53

INDOOR ENVIRONMENTS: 

CURRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES

APPENDIX A

OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

OFFICE OF AIR AND RADIATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

OFFICE OF PREVENTION, PESTICIDES, AND TOXIC SUBSTANCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

OFFICE OF SOLID WASTE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

OFFICE OF ENFORCEMENT AND COMPLIANCE ASSURANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

OFFICE OF WATER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

OFFICE OF CHILDREN’S HEALTH PROTECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION AND RESOURCES MANAGEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

REGIONAL OFFICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
EPA’s Strategic Plan includes 

program priorities aimed directly at 

protecting human health indoors,

as well as protecting it as part of

broader environmental protection

programs. EPA’s indoor environments programs address well-known

risks, such as radon, lead, asbestos,

and environmental tobacco smoke.

These programs also provide tools

and guidance on good indoor environmental practices in residences,

schools, and office buildings. Other

EPA programs are broader in scope

(e.g., providing safer chemicals and

products, reducing exposures to 

hazardous waste streams, reducing

risks to disadvantaged and disproportionately exposed populations),

but have the protection of human

health indoors as a program component. Although EPA has made significant progress in reducing risks from

some well-known hazards indoors,

much remains to be done.

EPA’s strategic focus revolves 

around four main areas: science 

and engineering, guidance and 

policy development, generating 

public action, and measuring results.

The Agency believes that both 

regulatory and non-regulatory

approaches have value. Regulations

mandate behavioral changes by

industry and others to prevent 

exposure to toxic substances.

OVERVIEW

I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES • APPENDIX A

54

EPA OFFICES WORK T OGETHER

T H E C ARPET P OLICY DIALOGUE

This voluntary dialogue was jointly led by OPPTS and

OAR and included representatives of a number of other

offices within the Agency, as well as all interested

stakeholders (i.e., industry, unions, public interest

groups, other federal agencies). The dialogue resulted

in industry agreement to test new carpet floor-covering

materials for total volatile organic compound (VOC)

emissions and to explore ways to lower VOC emissions

from carpet products. Most importantly, the industry

undertook an extensive consumer education program,

in cooperation with other dialogue participants,

designed to provide the public with information on the

role that carpet products play in indoor air quality and

ways in which consumers can make informed purchase

decisions.

R ADON IN DRINKING WATER

OAR is collaborating with the Office of Ground

Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW) to develop a

unique and innovative drinking water rule for radon.

The cost-effectiveness of reducing radon risk is 

substantially greater for indoor air (from soil gas)

than from drinking water. Because of this, EPA, in

proposing a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for

drinking water (64 FR 59245, November 2, 1999), also

made available a higher alternative maximum 

contaminant level (AMCL) accompanied by a multimedia mitigation program to address risks in indoor

air. The proposed regulations will provide states flexibility in how to limit the public’s exposure to radon.
Non-regulatory processes are often used to

mitigate unexpected risks or to mitigate risks

through voluntary actions.

PREVENTIVE APPROACHES : 

EPA uses the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,

and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Toxic

Substances Control Act (TSCA) to prevent

hazardous pollutants from unnecessarily

entering the indoor environment. These

statutes require manufacturers or users to

submit information to characterize the health

risks a substance might pose before it can be

manufactured or distributed. EPA can then

direct the manufacturer to take measures 

to reduce exposure to the substance, such 

as limiting where and how much of the 

substance can be used, mandating labeling

and use of protective equipment to ensure

proper use, and requiring training of the

people who use the substance. Regulation

can also further restrict or even ban a substance when there is no other way to 

provide adequate protection. EPA works

closely with industry and other stakeholders

to assist them in reducing risks to workers,

communities, and the environment by 

developing pollution prevention and waste

minimization tools. EPA observations of

chemical plant incidents and subsequent

investigations are being brought to the 

attention of industry to learn from mistakes

made and to further upgrade indoor/outdoor

plant safety.

