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UNICEF to Share Video on President’s Task Force - November 2024

November 2024

See the full video — Healthy Tomorrows: What Is the U.S. Presidential Task Force and How Does It Work?

In 2023, UNICEF, part of the United Nations, established the Children’s Environmental Health Collaborative to galvanize international action to address children’s environmental health issues. The Collaborative engaged partners to amplify UNICEF’s work to protect children’s environmental health. As part of Children’s Health Month in October, the co-chairs of the Steering Committee of the President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children (Task Force) recorded a video for the Children’s Health Collaborative. In the video, Grace Robiou, director of the EPA Office of Children’s Health Protection and Leith States, chief medical officer in HHS’s Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health, describe the goals and work of the Task Force. UNICEF plans to disseminate the video to policymakers, public health officials, and others in developing countries as a model for how to coordinate cross-governmental efforts to address children’s environmental health issues.

Children's Health Month - October 2024

October 2024

October is Children’s Health Month. Throughout October, the Task Force will be working to raise awareness of the unique health risks faced by children from environmental factors. Federal agencies are emphasizing the importance of protecting children now so that they can grow up healthy and happy. Persons can find more information online, along with a Children’s Health Outreach Toolkit that can be used and modified by organizations to implement their own awareness activities or amplify those of the federal agencies.

The theme for Children’s Health Month is Growing Healthy, Growing Happy. Each week in October is focused on different sub-theme:

October 1-5 – Strong Bodies and Minds

• Children's growing bodies are more vulnerable than adults to environmental health threats. Protecting their health now is key to strong futures.

October 6-12 – Healthy Spaces

• Ensure homes, schools, childcare facilities, playgrounds and other spaces where children spend most of their time are built and improved with their health in mind.

October 13-19 – Empowered Communities

• Equip communities with the knowledge and resources necessary to guarantee every child, regardless of income, race, or origin is protected from health risks.

October 20-26 – Bright Futures Begin Lead Free

• National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week – Get the facts. Get your child tested. Get your home tested.

October 27-31 – Planning Ahead

• Keep children healthy in the face of a changing climates, natural disasters, and other emergency situations by preparing now for future challenges.

Sign up for the President’s Task Force email list to get access to more children’s environmental health and children’s safety information and resources.

Task Force Reports Progress on the Federal Lead Action Plan - April 2024

April 2024

Although the number of children in the U.S. exposed to lead has dropped significantly in the past decade, thousands of children are still exposed. Lead exposure is not equal among all children–national data suggest minority children, children living in families below the poverty level, and children living in older housing have significantly higher risk for elevated blood lead levels. No safe blood lead level in children has been identified.

The President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children has published its Progress Report on the Federal Lead Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts. The report provides a comprehensive update on efforts taken by the federal government and advancements made between December 2018 and April 2024 in reducing childhood lead exposures and associated health effects.

EPA and HHS Encourage Use of Federal Lead Resources in Early Care and Education Settings - March 2023

March 2023

View Letter

The EPA and HHS are working together to reduce children’s exposure to lead as signatories on a Memorandum of Understanding on Reducing Lead Levels in Drinking Water in Schools and Child Care Facilities, and together co-chair the President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children, comprised of 17 federal agencies and White House offices. This week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a joint letter to governors to encourage state and local governments to use federal funding to take actions to reduce and remove lead in drinking water in early care and education settings, like elementary schools and daycare facilities. Together, these initiatives highlight the federal government's dedication to taking action to reduce their risk of disease and impairment by lowering children's exposure to lead using federal and state resources and initiatives.

Children are especially vulnerable to lead effects because their bodies are still developing. Infants and young children are at the highest risk for life-long health problems from lead exposure. Lead poisoning can have both physical and psychological repercussions. Exposure to even low amounts of lead in children can cause anemia, behavioral and learning issues, and other problems. Therefore, states must coordinate their efforts to address lead in early care and education settings, where most American children spend a significant amount of time.

“The science is clear: there is no safe level of lead of exposure to lead — especially for our children,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The Biden-Harris Administration is taking a whole-of-government approach towards reducing lead exposure, especially in the environments our youth learn and grow. We are encouraging our state and local partners to join us in this critical effort and leverage the unprecedented levels of federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to reduce childhood lead exposure.”

“Children are our future,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to protecting children and the communities they live in by taking action to deliver clean drinking water, replace lead pipes, and remove lead paint. This collaboration between HHS and EPA will continue to advance lead remediation in elementary schools and child care facilities, protecting the health and well-being of future generations.”

