Category: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)

Plain Language Past and Present, Part II

simplify

The Plain Writing Act, which requires government agencies to use plain writing in all documents, was passed in 2010—but the push to make writing clearer had been ongoing for decades. In this three-part blog series, Plain Language Past and Present, we highlight some of the interesting early efforts and events from the U.S. government website Read More >

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ATSDR in the Community

ATSDR in the Community

The community is always at the heart of ATSDR’s public health activities—from resident petitions and personal interviews to community meetings, workshops, and health fairs. Read More >

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Public Health Organizations Work Together to Stop Childhood Lead Poisoning

Enviornmental exposure questions?

There are no safe blood lead levels in children. About half a million U.S. children ages 1-5 have blood lead levels above 5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL), the reference level at which CDC recommends public health actions be initiated. Read More >

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Renovation 101

renovation

3 environmental health hazards to consider when you “do it yourself” You’ve probably seen this familiar home improvement storyline on TV: Homeowners are excited about knocking down walls and transforming their property into the home of their dreams when (wait for it), they run into an environmental complication that requires expert remediation. Although many homeowners Read More >

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Plain Language Past and Present, Part I: The Legacy of “Gobbledygook”

Ever been confused—or annoyed—by stuffy, stiff, hard-to-understand writing in a government document or statement? You’re not alone. For this reason, the Plain Writing Act of 2010 was passed, ordering U.S. government agencies to write in plain English. To support the law, the government created a website, https://www.plainlanguage.gov/law/, featuring guidelines, resources, and before-and-after examples. There’s also Read More >

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ATSDR’s Toxic Substances Portal

toxicsubstances

ATSDR’s Toxic Substances Web Portal makes it easy for researchers and individuals to find information about toxic chemicals, understand how these chemicals can affect health, and learn how to prevent exposure. Read More >

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Martin Luther King Jr. and Environmental Justice: A Leader Ahead of His Time

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Every year we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his work toward social justice, civil liberties, and equal rights for all. His actions, including civil disobedience and passive resistance, led to widely known legal achievements such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Might Read More >

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The National ALS Registry is more than counting cases

CDC/ATSDR recently released a new Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (Mehta, et al., 2018) presenting National ALS Registry findings on ALS prevalence. Read More >

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Children’s Environmental Health Day – Choose Safe Places for Early Care and Education

CSP

For thirty years, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has traveled to communities throughout the country to conduct investigations at hazardous waste sites to keep communities safe from harmful environmental exposures and related diseases. We’ve learned that in most states, licensing requirements for early care and education (ECE) facilities, such as nurseries, Read More >

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Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning Prevention

CO Poisoning

When power outages occur after severe weather (such as severe storms, hurricanes or tornadoes), using alternative sources of power can cause carbon monoxide (CO) to build up in a home and poison the people and animals inside. Read More >

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