APPENDIX A • I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES 55

Measuring Results

• Selecting appropriate 

environmental indicators 

to measure progress

• Continuous 

improvement and 

adjustment of strategies 

and activities for 

achieving risk reduction 

goals

Science and 

Engineering

• Targeting the greatest 

risk first

• Identifying and filling 

research gaps

• Enhancing 

understanding of the 

multi-factorial nature of 

indoor environmental 

quality

Generating Public 

Action

• Establishing 

partnerships to 

communicate guidance 

and promote effective, 

timely action

• Forging constructive 

alliances to leverage 

resources and to ensure 

statutory authorities are 

used effectively

• Designing marketbased incentives to 

lower source emissions 

and providing the 

information necessary to 

make informed decisions

Guidance and Policy 

Development

• Developing and 

refining guidance 

using a broad-based 

consensus approach

• Preventing indoor 

pollution through source 

control and building 

management and 

construction

• Using a continuum 

of risk management 

approaches to control 

risks (information– 

motivation–incentives– 

mandates)

STRATEGIC FOCUS
APPROACHES FOR EXISTING RISKS : 

In some cases, products or materials in the indoor environment may 

present a risk to human health indoors. Besides emissions from products and

materials, chemical pollutants can be introduced to the indoor environment

from contaminated potable water, outdoor air, soil, and other external sources.

In some cases (e.g., asbestos, lead, radon), EPA’s approaches to addressing

these risks are, in part, specified by statutes.

In many cases, however, EPA’s approach has been to obtain non-regulatory,

voluntary actions by industry to address risks. The mechanism used for 

eliciting this voluntary approach has often been stakeholder dialogues. These

dialogues may result in the development of voluntary guidelines and standards based on levels of a pollutant, source emissions, ventilation parameters,

and building or maintenance practices either in lieu of, or in addition to, regulatory action. Other non-regulatory approaches that may be taken include risk

communication, training, technical assistance, cooperative partnerships, community activities, and other pollution prevention activities.

Discussions of each office’s priorities and activities for protecting human

health indoors are provided below.

I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES • APPENDIX A

56
OAR’s goal is to ensure that, by 2005, 16 

million more Americans are living or working 

in homes, schools, or office buildings with

healthier indoor air than in 1994. To accomplish

this, several measurable milestones have been

established for 2005:

● To reduce lung cancer, respiratory diseases,

and other health problems, 11.5 million

more Americans will benefit from healthier

indoor air in their homes by the:

■ Mitigation of 700,000 homes with high

radon levels and the construction of 

one million homes with radon-resistant construction techniques.

■ Reduction of the proportion of households in which children ages six and

under are regularly exposed to smoking

from 27 percent in 1994 to 15 percent.

● To reduce IAQ-related illness, five percent

of office buildings will be managed with

IAQ practices consistent with EPA’s Building

Air Quality guidance.

● To reduce health problems in the nearly 10

million children made ill annually from

indoor air problems in schools, 15 percent

of the Nation’s schools will adopt good

IAQ practices consistent with EPA’s IAQ

Tools for Schools guidance.

● To reduce the indoor air impacts on asthma, one million children with asthma will

have reduced exposure to indoor asthma

triggers. In addition, 200,000 low-income

adults with asthma, and 2.5 million people

with asthma overall, will have reduced

exposures to indoor asthma triggers.

NATIONAL E NVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

ASSOCIATION (NEHA)—R ADON

Working through a cooperative partnership,

about 100 NEHA employees are trained annually

on indoor air quality (IAQ) and risk reduction

strategies. In return, each individual develops a

one-year plan of action for achieving IAQ risk

reduction as part of their work. The results are

impressive.

Tom Dickey, an East Moline, IL local city health

department inspector, completed a three-day

radon training program in Washington, DC and

decided to pursue an incentive-based program

for encouraging radon-resistant new construction. He successfully encouraged the City

Council to pass a resolution granting a “radon

rebate” on the fee that the city assesses on new

homes if the homes are built to be radon-resistant. The rebate is roughly proportional to the

incremental cost incurred by builders in East

Moline to make their homes radon-resistant.

Since the rebate program was begun in June

1994, many new homes in East Moline have been

built to be radon-resistant. Mr. Dickey has mentored other NEHA/EPA radon community-based

risk reduction programs to encourage the use of

these kinds of highly-effective incentive strategies.

APPENDIX A • I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES 57

OFFICE OF AIR AND RADIATION (OAR) 
OAR has recently begun a new initiative on asthma. Its mission is to ensure

that indoor environmental management is an integral part of asthma 

management in the United States. Although both medical treatment and

indoor environmental management are needed to effectively control asthma,

the latter is not often practiced nor part of the prescription for managing 

asthma. The Indoor Environments Program will focus on two primary audiences: the public health/medical community and children with asthma and

the people who manage their environments. The Program plans to reach 

these audiences through several activities: 

