Be In The Know NJ » Environmental Issues

Chunky Peanut Butter Recall J.M. Smucker Company

rosie — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 18:52:31 +0000

The J.M. Smucker Company Announces a Limited Voluntary Recall on Two Specific Best-If-Used-By Dates of 16 oz. Smucker’s® Natural Peanut Butter Chunky Due to Possible Health Risk

Click this link to read more details about the peanut butter recall.

National Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Campaign Launches New PSA’s to Kickoff Lead Poisoning Prevention Week

rosie — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:44:27 +0000

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — The Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are joining the Ad Council today to unveil a new series of national public service advertisements (PSAs) to raise awareness about childhood lead poisoning. The PSAs are being distributed today to kick off National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW). Additionally, the campaign’s social media presence through Facebook and Twitter will reinforce to parents, caregivers and pregnant women that if their home was built before 1978, they should have their child tested for lead poisoning.

Childhood lead poisoning is considered the most preventable environmental disease among young children, yet an estimated 1 million children are affected. A simple blood test can prevent permanent damage that will last a lifetime. If lead poisoning is not detected early, children with high levels of lead in their bodies can suffer from damage to the brain and nervous system, behavior and learning problems (such as hyperactivity), slowed growth, hearing problems and aggressive behavior.

Please share the following PSA on Lead Poisoning Prevention click on this link.

What’s Going on in Prevention?-Updates from the Arc of New Jersey

rosie — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:46:38 +0000

NJ Coalition for Prevention of Developmental Disabilities, of The Arc of New Jersey has provided this timely and relevant update.

What’s Going on in Prevention?

New Jersey will begin to implement a new concussion law and new guidelines for managing sports-related concussions

A new test will be able to look for a biomarker that indicates exposure to alcohol in the umbilical cord of fetuses

A healthy pregnancy diet has been found to reduce the likelihood of birth defects

Toxic chemicals are being found in umbilical cord blood of babies and air pollution has been linked to pre-term births

A frightening new trend among youth has them able to creatively disguise underage drinking

The Great American Smokeout is November 17th!

rosie — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:51:34 +0000

The Great American Smokeout is a yearly event that encourages tobacco

users to quit (even just for a few hours or for a day). This year, the

event will be on Thursday, November 17th. For more information, visit

the American Cancer Society website

International Adoption e-Card Communications Campaign

rosie — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:34:42 +0000

An e-Card has been developed as part of a communication campaign to raise awareness about the importance of lead testing for children newly adopted from countries outside the United States. Internationally adopted children are a vulnerable population for lead exposure.

This information is important for:

• Parents of children adopted
within the last 3 months.

• Parents now going through the
adoption process.

• All future prospective adoptive
parents.

It is hoped the e-Card will help increase blood lead screening during the first medical examination of these children in the United States. The e-Card can be sent to parents and prospective parents of internationally adopted children by friends or family members
who would like to send congratulations and take an opportunity to also share a health tip for the child.

CDC e-Cards are used in the same way as those on commercial e-Card sites; however, CDC e-Cards can be sent for free. CDC e-Cards can be also distributed through messages and postings on social networks such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. The link to the e-Card has been posted on two parent listservs that reach about 3,400 members. From there, hopefully, members will forward the card to adopting
families and to other parenting listservs.

HHLPPB has a Web page with information on lead poisoning in children who are internationally adopted. Information on the page includes a parent fact sheet and a Web button that can be added to your Web site.

HHLPPB is planning more activities on this topic to coincide with 2011 National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week in October and National Adoption Month in November. For more information about this project, please contact Joyce Witt at 770-488-7491 or e-mail
her at LeadInfo@cdc.gov.