Women's Reproductive Health & the Environment in Los Angeles County
Short Term Goals
Identified at the January 26, 2010 Convening of Experts
Research- Support and facilitate research using existing resources to investigate the effect of toxins on the reproductive health of the women of Los Angeles County.
- Use existing surveys (e.g. California Health Interview Survey (CHIPS), The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HANES), and existing serum banks (e.g. Los Angeles County
Prenatal Screening Program, California Triple Marker Screening Program) to investigate the effects of toxic exposures on women's health.
- Institute geo-code mapping to track areas where women live who have reproductive health challenges such as infertility, miscarriages, pregnancy complications, and poor pregnancy outcomes. Additionally, geo-code track congenital abnormalities and adverse birth outcomes. These data will assist in validating the need for future research.
- Identify knowledge gaps related to women's reproductive health and the environment amongst researchers and health care providers, and deliver education and training programs addressing identified knowledge gaps.
Community- Provide support for existing community advocacy programs, promote education of all stakeholders, and encourage green purchasing by government entities as an economic strategy to reduce environmental toxins.
- Support existing initiatives and build capacity for educational programs for families, communities policymakers, and elected officials on the role of environmental toxins on health and their role in reducing exposure.
- Implement advocacy strategies which encourage local governments and school districts to adopt green purchasing and integrated pest management policies and practices that reduce use and exposure to toxic chemicals.
- Encourage the development of economic empowerment zones that support clean technologies in businesses.
- Determine methods and procedures for regulating and enforcing workers rights to be protected from toxins; encourage the use of safer products, and ensure that the use of safer alternatives does not adversely impact working conditions.
Policy-Use research and community advocacy to educate policymakers in "win-win" strategies to avoid and/or minimize exposing our communities to toxins.
1.
Promote knowledge and enforcement of Proposition 65
(The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic
Enforcement
Act of 1986) which instituted a ranking system of
chemicals and products from
those that
"do not harm" to those identified as "very toxic" to
convey gradations of risk, and
places the
burden of proof of safety levels on the manufactures
and distributors.
2. Work with
existing consortiums of city planners, manufactures
and distributors, environmental
advocates,
researches, academicians, business leaders, health
professionals, and government
officials to
educate them about "green policies."
3. Determine
how to reword and realign messages that convey
environmental risks to inspire
activism.