● Health care/managed care summits

● A media campaign

● An in-home education program

● School/day care-based education of children

● Integration of ETS into tobacco control programs

● Improving indoor environments in schools

A number of different specific strategies exist to achieve OAR’s priorities. OAR

works with its regional offices, state and local agencies, and private partners 

to get local action on indoor environmental issues. OAR stimulates local

action on radon through the State Indoor Radon Grants program, which has

resulted in significant risk reduction in homes. A unique feature of the OAR

program’s voluntary efforts is a network of cooperative partnerships with

organizations that speak to and for the public, as well as key constituencies,

including county and local environmental health officials, susceptible minority

and disadvantaged populations, schools, real estate and building professionals, etc. This network allows OAR to leverage the personnel, expertise, and

credibility of these organizations, as well as mobilize hundreds of communitybased affiliates at the state and local level.

I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES • APPENDIX A

58
OAR also takes a proactive approach in providing a broad range of information about indoor air-related risks, as well as the steps to reduce them,

through the use of public awareness campaigns, guidance document 

dissemination, training course delivery, the operation of several linked 

hotlines and clearinghouses, a web site, and related outreach efforts. These

efforts reach a broad audience, including homebuilders and buyers, real estate

professionals, health professionals, environmental and public health officials,

facility owners and managers, school administrators and teachers, and service

providers (such as day care providers, maintenance personnel, and pest 

control companies).

APPENDIX A • I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES 59
Many of OPPTS’s priorities for 2005 relate to human health indoors.

By 2005, OPPTS expects that:

● Lead poisoning will be significantly reduced from levels in the early

1990s, with particular emphasis on children in high-risk groups.

● Of the approximately 3,000 high-volume chemicals in commerce and

the 1,000 chemicals expected to enter commerce each year, EPA will significantly increase the introduction and use by industry of safer 

or “greener”chemicals. Fewer than 100 cases per year will need 

regulatory management by EPA.

● There will be a significant increase in industry’s use of pollution 

prevention and “green approaches”in the design, development,

manufacture, and use of chemicals so that there is increased 

availability of safer substitutes.

● EPA will annually review about 2,500 Premanufacture Notifications 

submitted by chemical manufacturers and take appropriate risk 

management actions to protect human health and the environment.

EPA will concentrate on protecting children and workers from 

potential inhalation and dermal exposures.

● EPA has proposed to amend the TSCA Inventory Update Rule (IUR)

to collect information needed for risk screening and develop and 

implement a chemical hazard classification scheme.

● EPA will achieve significant progress in acquiring test data on 

chemicals entering commerce and high-volume chemicals, including

testing for endocrine disruption.

● There will be significant reductions in exposures to toxic fibers,

e.g., asbestos.

● Toxicity test data gaps will be identified for household chemicals which

result in substantial exposures to consumers and children. Toxicity 

testing actions will be initiated or completed for 50 percent of these 

chemicals. Risk management actions will result in significant risk 

reduction to consumers, and information/education programs will

empower them.

OFFICE OF PREVENTION, PESTICIDES, 

AND TOXIC SUBSTANCES (OPPTS)

I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES • APPENDIX A

60
● EPA will improve the ability of the public to reduce exposure to specific

environmental and public health risks by making current, accurate,

substance-specific information widely and easily accessible.

● EPA will provide chemical data and tools to the public for them to

understand and analyze environmental data. The data and tools will be

tailored to suit various needs, such as ranking potential concerns for

indoor environmental quality and “green design,”as well as product

labels to be easily understood by consumers.

● All pesticides licensed before 1988 will have complete and reviewed

databases, in accordance with the most current requirements, to 

support their uses (more recently licensed pesticides will already be 

in full compliance).

● Where necessary, consumer information on labels will be updated and

clarified to prevent unnecessary indoor use and exposures.

● For nearly all pesticides, risk assessments accounting for all sources of

exposure, including indoor exposures, will be conducted.

OPPTS programs are primarily oriented towards prevention rather than 

remediation. Both the toxics and pesticide programs operate in an environment of mandated deadlines and regulatory requirements. Science and risk

assessment are integral; harmonization of test methods between toxics and

pesticides, as well as with others both inside and outside EPA, is an important

operating principle. In addition, tool and data development in the areas of

exposure, hazard, risk, and economics are ongoing activities in both the toxics

and pesticides offices.

