KY-A Syst Helps Us
Keep Homes Safe
Source: Kim Henken
If you want to protect your family by keeping your home free from the effects of pollution and environmental hazards, contact the (CountyName) Cooperative Extension Servicefor information about Ky-A-Syst for the Home.
This environmental stewardship program will help you identify, understand and combat health and safety risks in and around your home. Ky-A-Systhas 11 easy-to-use worksheets to help you assess factors that could have a negative effect on your health and safety and the environment. You can access this information by visiting the following Web site or by contacting me at the Cooperative Extension Service office.
The worksheets address a wide range of topics such as reducing indoor air quality health risks and improving the air you breathe; lead in and around the home; protecting water quality around your home; storm water management, and managing wells for drinking water. Other topics are managing hazardous household products; preventing, reusing, recycling and composting to manage household waste; safe handling and storage of liquid fuels; septic systems and other household wastewater treatment methods; improving yard and garden care, andsaving energy and staying safe with heating and cooling systems.
These worksheets will help you assess environmental health and safety risks in or around your home. Each worksheet has an action checklist to help you plan the steps you need to protect yourself and your family.
As you carry out the action checklist one step might be to test your home for radon. This test might reveal that yours is among the 40 percent of homes tested since 1985 with radon levels above the health standard.
Using strategies to prevent accidental poisoning could keep you from being one of the people who calls the KentuckyRegionalPoisonCenter every 20 minutes about the possible poisoning of a child. The most common items involved in these situations are cleaning products, pain relievers and personal care products.Do you know the number to call about a possible poisoning? It is 800-222-1222.
For more information on environmental and natural resources issues or concerns, contact the (CountyName) CES office.
Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.
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