Sanitizing 101 ( Drop-in Learning Lab)

  Sanitizers are used in lots of EH functions and there are numerous different types that are available.  This session will show attendees how to properly test some of the more common types of sanitizers. i.e. Quat and chlorine.  Attendees will learn how to dispense and test sanitizer concentrations and the different types of test kits available.  They will get to see firsthand that when you swish the test strip that it does in fact increase the concentration reading on the test strip.  Participants will get to see how hard it is to remove sanitizer from a surface that was sanitizer with too high of a concentration.  In addition, the learning lab will also demonstrate how sanitizer can cling to the inside of a spray bottle.  Attendees can participate in any or all demonstrations based on their knowledge and needs and will be able to problem solve issues identified in the field as it relates to sanitizers better and with more confidence.                             

Education to water, an educational mobilization in the French primary school (20m Lecture)

In France, an industrialized country where access to water is easy, it is also important to teach the children and teenagers, the importance of water in the daily life, nowadays and for the future. In this context, since 2001, a multidisciplinary pedagogic action is organized by the “H2O Association” and the Rector of Academy of Clermont-Ferrand (i.e., the main institution representing the Ministry of Education in the administrative parts of France).
At the beginning of the school year, children from primary schools work on different topics about the water (i.e., water and health, water as food, water as a major component of hygiene, water as an element of industrial or energy production, water and ecosystems ...). In April, an exhibition-meeting (called "Les Cours d'Eau d'H2O") is organized over two days by the “H2O Association” and the Rector of Academy. Many partners are showing their specificity with respect to water (i.e., institutions, communities, utilities, companies, associations ...) and they are communicating about water and culture, water and environment, water and health, water sports, water sciences, water and international solidarity, water and sanitation, weather, water and energy, water saving, water and agriculture... Every professionals of water have a stand and welcomes school children. Videos, quizzes, demonstrations, materials ... are used to train children to various aspects of water. For them, it is the opportunity to exchange with professionals about all the aspects of water. A specific educational document is distributed to each children. Moreover, they must complete a questionnaire specially elaborated by the exhibitors to oblige them to visit all the stands of the exhibition. Every year, more than three thousand children participate to "Les Cours d'Eau d'H2O".
Since 2001, an educational stand is animated by the students from the Faculty of Pharmacy (university of Auvergne), to teach the children about all the aspects of water and health. The characteristics of specific tools and the pedagogic approaches (film, quiz, leaflets ...), developed by the students and used during "Les Cours d'Eau d'H2O", will be presented.

Food-Safe Schools: Food Safety Beyond the Cafeteria (50m Learning Lab Tabletop/Group Exercise)

After the highly successful 2013 NEHA AEC Learning Lab "Food-Safe Schools Action Guide: Creating a Culture of Food Safety," attendees expressed interest in helping schools better manage food safety in non-traditional settings such as classrooms, kiosks, field trips, and other locations outside of the cafeteria. Food-Safe Schools: Food Safety Beyond the Cafeteria will do just that. By attending this session, participants will better understand the unique food safety requirements associated with Federally funded school nutrition programs, such as the National School Lunch Program (NSLP); learn about the operational complexities of the NSLP – such as serving food in non-traditional settings – that influence food safety; and explore how to collaborate with their school community to effectively, and practicably, address food safety challenges. Attendees also will familiarize themselves with food safety resources developed specifically for school nutrition programs. As a Learning Lab, this session will be primarily interactive through group exercises and roundtable discussions.

Determinants of lowest willingness to pay for water supply improvements among HIV affected and non-affected households (20m Lecture)

Abstract Aim: To explore the determinants of willingness to pay (WTP) for water supply improvements as well as the water practices amongst HIV/AIDS affected households and non-affected households for purposes of informing pro-poor and pro-HIV/AIDS water supply programs in Uganda.


Methods: A sample of 450 respondents with 222 from HIV/AIDS affected households and 228 from non-affected households was considered in Mpigi and Gomba districts. Respondents were household heads or their spouses or any other household member who played a significant role in household decision making and supply of the bulk of the money and necessities. Only factors significant at bivariate analysis were included in the multivariable regression analysis. Prevalence (PR), adjusted prevalence ratios (APR) and confidence intervals (CI) were generated.

