Asthma is a significant health risk for an increasing number of American children and adults. Many asthma attacks occur as a result of asthma triggers at home. Many solutions to these problems are actually quite simple. The California Asthma Public Health Initiative (http://www.betterasthmacare.org/) has excellent and simple to understand information on asthma prevention. I recommend their one page checklist. It is available in English and in Spanish. If every asthma sufferer did everything on this simple one page checklist, there would be a lot less asthma attacks in American homes.
Meth Lab Cleanup - Progress has been made by the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and the Cal/EPA Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) in the Development of a Health-Based Meth Cleanup Standard. The latest information from the public workshops for interested parties on the development of the health-based cleanup standard for buildings in California that were formerly used to illegally manufacture methamphetamine can be found at http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/SiteCleanup/ERP/Clan_Labs.cfm. The DOTSON Group, LLC has provided technical comments as requested to by DTSC staff to assist in its rulemaking activities. The California Industrial Hygiene Council (http://www.cihconline.com/) also has submitted comments on behalf of the industrial hygiene profession.
Radon can be a serious health hazard. While Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Smoking causes an estimated 160,000 deaths in the U.S. every year (American Cancer Society, 2004). Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year (EPA estimates). Estimates of the Risk of Where You Live can be found at http://www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html#more%20about%20the%20map. Most radon problems in buildings also have a simple solution. You can find out what to do about it at http://www.epa.gov/radon/index.html. (Note: The DOTSON Group does not test for radon, but can assist builders with identifying effective radon-resistant construction practices and corporations with employee education programs).
Green Buildings have well intentioned goals for energy savings but often result in reduced ventilation that may or may not be good for building occupants. The American Industrial Hygiene Association (www.aiha.org) Green Building Working Group is focused on encouraging the setting of standards that include meaningful air quality assurance measures so that the 'tight building syndrome" problems experienced in the US as a result of the energy crisis days of the 1970's are not repeated. Contact Kyle Dotson or the AIHA for more information on the goals, objectives and current activities of the AIHA Green Building Working Group.