Great Lakes Center for Children's Environmental Health

GLC-RCEH affirms that Black Lives Matter:
The Great Lakes Center for Reproductive and Children’s Environmental Health recognizes that African American communities have historically suffered from a disproportionate burden of environmental pollution. Combined with the adverse health effects caused by lack of access to medical care, fresh food, and community economic investment, the additional burden of living with poor air quality, contaminated drinking water and soil, and older housing stock is absolutely unacceptable and must be remedied. To that end, the national PEHSU network, with input from GLC-RCEH, is currently undertaking a strategic planning process that increases our focus on ending environmental injustice. We look forward to increasing our efforts in this arena.

Shelter-in-place means a lot of us are spending way more time at home. Dr. Nick Newman from Cincinnati Childrens Hospital shares easy tips on how to protect you and your family from lead in the home

COVID-19 Safe & Healthy at Home This video is about how to help protect your family from lead exposure when you have to stay in your home

Dr. Beth Neary of the Region 5 PEHSU testified at the Wisconsin Capitol about lead, PAH, and PFAS. The PFAS bill addresses standards, grant programs, blood testing, and a cancer cluster study. Listen to Dr. Neary's testimony on PFAS at the State Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy:

Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy - WisconsinEye On February 7, 2020, the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy held a public hearing on bills relating to PFAS.

Dr. Beth Neary of the University of Wisconsin provides an introduction to environmental exposures in this 10 minute video. It provides information on environmental exposures and associated health effects and why children are especially vulnerable.

Neary - Environmental Exposures - SMPH Video Library Health Sciences Videos in the UW SMPH Video Library

January is National Radon Action Month. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer- nearly 21,000 people die a year from lung cancer caused by radon. Testing is the only way to know if your home has an elevated level of radon. There are do-it-yourself test kits available or you can hire a qualified radon professional to test your home. Learn more at

Find Information about Local Radon Zones and State Contact Information | US EPA Find local information related to radon, including your state radon program, with contact information, EPA Regional contacts and a state-specific map.

Our second annual 'Chemicals, Pollution, and Pregnancy: A reproductive environmental health conference' is happening next Wed, Sept 18th from 4-7 at Rush Medical University! This conference is geared towards healthcare providers and public health professionals, but all are welcome to attend. For more details and registration, visit https://bit.ly/2T79bzJ Registration closes this Wed at noon.

Chemicals, Pollution, and Pregnancy​: A reproductive environmental health conference ​ Description: Learn about the latest, most promising research developments and clinical advancements for toxicant exposures as they relate to for reproductive environmental health.

If you live in Lake County near Medline or Vantage, we'll be collecting blood samples as part of a surveillance project for ethylene oxide. We are at Cristo Rey St Martin College Prep today until 4 p.m.

Join us Wednesday, September 18th from 4-7 pm for our reproductive environmental health conference in Chicago! Topics will include PFAS, endocrine disruptors, and other environmental exposures. To register for free and learn more, visit https://bit.ly/2T79bzJ. Registration closes September 11th at noon.

Chemicals, Pollution, and Pregnancy​: A reproductive environmental health conference ​ Description: Learn about the latest, most promising research developments and clinical advancements for toxicant exposures as they relate to for reproductive environmental health.

Our May newsletter is out! Click on the link to see what's going on this month in children's environmental health and to subscribe to our monthly newsletters:

Region 5 PEHSU May Newsletter

Dr. Susan Buchanan was interviewed about endocrine disruptors on Chicago Access Network Television. She discusses sources of exposure, associated health effects, and ways to reduce exposure. Watch the interview at:

"The Threat of Hormone Disrupting Chemicals in Children" with Commissioner Avila and Susan Buchanan Commissioner Avila talks with Susan Buchanan, MD, MPH about educating the public on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) and the types of products used in ou...

Parental environmental exposures can play a role in and developmental delay. Kids were at greater risk for both if their mothers were living near pyrethroids insecticide applications just before conception or during 3rd trimester http://bit.ly/2p0jOFQ

Kids have a 60% increased risk of developing if their mothers lived near agricultural fields where organophosphate (OP) pesticides were applied at any point during their .

Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Prenatal Residential Proximity to Agricultural Pesticides: The CHARGE Study Environmental Health Perspectives is an Open Access journal published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.