OPPTS has regulatory programs in place for two critical indoor pollutants,

lead and asbestos. Activities to address these pollutants include:

● Training and certification programs for workers

● State programs and grants

● Information disclosure upon real estate transfer and renovation

● Federally identified hazard levels

APPENDIX A • I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES 61
In addition to its re g u l a t o ry pro g ra m s ,

OPPTS also has voluntary pollution 

p revention activities designed to pro d u c e

safer indoor env i ro n m e n t s . OPPTS wo r k s

with industry stakeholders to dev e l o p

tools and information that can lead to

formulation of safer consumer pro d u c t s

for use in the indoor env i ro n m e n t .

Following Executive Order 13101, O P P T S

works with federal consumers, such as

the General Services A d m i n i s t ra t i o n

( G S A ) , to provide them with the information they need to make purchasing decisions that are better for the env i ro n m e n t ,

both indoors and out.

OPPTS also has the Pe s t i c i d e

E nv i ronmental Stewa rdship Pro g ra m

( P E S P ) . PESP is EPA’s pro g ram designed

to address the risks of pesticides and

e n c o u rage the use of safer pesticides. A

major element of PESP is the encoura g ement of voluntary partnerships with private industry to promote safer pesticides

and env i ronmental stewa rd s h i p.

Consumer education is important and

OPPTS is working with partners to 

clarify product labeling pro c e d u re s .

OPPTS is also working with partners to

d evelop tools to improve the assessment

of chemical safety in consumer pro d u c t s

and building materials.

I N D O O R EN V I R O N M E N T S : C U R R E N T PR O G R A M P R I O R I T I E S • AP P E N D I X A

62

C O N S U M E R L A B E L I N G I N I T I AT I V E

The Consumer Labeling Initiative (CLI) is a 

vo l u n t a r y, c o o p e r a t ive partnership to foster pollution

p r eve n t i o n , e m p ower consumer ch o i c e , and improve

understanding by presenting clear, c o n s i s t e n t , a n d

useful information on household consumer product

l a b e l s. G ove r n m e n t , i n d u s t r y, and other groups are

working together in the CLI to make it easier for 

consumers to find, r e a d , and understand label 

information about a product’s safe use and its 

e nvironmental and health impacts. This information

will enable customers to compare products and safely

use the ones they select.

B e t ween 1996 and 1998, CLI conducted significant

r e s e a r ch with consumers around the country which

included one-on-one interviews, focus groups, a n d

phone and written survey s. The purpose of the

r e s e a r ch was to determine how consumers use pesticide and cleaner labels, if and when they read the

l a b e l s, and what information they thought could be

i m p r oved or deleted.

The outcome of the research was a series of recommendations for label improvements in both language

and format, as well as the implementation of a 

consumer education campaign called “Read the Label

Fi r s t! ” The education campaign is now in full swing

and includes the distribution of posters; brochures on

the importance of reading labels; promotional items

with relevant hotline phone numbers, as well as the

campaign logo; fact sheets; TV and radio segments; 

a truck advertising campaign; and various train-thetrainer sessions given by our state and industry 

p a r t n e r s, as well as many other CLI participants.
APPENDIX A • I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES 63

ORD produces technical reports, methods, models, and other scientific 

information to improve the Agency’s understanding of the effects of indoor 

contaminants and their sources, as well as risk management options to reduce

exposure. In addition, this research provides technical information that is used

by OAR and OPPTS to develop guidance documents on indoor environmental

quality and understand the relative risks of various indoor contaminants.

The data produced by ORD are also used by product manufacturers to 

evaluate the risks posed by their products and by building owners and 

operators responsible for protecting tenants from harmful levels of indoor

contaminants. Specific activities planned by ORD are to:

● Develop information on the effects of both biological and chemical 

contaminants found indoors.

● Develop methods and models to quantify source emissions.

● Collect data on human exposures to indoor contaminants through 

field studies.

● Produce multi-pathway exposure models that include modules that

account for the contribution of contaminants from various indoor

microenvironments and take into account penetration of ambient 

air indoors.

● Develop information to aid school and building managers, the private

sector, and government officials in determining which control approaches (e.g., air cleaners, source management, ventilation system

design/operation) will have the greatest impact on risk reduction.

● Develop information for manufacturers of building materials and products that pose the greatest risk, assisting them in preventing and reducing emissions through product redesign and process changes.

OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (ORD)
I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES • APPENDIX A

64

ORD, OAR, and OPPTS have worked jointly to identify the most critical

uncertainties associated with indoor pollutants and have developed the 

following list of key research needs:

● Source Characterization/Solutions

■ Develop information on and prioritize indoor environmental sources,

and establish processes to reduce or prevent pollutant exposures

associated with those sources. The most important needs are: 

(1) prioritization of indoor environmental pollution sources in terms

of next actions, e.g., additional studies, guidance development,

industry dialogues, and pollution prevention; (2) development of

standardized methods for source emission testing; and (3) understanding of typical and high-end indoor exposures, how these exposures relate to indoor pollutant levels, and how their relative risks

compare to outdoor air problems and environmental hazards in

other media.

