EPA to Host Four Lead Awareness Sessions in St. Louis to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposure

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7 - 11201 Renner Blvd., Lenexa, KS 66219

Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations

Contact Information: Kellen Ashford, ashford.kellen@epa.gov, 913-551-7298

LENEXA, KAN. (OCT. 13, 2022) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host four lead awareness training sessions in St. Louis in October and November to reduce childhood lead exposure.

The Enhancing Lead-Safe Work Practices through Education and Outreach (ELSWPEO) program comes as EPA celebrates Children’s Health Month and prepares for National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week Oct. 23-29.

EPA is hosting four free sessions in St. Louis:

Lead Awareness Curriculum Train-the-Trainer to learn how to use and modify the Lead Awareness Curriculum to teach your community about lead:

  • Tuesday, Oct. 18, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  • Neighborhood Innovation Center, 3207 Meramec Street, St. Louis, MO 63118
  • Register online

Understanding Lead to learn about lead, its impacts, and actions you can take to prevent lead exposure and lead poisoning:

Training for Contractors focused on Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) firms working on pre-1978 homes to become lead-safe certified under EPA’s RRP rule:

  • Monday, Nov. 7, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Courtyard by Marriott, 823-827 Washington Ave, St. Louis, MO 63101
  • Register online
  • Tuesday, Nov. 8, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Courtyard by Marriott, 823-827 Washington Ave, St. Louis, MO 63101
  • Register online

“This initiative demonstrates how collaboration between national, state, local, and tribal governments and organizations can protect underserved communities from exposure to toxic chemicals like lead,” said Michal Freedhoff, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “Many communities across the U.S. are still at risk for lead exposure, and we are committed to lowering and preventing it.”

During ELSWPEO outreach to 11 communities in 2021, this EPA initiative certified 282 contractors in lead-safe work practices and educated 245 community leaders and 170 community members with information about childhood lead exposure.

Building on this success, EPA is working with numerous partners to implement ELSWPEO for its second year, as part of its activities for National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week.

Learn more about ELSWPEO, RRP training dates and locations, and Lead Awareness Curriculum sessions.

Information on ELSWPEO in Spanish.

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Learn more about EPA Region 7: www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-7-midwest