Children’s Environmental Health
Our Children’s Environmental Health section focuses on identifying and reducing environmental risks that affect Guilford County children through education and regulations in partnership with public and private entities. Our staff completes evaluations of all childcare facilities, public and private school cafeterias, school buildings, and adult day care facilities.
Our staff is responsible for the enforcement of the North Carolina Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Regulations. We investigate and seek remediation of any known lead hazards associated with a child having an elevated blood lead level.
Information About Asthma, Radon, and Lead
The number of children with asthma in Guilford County continues to increase. Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children today. It is also the #1 reason why children miss school and one of the leading reasons why children visit the emergency room.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency children spend about 90% of their time indoors either at home or at school. We want every child to have a safe and healthy home. Visit NC Healthy Homes website for more information and tips on green cleaning recipes, a schedule for basic home maintenance, and other information on how to make your home a healthy home.
For more information, visit NCHealthyHomes.com
Despite efforts at education and prevention, children in Guilford County continue to be exposed to lead hazards such as peeling lead-based paint, lead-contaminated dust, mini-blinds, and other sources.
Nationally, about half a million children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with blood lead levels that are high enough to cause them harm. North Carolina has state regulations concerning lead poisoning and prevention that were recently updated. The new regulations lowered the blood lead action level for children and now include a blood lead action level for pregnant women.
Lead poisoning is 100% preventable with the proper education, training, and remediation. The Guilford County Division of Public Health offers free blood lead test for children under the age of six (6) in Greensboro and High Point. A variety of educational materials are distributed locally, in many different languages to parents, contractors, and health care providers. In addition to educational materials and recommendations, the division also offers the Preventive Maintenance Program to help homeowners and landlords identify potential lead hazards and eliminate or reduce them by using lead safe work practices.
For more local and state information regarding statistics, regulations or educational materials, please contact Guilford County Department of Public Health at 336-641-3771, or visit State of North Carolina Children’s Environmental Health Branch.
Lead Notes
For information on toys and other items recalled due to lead, visit Consumer Product Safety Commission. For information on the North Carolina Lead based paint hazard management program for renovation, repair, and painting, visit NC Health Hazards control unit.
Radon is a radioactive gas that is found in the earth’s rock below the soil. It is formed by the natural breakdown of radium. Radon gas is invisible and odorless. It is a health hazard when it accumulates to high levels (4 pCi/l or greater) inside homes or other structures. A high level of indoor radon exposure is estimated to cause between 15,000 and 20,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the United States. This accounts for 12% of all cancer deaths and is the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths in the United States.
The only way to determine if radon gas is a problem in your home or building is by measuring the level of radon gas present.
Guilford County Department of Health & Human Services Public Health Division periodically has free radon test kits. To inquire if we have any test kits, please call the Public Health Division at (336) 641-3771, or visit the North Carolina Radon Program.
Contact Us
Email or call us at 336-641-3771 with feedback, questions, or comments.