LINKING RESEARCH AND POLICY TO ENSURE CHILDRENS ENVIRONMENTAL-HEALTH

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has made protectin g children's environmental health its highest priority. Data on how an d when children may be at risk are vital for accomplishing this goal. Recent examples of the link between research and policy include U.S. E PA actions to carry out the recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences on pesticides in children's food, reduce and prevent childho od lead poisoning, and revise national ambient air quality standards f or ozone and particulate matter. Today, the Food Quality Protection Ac t (FQPA), which makes protecting children from pesticide residues in f ood a national priority, is contributing to the growing need for data for decision making. Further impetus comes from provisions in the FQPA and 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments for establishing a screen ing and testing program for potential risks from endocrine disrupters. Another factor is the analysis that will be required under President William J. Clinton's executive order directing all federal agencies, f or the first time, to reduce environmental health and safety risks to children. Success of the U.S. international commitment to protect chil dren is directly tied to the strength and availability of environmenta l data. To meet such challenges, the U.S. EPA is revising key science policies, expanding research opportunities, and adding to the public's right-to-know tools. in this dynamic climate, there are growing oppor tunities for the research community to play a greater role in helping ensure the well-being of children living today and in generations to c ome.