Results:Results show that 30.6% of respondents lacked access to improved water sources. The determinants of lowest willingness to pay (WTP) for water were explored and results indicated that at multivariable analysis: those with monthly income above 100,000 shillings or USD 40 (APR: 0.39; 95% CI = 0.21 - 0.75) were less likely to pay lowest; those with secondary education (APR: 0.22; 95% CI = 0.10 - 0.49) were less likely to pay lowest; those with tertiary education (APR: 0.26; 95% CI = 0.08 – 0.84) were less likely to pay lowest; current vendor customers (APR: 0.43; 95% CI = 0.27 - 0.69) were less likely to pay lowest and those that made payments at primary water sources (APR: 0.43; 95% CI = 0.24 - 0.77) were less likely to pay lowest.

Conclusions: Current vendor customers as well as those that were contributing towards operation and maintenance of primary water sources through water user committees (WUCs) were less likely to minimally pay for water. HIV/AIDS affectedness and age were not significant explanatory factors for WTP. We therefore recommend that future water supply projects should mobilise, train and use water vendors and WUC members as entry points not only for providing local leadership but also for encouraging people to pay water user fees.

The Green & Healthy Homes Initiative – Implementing a collaborative model to address home based environmental health hazards (50m Lecture)

The Green & Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI) provides an integrated approach to control or eliminate all environmental health hazards found within the home. The GHHI approach includes a single portal of intake which gives residents in communities access to a broad range of environmental health services. The GHHI model uses an original Comprehensive Assessment Tool to identify all conditions in the home impacting environmental health. The resulting Scope of Work mitigates identified hazards through coordinated delivery of health, safety and energy efficiency services. Sixteen communities nationally have adopted the GHHI approach, replacing stand-alone programs with a strategy to reduce barriers to intergovernmental coordination, align existing programs, “braid” funding streams, and coordinate home-based environmental services. Over 4,500 homes nationwide have undergone green and healthy homes

interventions. The presentation will show attendees this new model, how to incorporate multiple and innovative funding streams to address environmental health, and highlight case studies from numerous partner sites to demonstrate the effectiveness of GHHI in improving the health of residents as well as their household finances through improvements in energy efficiency, earning potential and decreased maintenance costs. GHHI's philosophy envisions the combination of Healthy Home principals and Green retrofit activities will serve as a critical set of primary prevention measures which are essential to public health practice. The GHHI platform allows for an expansion of environmental health services that serve a broad range of vulnerable populations from infants to the elderly. 

Correlation of Vehicular and Industrial Emissions with Pediatric and Adult Asthma, Bronchitis, and Lung Cancer in Four Regions in Texas (Poster)

Recent studies indicate that air toxics are linked with increased cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and ozone precursor (VOC) are constituents of air pollution some of which are known to aggravate asthma and exacerbate pulmonary lung function in children and adults with pre-existing diseases. However, there is limited information concerning the correlation of the synergistic effect of ambient air industrial and vehicular emissions with associated lung diseases.

We aimed to investigate the correlation between extramural ambient air criteria pollutant levels with incidence and prevalence of lung disease for children and adults residing in four Texas regions (1, 4, 10 and 12) exposed to elevated toxic emissions. We used a SAS Pearson model to estimate the correlation of ambient air CO, SOx, NOx, VOC, PM2.5 and PM10 emissions with estimated incidence of lung cancer and prevalence of pediatric and adult asthma and chronic bronchitis in four Texas regions with the highest annual point source emissions from industry and vehicles in 2007-2008. We analyzed ambient air toxic measurements raw data collected by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Environmental Protection Agency. Annual industrial and vehicular emissions of NOx, PM2.5, PM10, SOx and VOC show positive correlation with pediatric asthma compared to anti-correlation with adult asthma, bronchitis, and lung cancer. Results suggest that high ambient air toxic pollution is correlated with asthma prevalence of children residing in Texas regions exposed to the highest levels of industrial emissions.