TOXICS INFORMATION PROJECT (TIP)

(Lighting the way to Less Toxic Living)

Liberty Goodwin, Director

P.O. Box 40441, Providence, RI 02940

Tel. 401-351-9193, E-Mail: TIP@toxicsinfo.org

Website:  www.toxicsinfo.org

 

 

 

Background:  There is a lack of information & materials being provided in Spanish to Rhode Islanders about the many toxic chemicals in everyday life and products & on healthier alternatives.  Those not fluent in English are thus unaware of factors that can affect their health and their families - and how to protect themselves. 

 

Strategy:  We do not have sufficient bilingual resource people familiar with the concerns and information needed to provide health education on this topic.  We do believe that those already working in the Hispanic community, providing health-related services, are the best persons to carry out this additional outreach.    Therefore, we aim to offer these workers the information and training they need to add toxics education to their programs.  For this purpose we will:

 

1.Translate into Spanish informational materials about toxic chemicals in everyday life and products and healthier alternatives - including cosmetics, cleaners and pesticides.  Health problems connected with these substances, such as asthma, learning disabilities, allergies and cancer will be covered.

2.Establish a relationship with organizations and agencies providing health education and other services to Hispanics in RI and arrange to offer training for their workers to offer toxics information as part of their programs. 

3.  Bring resource people from Massachusetts to assist with the training, and provide the RI organizations with the materials to use in their follow-up with their constituencies.

 

Partners:  Through the RI DOH Office of Minority Health we obtained a list of Minority Health Promotion Centers, highlighting those that serve significant numbers of Hispanics.  We contacted the latter.  Interest in receiving and offering environmental health information was expressed at Center for Hispanic Policy & Advocacy (CHISPA), Progreso Latino, Genesis Center and Women’s & Infants Hospital (which does extensive training of various health professionals as well as educating Spanish-speaking clients).  We are gratified by the response so far, and expect participation to grow.  Several Massachusetts organizations, MA Clean Water Action, MA Breast Cancer Coalition & the Regional Environmental Council in Worcester, give presentations (some to Hispanics) on such topics as green cleaning, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, and pesticide concerns - including.  Indications are that they are willing to help us with the proposed training in RI, subject to scheduling convenience and personnel availability.  We have also identified at least 5 potential translators.

 

Resources & Training:  Interested health professionals, especially health educators and nurses, are invited to keep informed on the progress of this project and to receive resource materials when available.  We expect to form an ad hoc advisory group to help us determine details such as which articles to translate, and the time, place and program for the training event.   

 

 

 

In cooperation with the RI Commission on Disabilities, TIP introduced legislation this year to require the RI Dept. of Health to establish minimum accessibility standards for indoor environmental quality in public buildings and necessary services.  It would include fragrance-free policies, cleaning products, pest control, low VOC materials, in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, day care, etc.  Although the bill did not pass this year, we were able to obtain support for a Resolution addressing some of our concerns. Also, the RI Dept. of Health representative at the hearings mentioned an educational campaign as an option.  We intend to follow up on that - if we can cooperate with DOH and others to inform health care professionals and the public about household chemicals and indoor air concerns, it would be a great blessing!