Toxics Use Reduction Institute Announces 2003 Community Grant Recipients
Lowell, MA – December 11, 2003 – The Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute announced its 2004 recipients of the Toxics Use Reduction Networking (TURN) grants. Five projects from communities across the Commonwealth were selected based on their proposals to raise awareness and develop strategies to reduce the use of toxic chemicals in municipalities, schools, households and small businesses.
“This year’s projects touch upon the some of the key environmental issues facing all communities – building and renovating safer, reducing toxics in schools via cleaners and pest management, household use of products, and educating health officers about toxic hazards,” says Eileen Gunn, TURN coordinator.
The Healthy Affordable Homes Demonstration Site project lead by Pioneer Valley Project in Springfield is a continuation of last year’s grant, which educated homebuyers and developers about healthier building materials and construction techniques. This year PVP plans to develop a demonstration affordable house to showcase the feasibility and availability of materials that achieve healthier indoor air quality. PVP will collaborate with the Pioneer Valley Asthma Coalition, HAP Regional Housing Partnership, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The City of Somerville will launch a public education effort, “Lively Somerville,” to bring the application of practical green building principles to businesses, residents, and local government officials. Working with the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers and other citywide organizations, the City will develop bilingual educational materials, organize training workshops in English and Portuguese, and develop an interactive web page to promote the concepts of green building.
The Massachusetts Association of Health Boards (MAHB) will establish a framework to incorporate information on health effects of toxics and toxics use reduction techniques into continuing education for board of health members. The MAHB will integrate toxics use reduction into its statewide certification training program, as well as disseminate information in other mediums. In collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Environmental Health Science and the Harvard School of Public Health, MAHB will identify the role of boards of health in reducing toxics in their communities and feature model projects.
Seeking to reduce asthma triggers in the school environment, the Boston Urban Asthma Coalition (BUAC) will work with their existing Healthy Schools Committee to promote less toxic cleaners and integrated pest management practices. Custodial staff will receive training on identifying chemical hazards and implementing safe work practices, as well as pilot test safer cleaning products. Additionally, the school staff will be educated about proactive prevention strategies for minimizing pesticide use and asthma triggers. BUAC is working with the Boston Public Schools, Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Health and Safety, and the Boston Public Health Commission.
The Coalition for a Better Acre (CBA) in Lowell will broaden the awareness in Lowell’s Cambodian and Hispanic communities about alternatives to standard household cleaning products, in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Center for Family, Work and Community and the Greater Lowell Community Health Center. CBA will conduct “Reduce Toxics in Your Home” presentations at Health Center sites, community meetings and household meetings. This project is part of a larger effort to involve these communities in decisions about environmental issues in the City.
Each recipient receives $10,000 to implement the project. The projects culminate in June with a presentation of the grant outcomes at the State House.
Now in its ninth year, the Toxics Use Reduction Networking Grant Program has funded 62 partnership projects that serve as models for other communities. The many unique partnerships forged through TURN help sustain efforts and continually spread toxics use reduction concepts to new audiences. For more information on the TURN Grant Program, community resources and past projects, visit our community website at www.turi.org/community.
This page updated Friday August 12 2005