.
When buying a toy, look for items that are made from wood or cloth. If a toy can be reused (like a dollhouse or play set), then purchase a higher quality item.
Labels that say “eco-friendly” and “natural” are marketing terms, not legal standards. When buying personal care products for your baby, read the labels and avoid products that contain fragrance, parabens, phthalates, and triclosan.
Concerned your child’s toy may have lead in it? Contact us to conduct a toy test.
For Renters
The spaces we live in can impact our ability to learn and grow properly. Housing can be a contributing factor to health issues like asthma, allergies, lead exposure and other chronic illnesses. Poor housing conditions, chipping and peeling paint, pest infestations and holes in walls can be detrimental to health. WHE educates individuals about environmental risks and provides tools, resources and action steps tenants can take to ensure safe and healthy rental housing while helping create healthy spaces for families to live, learn, grow and play together.
Renters Guide to Healthy Housing
Understanding Tenant’s Right to a Habitable Home
As a tenant, you are entitled to live in an environment both safe and habitable. It is important to understand what your rights are and how you can work with your landlord to maintain a healthy and safe space. The implied warranty of habitability applies in all cases where someone is renting a place to live — whether a house, apartment, mobile home or lot in a mobile home park. It applies whether you have a written lease or an oral agreement with a landlord. The warranty is so important, it is in effect whether or not you and the landlord have specifically agreed to it. It cannot be given up (waived).
Under State Law
A landlord must make repairs necessary to keep your home in a safe, sanitary and healthy condition, provided you as a tenant did not cause the problem and provided you are current on your rent when the problem(s) develop.
This includes only serious defects such as:
- Leaking roof
- Dangerous wiring
- Broken floor
- Lack of water
- Infestations
If the landlord does not make repairs, the tenant has the right to repair and deduct the cost of repair from future payments to the landlord.
How to Assert Your Right to a Habitable Home
How to Assert Your Right to a Habitable Home Try to work the problem out with your landlord in a way that’s fair to both of you. If that doesn’t work, then you should:
What If the Landlord Does Not Fix the Problem?
Every case is different. Depending on the special facts in your particular case, you may be able to do the following:
Reduce the amount of rent that you pay, because of the problem. The amount you should hold back depends on how bad the problem is—the worse the problem, the more rent you may withhold. It is a good idea to keep the rent that you withhold in a separate bank account, so that you can pay the money later if a court decides you owe rent. Then, if your landlord tries to evict you and the judge rules that the housing conditions were not as bad as you thought, you will be able to pay the rent the judge says you owe.
Repair the defect yourself or have a professional repair it and deduct the cost from your rent payments. The repairs must be necessary to make the home safe and livable and must be reasonable in price. Get a signed receipt. When your rent comes due, give your landlord a copy of the receipt and pay the difference between your rent and the cost of the repairs. The cost of the repairs cannot be more than the amount of rent you owe for the lease term—for example, if you have a month-to-month lease, the repairs cannot cost more than one month’s rent.
Legal aid may be available to get back the rent you paid when your home was not fit or to get compensation for any injuries or other damages you suffer because of the landlord’s failure to make repairs.
This will require the landlord to make repairs.
If you move out, write to your landlord to provide your moving date and notify him/her you are moving because the housing conditions were not repaired. You should only use this option if the unit is totally unlivable. Your landlord may sue you for all the rent remaining due on the lease, so you must be able to show you had no other alternative.
Your landlord must obey any housing code which covers the place where you live. In some cases, the local code enforcement officer can make the landlord fix the problem, or at least help prove the problem really exists. The same is true for the Health Department. Contact your local government to see if help is available.
Reduce the amount of rent that you pay, because of the problem. The amount you should hold back depends on how bad the problem is—the worse the problem, the more rent you may withhold. It is a good idea to keep the rent that you withhold in a separate bank account, so that you can pay the money later if a court decides you owe rent. Then, if your landlord tries to evict you and the judge rules that the housing conditions were not as bad as you thought, you will be able to pay the rent the judge says you owe.
Repair the defect yourself or have a professional repair it and deduct the cost from your rent payments. The repairs must be necessary to make the home safe and livable and must be reasonable in price. Get a signed receipt. When your rent comes due, give your landlord a copy of the receipt and pay the difference between your rent and the cost of the repairs. The cost of the repairs cannot be more than the amount of rent you owe for the lease term—for example, if you have a month-to-month lease, the repairs cannot cost more than one month’s rent.
Legal aid may be available to get back the rent you paid when your home was not fit or to get compensation for any injuries or other damages you suffer because of the landlord’s failure to make repairs.
This will require the landlord to make repairs.
If you move out, write to your landlord to provide your moving date and notify him/her you are moving because the housing conditions were not repaired. You should only use this option if the unit is totally unlivable. Your landlord may sue you for all the rent remaining due on the lease, so you must be able to show you had no other alternative.
Your landlord must obey any housing code which covers the place where you live. In some cases, the local code enforcement officer can make the landlord fix the problem, or at least help prove the problem really exists. The same is true for the Health Department. Contact your local government to see if help is available.
Community Health Workshops/Kits
Geared toward young families, our Healthy Homes program provides free community-based workshops with hands-on activities, programming and Healthy Homes kits. With an emphasis on education and affordable solutions, we offer resources to families on maintaining healthy homes. Topics include lead exposure, mold, radon and green cleaning.
Free Healthy Homes Workshop Series
Our educational workshops outline different environmental health hazards in the home, how they impact our health and what families can do to help create and maintain a healthy home. The free Healthy Homes Workshop Series focuses on topics including Lead Exposure in the Home, Understanding Asthma and Air Quality, Creating a Healthy Home Environment, Consumer Product Safety, Green Cleaning, Personal Care Products and more!
Water Filters & Water Quality
WHE will distribute free water filters to any household with a child present in the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) service area. We typically distribute water filters during community workshops so residents may have the opportunity to discuss water quality issues. Brand: ZeroWater Pitcher
Green Cleaning & Asthma Action Kits
We distribute free asthma-friendly green cleaning buckets to reduce allergens, breathing triggers and safely address pests and mold in the home. Each kit contains (1) 12-quart bucket, (1) 24-ounce empty spray bottle, (1) 16-ounce white vinegar, (1) 1-lb box of baking soda, (1) microfiber cloth and (1) cockroach bait trap.
Personal Care Product Workshop
We host free community workshops with a hands-on activity to discuss safer alternatives to beauty products and personal care products. Participants will typically be able to make body scrub, bug spray, air freshener and much more.
Heavy Metal Testing in Household Goods
Within 30 seconds we can test cosmetics, dishware, jewelry, toys, paints and many more commonly used consumer products for the presence of lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium and determine if they are safe for you and your family to continue using or provide advice on what to do if they pose a dangerous risk.
