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Healthy Stores for Metropolitan Washington, DC - Getting Better Advice and Products from Paint and Hardware Retailers
Thank you for your interest in helping reduce lead poisoning, asthma attacks, pesticide poisoning and other home-related injuries in Washington, DC metropolitan area. If you want to:
In July 2006, Tom Neltner and Janet Fox visited a national paint retailer. They asked about repainting the door to their kids' room in a home built in 1929. They explained that the paint was chipping off and they wanted to remove the paint.
The store clerk told them to sand down the paint to bare wood. He handed them sandpaper to get the job done. When they asked to see the can of primer they needed, they saw the following warning written on the lid of the paint can.
They read the warning to the clerk. The clerk said that you need to dry sand the old paint if you want the paint to stick. When asked whether the clerk is forcing a choice between a child's brain damage and a good paint job, the clerk said that you have to get the paint to stick. When asked whether there were other options, the clerk said that there are citrus-based strippers but they would cost $30. They asked the clerk if there were any booklets explaining the hazards of working with lead-based paint. The clerk said that there were none.
This advice was so wrong on so many levels that you need click here to understand them. Unfortunately, past experience in Indianapolis by Improving Kids' Environment shows that the advice is all too typical. Fortunately, IKE's work showed that the problem can be corrected with better management that understands the situation and makes correcting the problem a priority. Based on this incident, Janet Fox and Tom Neltner met with the vice-president of the chain and reached agreement on a plan for the chain to put in place policies, procedures and products designed to resolve the type of problem. They have not yet seen the results of the agreement.
Janet Fox and Tom Neltner were pilot testing a survey tool for volunteer shoppers to evaluate the quality of the product selection and advice from clerks at stores who sell paint, pesticides, furnace filters, and safety alarms and monitors. They visited several other stores that day. While not as bad as this incident, they encountered similar problems at the other stores.
Who is the project team? The National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH), Improving Kids' Environment (IKE), and the Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church (Cedar Lane UU) have partnered to offer this program. Tom Neltner and Janet Fox are the team leaders. Tom Neltner handles the technical aspects. Janet Fox handles the communication aspects.
Cedar Lane UU is led by the Cedar Lane Social Justice Council under the guidance of its Environment Task Force. The Social Justice Council is an elected body that provides opportunities for members and friends to translate into action their shared commitment to the ideals of justice, peace, freedom, compassion, and service to those in need. Cedar Lane UU's primary role is coordinating the Washington, DC survey and providing project guidance to ensure that the project promotes social justice.
NCHH's mission is to develop and promote practical methods to protect children from environmental health hazards in their homes while preserving affordable housing. Its primary role in this project is to serve as web host and technical resource. It is based in Columbia, Maryland
IKE is a non-profit, advocacy coalition that facilitates tangible and significant improvements to children’s health through reductions in environmental threats to children. Its primary role in this project is to provide the survey tool, survey experience, and experience with children's environmental health issues.
What are my commitments as a shopper? We are asking that each shopper visit at least ten stores, (or however many is feasible), as soon as possible before January 31, 2007. A visit means checking at least the paint department if the store sells paint and one other area (pesticides, furnace filers, safety alarms/monitors). Each visit should take no more than 20 minutes although the first visit may take longer as you get familiar with the process. You need to submit the completed form on-line, by emailing to Janet Fox at JFoxDreamArt@aol.com, or by faxing the form to 866-234-8505.
The five shoppers returning the most completed surveys will receive a free carbon monoxide alarm with battery backup and peak level recorder. The alarm retails at $48 each.
Finding stores to visit: We used the retail chain's website to identify stores in the Metropolitan Washington DC area. Here are the lists sorted by community and by chain. We will highlight stores that have already been visited by shading them out. Our goal is to visit each store at least once before January 31, 2007. However, it is OK to visit a store multiple times.
Finding the retailers by community: Finding the retailers by chains: |
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10320 Little Patuxent Parkway,
Suite 500 • Columbia, MD 21044
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