EPA and HHS are delivering on the White House's Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan by encouraging federal, state, and local governments to use every tool to deliver clean drinking water, replace lead pipes, and remediate lead paint. Funding for this collaborative initiative can come from both the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, among other federal resources. It is especially critical to make improvements to places where children spend significant time such as child care centers, family child care homes, preschools, and Head Start programs. Together, these historic federal investments have the potential to be transformative and to act as a catalyst to achieve lead-free water for all, especially for children who are most susceptible to the health impacts from lead exposure.

President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is dedicating an unprecedented $15 billion to removing lead from drinking water including in early child care settings. In the coming days, EPA will be announcing this year’s drinking water funding supporting states, Tribes, and territories in upgrading critical infrastructure and improving access to safe drinking water across the nation. This funding builds on President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to deliver clean water and protect public health for all people, especially disadvantaged communities.

States can also take administrative measures to support the health and safety of children in early care and education settings by establishing or strengthening licensing and monitoring requirements or improving blood lead screening programs. In addition, states can provide technical assistance and resources to meet lead testing and remediation requirements, including use of the EPA 3Ts (Training, Testing, and Taking Action) voluntary program to help schools and child care facilities make progress on reducing lead in drinking water.

Learn more by visiting EPA WIIN Grant: Voluntary School and Child Care Lead Testing and Reduction Grant Program and HHS Strategy Resources to Support Access to Safe and Healthy Early Care and Education Facilities.

Task Force Principals Meet - January 2021

January 2021

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On October 28, 2021, the President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children (Task Force) convened a full meeting of the Task Force Principals from across the federal government. Task Force co-chairs Michael Regan, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Xavier Becerra, Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary hosted the meeting.

This event brought together cabinet level officials to reinvigorate the federal government’s commitment to protecting children from environmental health and safety risks and promoting action on children’s health in support of equity, climate change, and environmental justice. Becerra and Regan noted that while federal agencies have made great strides to protect and improve children’s health, there is more work to do, especially reducing inequities to ensure that all children are able to reach their full potential in life and protecting future generations from health impacts from exposures happening today.

Leaders from federal agencies including HUD, DOJ, DOT, NOAA, OMB, OSHA, USDA, CPSC and others noted their support for the interagency work of the Task Force. Three Task Force priority areas were highlighted: asthma disparities; lead exposure and safety; and climate, emergencies, and disasters.

• The new priority on climate, emergencies and disasters will help to coordinate and enhance federal activities to protect children’s health and safety in the face of such events.
• Building on its interagency asthma disparities work, the group plans to increase uptake of recently updated asthma management guideline for children and to expand support for comprehensive asthma interventions.
• The Task Force continues to make progress protecting children from lead exposures by aligning federal efforts to meet the needs of communities to reduce childhood lead exposures.

As part of closing remarks, Brenda Mallory, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, urged agencies to increase the degree to which they are addressing children’s environmental health and safety as part of their climate agendas.

Prior to closing the meeting, Regan reiterated a request that Task Force principals designate or confirm staff to serve on the Task Force steering committee and related subcommittees.

President's Task Force Principals Meeting Attendees

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Closer to Zero - April 2021

April 2021

FDA Action Plan for Baby Foods

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) has released a new initiative, Closer to Zero, that identifies actions the agency will take to reduce exposure to toxic elements in foods eaten by babies and young children to lowest levels possible. FDA has prioritized babies and young children because their smaller body sizes and metabolism make them more vulnerable to the harmful effects of these contaminants.

Previous work of the FDA and stakeholders has led to meaningful reductions in exposure to toxic elements. The FDA’s action plan builds on this progress and outlines a science-based, iterative approach for achieving continual improvements over time.

Further reductions in the levels of toxic elements in foods will be made by:

• Advancing the FDA’s research on and evaluating changes in dietary exposures to toxic elements
• Encouraging adoption of best practices by industry to lower levels of toxic elements in agricultural commodities and products
• Increasing targeted compliance and enforcement activities
• Monitoring progress of levels over time
• Setting action levels, with input from stakeholders

Related Resources:

• Closer to Zero Action Plan
• CU: FDA Shares Action Plan for Reducing Exposure to Toxic Elements from Foods for Babies and Young Children | FDA
• FDA Statement
• Infographic
• Metals Page