Take a tip from the Canadians. In a new report, the Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health and Environment recommends five actions that can help parents reduce the most common sources of toxic exposure in their kids. These are simple and often money saving modifications to regular household chores — good for kids and good for the environment.
5 Easy Ways to Reduce Toxins in Your Home
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House dust is a major source of children's exposure to all kinds of toxins, including lead and pesticides, fire-proofing chemicals like brominated and chlorinated flame retardants (BFRs and CFRs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and other chemicals. Exposure to these compounds — which have been linked to cancer, reproductive and neurological problems and endocrine disruption — isn't good for anyone, but may be especially dangerous for children and developing fetuses. (More on TIME.com: Baby Products Contain Toxic or Untested Chemicals. Are They a Danger?) To bust dust, parents should frequently vacuum, wet mop and dust with a damp cloth.