■ Assess the impact of building practices on indoor environmental

quality. Develop and compare investigation and mitigation 

techniques, including IEQ and energy performance of ventilation

systems in large buildings, cost/benefit analysis of IEQ controls, and

assessment of IEQ guidance utilization.

● Health Effects Assessment

■ Improve the Agency’s understanding of the health effects of indoor

pollutants, both chemical and biological, by developing data on the

risks of indoor pollutants, including irritancy, central nervous system

and sensory effects, and the effects of mixtures.
65

● Exposure Assessment

■ Improve the Agency’s understanding of the exposure-time-activity

pattern factors that contribute to multi-pathway indoor human

exposures. Characterize and provide an integrated assessment of

these exposures (e.g., inhalation, dietary, dermal) to indoor 

contaminants and to the dose within the human body, culminating

in a first-generation exposure model.

● Risk Assessment

■ Improve the Agency’s current knowledge of indoor environmental

risks by assessing risks from exposure to chemical pollutants, including organics, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter,

and microbiologicals.

Current ORD indoor environmental research is conducted as a component of

several broader research programs, including particulate matter, air toxics, and

human health protection, where indoor exposures contribute significantly to

the risks. Research will be conducted using ORD’s grants program under the

National Center for Environmental Research and ORD laboratories and 

centers using in-house research facilities and staff, as follows:

MAJOR RESEARCH AREA RESPONSIBLE NATIONAL

L ABORATORY

Source Characterization/Solutions National Risk Management Research

Laboratory (NRMRL)

Exposure Assessment National Exposure Research 

Laboratory (NERL)

Health Effects Assessment National Health and Environmental

Effects Research Laboratory 

(NHEERL) 

Risk Assessment National Center for Environmental 

Assessment (NCEA)

APPENDIX A • I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES
I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES • APPENDIX A

66

C ONVERSION VARNISH E MISSIONS

ORD completed a study which examines the emissions of formaldehyde and other organic chemicals from conversion varnishes into the

indoor environment. Conversion varnishes provide sturdy, chemicaland water-resistant coatings for kitchen and bathroom cabinets and

some furniture. They are made up of two components, a polymer resin

and a catalyst, which are mixed prior to application. The mixture then

reacts to form a continuous film coating on the surface of the wood.

The study showed that the organic solvent portion of the coating is

emitted quickly, typical of most coatings. These emissions will occur

mostly while the cabinet is still in the manufacturing plant. The

formaldehyde, however, is emitted by a different mechanism. Rather

than showing the emission behavior typical of most coatings, the

formaldehyde is emitted over a longer period of time. For the coatings

tested, the total amount of formaldehyde emitted was between two

and eight times the amount present in the formulation. This reflects a

net production of formaldehyde resulting from the chemical reactions

that occur during curing and ageing of the coating. In addition, the

formaldehyde emissions do not decay as quickly as other (evaporative) emissions more typical of coatings. Rather, the emissions level

out over time. The coatings continue to emit significant amounts of

formaldehyde even after 42 days, long after they could be placed in a 

consumer’s home. Modeling showed the potential for exposures near

the irritation threshold for formaldehyde from this source alone. The

next phase of work on this project is to test promising new alternatives to conversion varnishes to determine whether they can reduce

total emissions and indoor emissions (and therefore potential for

human exposure).
67

OSWER’s priorities applicable to protecting indoor 

environments include:

● Improve indoor workplace safety by reducing the risk of

industrial chemical accidents. OSWER will develop and 

disseminate alerts and advisories to industrial sectors based

on an enhanced knowledge acquired from increased EPA

chemical accident investigations. A joint EPA-OSHA

Chemical Accident Investigation Team is currently in place

to investigate major chemical accidents and disseminate

“lessons learned”to involved industry sectors.

● Reduce risk of worker exposure by reducing the most 

persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals in

industrial waste streams found at work. By 2005, reduce

these types of chemicals in waste streams to 50 percent of

1991 levels.

● Continue to develop and employ innovative strategies for

promoting indoor cleanup of contaminants by reducing the

cost of waste management without sacrificing human

health or environmental protectiveness.

