Young children’s brains, bodies, and organs develop fast. They spend time close to the ground where chemicals and pesticides are more likely to settle. This increases their risk of swallowing or breathing the chemicals and pesticides found in dust and on surfaces. Repeated exposure to these poisons may cause health, behavioral, and developmental problems. Some health effects may not appear until long after a child’s contact with chemicals.

Art Supplies

Art supplies may contain toxic chemicals. They may have strong odors or ingredients like lead, cadmium, asbestos, solvent-based ink, or other ingredients that can trigger asthma, allergies, headaches, and nausea. Choosing materials that have Art and Creative Materials Institute Approved Product seals (ACMI AP) helps programs reduce these risks. For example, water-based and washable markers are safer for children. Regardless of the products used, adult supervision is critical when young children are using art supplies.

Some art supplies may contain food allergens. Download, print, and share Potential Food Allergens in School Crafts and Supplies with staff who care for children with allergies.

Cleaning Supplies

Cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting surfaces prevent the spread of germs. But many common cleaning products have toxins that can irritate children’s skin, eyes, and lungs. Knowing which products to choose and how to use them can help programs reduce children’s exposure to harmful chemicals.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created Safer Choice Labels to help people find cleaners, sanitizers, and disinfectants that are safer to use around young children. For example, look for the:

• Safer Choice, Fragrance-free label to find fragrance-free products
• Safer Choice, Designs for the Environment (DfE) label to find less toxic disinfectants

Follow the instructions on the label and in the Safety Data Sheets on how to prepare, use, and store their products.

Pesticides

Pests, such as rodents and insects, can pose just as many problems as the pesticides used to control them. Programs can make safer choices to get rid of pests while reducing children’s exposure to pesticides.

Children may be exposed to pesticides by breathing them, touching contaminated surfaces, or putting affected toys or food in their mouths because pesticides can settle on them. Pesticide exposure may cause immediate symptoms such as headaches, weakness, nausea, difficulty breathing, or tingling. Repeated exposure over time may cause learning disabilities, behavior problems, and other health conditions. Repeated exposure during pregnancy may cause birth defects.

To reduce exposure to pesticides, programs can work with their local health department to track when and how pesticides are used in the community, such as pesticides used at nearby farms or buildings. Local health departments can also help programs decide when to use insect repellent to prevent diseases spread by insects. They could also find out about pesticides used at nearby farms or near their building if they are in an urban area.

One way to lower exposure to pesticides in Head Start facilities and families’ homes is to use Integrated Pest Control Management (IPM) to keep pests away.

The steps to IPM are:

1. Prevention: keeping pests out and removing their food, water, and places to shelter
2. Inspection: looking for signs of pests such as droppings, damage, the pests themselves, and where and how they are entering
3. Identification: finding out the kind of pests, what they eat, and their life cycle
4. Monitoring: looking for new damage or sources of food and water and evaluating how well IPM is working
5. Management: cleaning, vacuuming, and trapping with baits and gels, not sprays

Tips and Strategies for Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides

• Set up a policy with clear steps for safe storage, handling, and use of art supplies, chemicals, and pesticides. Train all staff and make sure everyone follows the policy.
• Keep all hazardous substances away from food and out of children’s reach.
• Whenever possible, choose arts and craft products with ACMI AP seals.
• Use cleaning products with safer ingredients. Look for products with a UL ECOLOGO®, Green Seal®, or Safer Choice logo.
• Avoid using aerosol sprays because they can spread chemicals easily and can irritate lungs and airways.
• Do not use sanitizing and disinfecting products near children.
• Learn about and practice IPM.
• Avoid bringing outdoor hazards indoors; use door mats at building entrances and remove shoes indoors, especially in infant and toddler spaces.
• Advise adults who work around chemicals or pesticides to try to wash up and change their clothes before they pick up their children.
• Close windows during local pesticide spraying, and clean outside play equipment after.
• Post the toll-free Poison Control number (800-222-1222) in case of possible poison exposure.

Learn More

• Resources About Green Cleaning for Child Care Providers
• Choosing Safer Products: Art and Craft Supplies
• Integrated Pest Management Toolkits
  • Early Care and Education Programs
  • Family Child Care Homes
• Toxic Chemicals: Steps to Stay Safer Before and During Pregnancy