WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is once again recognizing October as Children’s Health Month. Each year, the EPA begins the fall season by raising awareness about the crucial role the environment plays in the ability for our nation’s children to grow up healthy and happy, according to the EPA.

“Every child deserves to breathe clean air, drink clean water and live in healthy, thriving neighborhoods,” said Michael S. Regan, EPA administrator. “At the EPA, we are committed to making this a reality by advancing policies that reduce health disparities, and ensuring that communities have the tools to safeguard their children’s future and lifelong health.”

Children, especially in vulnerable communities, are susceptible to the damages of pollution and climate change. Their developing bodies are sensitive to toxins—where they live can increase their exposure to pollutants and poverty can impact their recovery from environmental exposures. Early exposure to pollutants can last a lifetime, the EPA said. Most recently, the EPA took these actions to advance children’s health protection:

  • Launching the Kids and Climate Health Zone, a collection of stories and information about how climate stressors are impacting children’s health at various life stages across different regions of the U.S.

  • Reducing diesel emissions and creating cleaner air for children and communities by awarding nearly $900 million, through the EPA Clean School Bus Program Awards, to approximately 530 school districts to support the purchase of more than 3,400 zero-emission and clean school buses. This is part of an overall $5 billion investment.

  • Reducing exposure to lead in drinking water for families through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), which announced a $3 billion program to help identify and replace lead service lines. This effort is part of a $9 billion total investment to replace an estimated 1.7 million lead service lines nationwide, and includes $50 million in funding to reduce lead exposure in schools.

  • Preventing exposure to “forever chemicals” by investing $10 billion to tackle per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water, establishing the first-ever national drinking water standard for PFAS to protect over 100 million people, and initiating cleanup efforts at Superfund sites to protect children and public health.

  • Finalizing a suite of standards to reduce air pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants and an investment in the transition to a clean energy economy.

  • Strengthening safeguards to protect families and children from lead in contaminated soil at residential sites.
The EPA invites individuals to get involved this October and learn more about children’s environmental health.