● Continue to provide technical expertise and conduct

response actions using Comprehensive Environmental

Restoration Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)

authority. CERCLA authority may be used to respond to

threats of environmental releases of hazardous substances,

pollutants, or contaminants that are found within homes

and offices.

● Expand OSWER’s ongoing partnerships with the 

construction and remodeling industries to promote the 

use of safe and recycled materials indoors.

PROMOTING L OCAL GREEN

BUILDER PROGRAMS

OSWER, in partnership with

OPEI and the National

Association of Home Builders

Research Center (NAHB-RC),

is developing a model “green

builder” program, based on

existing programs in such cities

as Austin, TX and Denver, CO.

This program will educate

builders on environmentally

friendly construction and offer

them marketing incentives for

applying these techniques. The

model, which will be designed

to be easily adopted by local

home builders associations and

governments nationwide, will

be tested by the Greater

Atlanta Home Builders

Association as it develops its

own “green builder” program.

OSWER, OPEI, and NAHB also

jointly sponsored the first

Green Buildings conference

aimed at mainstream homebuilders on April 8-9, 1999 in

Denver, CO.

OFFICE OF SOLID WASTE AND 

EMERGENCY RESPONSE (OSWER)

APPENDIX A • I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES
68

I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES • APPENDIX A

Many of OSWER’s principles and strategies are designed to reduce risk to

humans in the workplace through concepts such as source reduction. OSWER

also seeks to reduce future risk inside plants by making unsafe processes safe

in the future. OSWER strives to employ good science and technology to make

sound environmental policy decisions which are protective and based on 

common sense and reality. The Office works closely with industry and other

stakeholders to assist them in reducing risks to their workers, to their communities, and to the environment by developing pollution prevention and waste

minimization tools and ideas. OSWER works to ensure that a high level of

public participation is achieved and that state and local involvement exists so

that policies and regulations are protective, equitable, and implementable.

OSWER also develops new technologies through research and promotes 

innovative remediation concepts (such as Brownfields) to achieve the timely,

cost-effective cleanup of previously contaminated sites and to develop policy

and regulation to prevent future ones from occurring. These cleanup actions

seek to minimize threats from exposure to contamination sources whose

routes can affect indoor environments (e.g., tap water or indoor air). These

pollution prevention strategies, risk management activities, remediation

strategies, and chemical emergency response/process safety work, aimed at

cost-effectively eliminating, reducing, or minimizing emissions and contamination, will result in cleaner and safer environments in which Americans can

reside, work, and enjoy life indoors as well as out.

OSWER also seeks to increase resource efficiency and improve waste 

management in the construction and demolition industries through the promotion of environmentally friendly building or “green building”programs.

While OSWER’s primary interest in this field involves expanding recycling and

reuse of building products, as well as reducing the amount of demolition

debris, the “green building”movement also includes such elements as energy

efficiency, water conservation, and indoor environmental quality. Therefore,

opportunities exist for OSWER, OAR, and other offices to join forces to create

effective, unified “green building”programs that command the respect and

interest of the building industries and the public. Through such programs, EPA

can further the construction of buildings that protect human health and environmental quality.
69

OECA’s priorities applicable to indoor environments issues are to:

● Work with media program offices to identify areas to be targeted 

(e.g., high-risk, disproportionately exposed populations and other 

priority areas of non-compliance).

● Provide the public, especially disproportionately exposed and underrepresented populations, with a meaningful opportunity to participate in

the development and implementation of environmental protection strategies that involve the National Enforcement and Compliance Program.

● Ensure that all federal and state enforcement programs include a plan 

for encouraging and responding to citizen reports of violations or other

environmental incidents.

● Develop the tools to identify or target particular areas or populations

associated with disproportionate exposure and other appropriate factors.

● Work with the Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice to

address case and policy issues that develop between agencies.

● Develop joint agency enforcement initiatives (e.g., EPA/OSHA joint

chemical pollution/worker safety cases).

OECA’s programs are primarily for the enforcement and implementation of

regulatory requirements. In the indoor environments area, OECA is currently

focusing on compliance with asbestos in schools requirements, lead-based

paint disclosure requirements, and illegal use of pesticides in homes.

However, through the Office of Environmental Justice’s (OEJ) Environmental

Justice Small Grants and Community/University Grants Programs, OECA has

funded numerous local projects dealing with indoor environmental issues, such

as lead dust, radon, and asthma. In addition, OEJ has worked closely with OAR

to support the Open Airways program and to jointly sponsor a training session

on asthma issues and solutions.

