All News Releases By Date

EPA Knows More About Children's Health Today Than Ever - New Report Highlights 10 Years of Comprehensive Research

Release Date: 03/04/2008
Contact Information: Melissa Anley-Mills, (202) 564-4355 / [email protected]; En español: Lina Younes (202) 564-9924/ [email protected]

(Washington, D.C. - March 4, 2008) EPA knows more now than ever about children's environmental health and how to create a healthier environment for children. This is the result of a 10-year research effort on children's environmental health highlighted in a new report issued today.

"Understanding potential environmental health risks to children is important to EPA," said George Gray, assistant administrator of EPA's Office of Research and Development. "This research will help us assess and address environmental factors that may affect some of the most vulnerable members of our society."

The report, "A Decade of Children's Environmental Health: Highlights from EPA's Science to Achieve Results Program" focuses on 10 years of research funded or performed by EPA's National Center for Environmental Research's Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grants program.

The 1997 Federal Executive Order, "Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks," mandated all federal agencies to place a high priority on identifying and assessing risks to children. In 1998, the STAR program, which funds and supports human health, economics, ecology and engineering sciences, launched its own children's health initiative. To date, the program has awarded more than 60 grants and issued more than 10 research solicitations.

The report summarizes research from the STAR children's health program over the past 10 years, highlighting scientific findings in epidemiology, exposure science, genetics, community-based participatory research, interventions, statistics and methods. This body of work has impacted policy in the United States and influenced scientific directions internationally.

For more information: epa.gov/ncer/decade_childrens_research