OFFICE OF ENFORCEMENT 

AND COMPLIANCE ASSURANCE (OECA)

APPENDIX A • I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES
70

Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA sets and enforces standards on 

public water supplies to prevent human health impact. Human exposures 

to contaminants brought into the home by drinking water can result from

inhalation and dermal exposure, as well as by ingestion via eating and 

drinking. EPA attempts to take all of these exposure routes into account in 

the risk assessments that are done for regulatory development.

Inhalation exposure is the major exposure pathway for the risk posed by

radon in drinking water. It is also a very significant exposure pathway for

other volatile contaminants found in drinking water, such as chlorinated 

solvents. Inhalation exposure results from showering, in which a large 

amount of water is aerated in a small enclosed space, as well as from other

indoor water uses.

OFFICE OF WATER (OW)

I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES • APPENDIX A
71

EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection was established in 1997 to 

promote children’s environmental health within EPA, across the federal 

government, in the non-governmental sector, and in states and communities.

MISSION AND GOAL

OCHP’s mission is to make the protection of children’s health a fundamental

goal of public health and environmental protection in the United States. The

Office’s goal is that every individual, community, organization, corporation,

and government agency will:

1. understand the link between children’s health and the environment, and

2. take positive action to improve children’s environmental health.

OCHP’s overall strategy for addressing risks to children is twofold: (1) to 

build the infrastructure and capacity to address children’s health issues at the

federal, state, and community levels and among private sector organizations

and individuals and (2) to increase awareness and action on children’s 

environmental health issues throughout all sectors of society.

EPA SCIENCE AND REGULATIONS

Within EPA, OCHP serves as a focal point for providing technical support on

children’s environmental health issues to policy makers and outside organizations. It promotes consideration of children’s health by media program and

research offices, and coordinates Agency-wide initiatives and interagency 

initiatives with other federal agencies.

OFFICE OF CHILDREN’S HEALTH 

PROTECTION (OCHP)

APPENDIX A • I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES
I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES • APPENDIX A

72

In the area of science, OCHP works to improve the science to increase our

understanding of children’s unique risk and provide sound data on which 

to base decisions by advocating for increased funding for children’s 

environmental health issues, improved risk assessment procedures, and the

conduct of a comprehensive longitudinal cohort study of the relationship

between children’s health and their environment.

OCHP works to improve the standard-setting process so that risks to children

are explicitly considered by providing guidance and analysis on the costs and

benefits of protecting children. OCHP works with the National Center for

Environmental Economics on indicators of environmental factors affecting

children’s health.

F EDERAL L EADERSHIP

EPA has exercised a leadership role in the federal community on children’s

environmental health, in part by recognizing the fundamental importance of a

top to bottom partnership with the Department of Health and Human

Services and other agencies through the President’s Task Force on

Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children.

STATES

OCHP provides resources and assistance to the states to develop programs to

address their children’s environmental health issues through state organizations such as: the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO);

the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS); the National Conference of

State Legislatures (NCSL); and the National Governors Association (NGA). In

addition, OCHP provides resources to EPA’s Regional offices to support their

efforts to build capacity in the states and local communities.
73

C OMMUNITIES

OCHP works with community organizations to help them understand and

address their children’s environmental health issues. Examples include: 

(1) the Child Health Champion Community Program to empower local 

citizens and communities to take steps toward protecting their children from

environmental health threats; (2) the Child Health Champion Environmental

Monitoring and Education Project to provide easily understood up-to-date

environmental information for communities; and (3) working with youth

organizations, such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, 4-H, the Future

Farmers of America, and the United National Indian Youth, to incorporate

children’s environmental health into their existing programs. OCHP maintains

EPA’s Children’s Health Protection Web Site, which provides information to

parents and others on ways to protect children from environmental risks.

PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS

OCHP works with private sector organizations on children’s environmental

health issues. For example, OCHP is working with health care provider organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American

Nurses Association, to promote the incorporation of environmental health into

pediatric and nursing practices to increase the ability of primary health care

providers to identify, prevent, and reduce environmental health threats to children.

APPENDIX A • I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES
OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION 

AND RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (OARM)

I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES • APPENDIX A

74

The Office of Administration and Resources Management’s main goal regarding

human health indoors is to provide a safe and healthful environment for EPA’s

own employees. Because of their expertise within EPA, OARM often works 

in conjunction with other EPA offices, other federal agencies, and outside

organizations on indoor environmental issues.

● As part of the EPA New Headquarters project, OARM performs chamber

testing, modeling, and specification writing to strive for improved indoor

environmental quality. The protocols that have been developed by

OARM for office furniture during this process are now being used in an

Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) project with the furniture

industry that will result in a national furniture testing program.

● OARM is also actively working with OPPTS to institutionalize the

“Green Cleanser”project and develop language to promote the use 

of these cleaners in EPA buildings.

● With Public Technology, Inc. (PTI), OARM participated in publishing two

guides for sustainability in buildings. OARM is continuing to work with

the President’s Council on Sustainable Development on these and 

related projects.

● With the General Services Administration, OARM has developed guides

for the management of asbestos and lead at federal facilities.

● OARM’s multimedia laboratory uses computer technology to build

learning and program support tools that have wide application in the

federal, private, and academic communities.
APPENDIX A • I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES 75

The EPA Regions support and implement the national programs

discussed earlier in this Appendix. In doing so, these offices have

demonstrated initiative and creativity in working with very 

limited resources to address indoor risks in innovative ways.

When available, the Regions use statutory authorities. For 

example, EPA Regional Offices are:

● Working with state and tribal partners to develop lead 

programs, per Title IV of the Toxic Substances Control Act,

for certification and training of lead workers.

● Working with state and tribal partners to implement radon

programs using the grant authorities of the Indoor Radon

Abatement Act to promote voluntary programs for radon

awareness, testing, and mitigation.

● Working with state and tribal partners to develop and

implement asbestos-in-schools management programs,

per the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act.

● Working with public water supplies to address the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Lead and

Copper Rule.

Of equal, and in some cases more, importance are unique efforts

for outreach, education, and technical assistance for non-regulatory programs, using a multitude of government, non-profit, and

other stakeholder partners. Examples include:

● Through Regional Indoor Air Quality Programs, efforts have

been tailored to educate the public on a variety of issues

using an increasing array of effective tools. Depending on

geography and climate, such issues as toxic mold, asthma

and its triggers, CO poisoning, indoor use of pesticides, and

environmental tobacco smoke are being addressed.

REGION 1 

NH T OOLS FOR SCHOOLS

Two schools in New Hampshire

were the first successful pilot

schools in the country to fully

and successfully implement

EPA’s Tools for Schools Indoor

Air Action Kit. The Pennichuck

Junior High School in Nashua

and the Little Harbor

Elementary School in

Portsmouth began the process

of implementing the Kit in the

Fall of 1996 by appointing an

IAQ Coordinator and forming

an IAQ Team. To better inform

team members about indoor air

quality and how to more fully

use the guidance, each team

was given indoor air training 

by the NH Division of Human

Health Services and an EPA

grantee, the NH Coalition for

Occupational Safety and

Health (NH COSH).

REGIONAL OFFICES
I NDOOR E NVIRONMENTS : C URRENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES • APPENDIX A

76

● IAQ in Schools is being addressed through

large outreach campaigns using EPA’s IAQ

Tools for Schools Kit. Leveraging of stakeholder resources is crucial to these efforts.

● Exposure to lead from paint, dust, soil, and

drinking water are addressed with large

outreach and education campaigns, incorporating many partners.

REGION 1 0

SEATTLE / ALASKA HEALTHY HOMES

Through a grant with the American Lung Association of Washington, the Master Home

Environmentalist Program promotes human health by increasing awareness of home 

environmental pollutants and encourages actions to reduce exposures. The MHE 

program uses innovative and holistic approaches to identify hazards and ways to make

homes healthier. The program relies on volunteers to reach out to local communities to

deliver the latest information about environmental health issues. Volunteers complete

extensive training in lead, dust, indoor air, household hazardous chemicals, and moisture

problems in the home. Outreach has been conducted in Galena, AK and Seattle, WA.

There is a new program beginning in Yakima, WA.

REGION 2

CLINICAL DIRECTORS NETWORK PROJECT

It is important to research effective ways to

reduce asthma morbidity and translate that

research into practice. Translation is the

focus of a Region 2-funded grant to a nonprofit entity called Clinical Directors

Network (CDN). CDN’s asthma project is

operating in 11 sites in four EPA Regions

nationwide. It is a clinically controlled study

designed to measure the improvement in

asthma morbidity that can be gained from

implementing both in-home environmental

interventions and improved clinical management of asthma. It makes use of the

“Best Practices” known so far, and will offer

insight as to the best ways to implement

this information.