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Auto Emissions Tests More Stringent

May 5, 2008 - DENVER - Beginning today, cars and light-duty trucks in the seven-county Denver-metropolitan area will have a harder time passing enhanced emissions tests at Air Care Colorado testing facilities, operated by Envirotest, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Continued

Number of Radon Tests, Mitigation System Installations Grows Statewide

April 28, 2008 - DENVER - Growing numbers of Colorado residents are testing their homes for radon, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. During 2007, 18,807 Colorado homes were tested for the colorless, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas - an increase of 3,918 from 2006. Test results ranged from 0.05 to 605.8 picocuries per liter. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends installing a mitigation system in homes with readings exceeding 4 picocuries per liter. Continued

Colorado Debuts Roadside Emissions Testing to Identify High-Polluting Vehicles

January 10, 2008—Denver—High-polluting vehicles, identified by roadside testing equipment as they are driven, now are subject to additional inspection and, if needed, mandatory repairs as part of the auto emissions testing program in the Denver-metropolitan area. Continued.

Lead Found in Toys

This year the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Division, charged with ensuring the safety of consumer goods, has issued several toy recalls due to unsafe levels of lead found in the paint and plastics of certain toys. Children may be exposed through their normal hand-to-mouth activity. Only a certified laboratory can accurately test a toy for lead. Although do-it-yourself kits are available, according to the Center for Disease Control, they do not indicate how much lead is present and their reliability at detecting low levels of lead has not been determined. If you have any reason to suspect that your child has been exposed to a toy containing lead, remove the toy immediately. Most children with elevated blood lead levels have no symptoms. The only way to tell is to have a blood lead test. Your health care provider can help you obtain a test and can recommend treatment if your child has been exposed.

• For more information please see the following sites:
• Recall List
• Fact Sheet
• Health Impacts

Individuals Can Make Impact on Ozone Levels

June 29, 2007, Boulder - Individual and corporate participation in the Clean Air Challenge can significantly improve ozone levels in the community. Of the many sources of pollution, vehicles emit the largest percentage of the pollutants that combine to form ground-level ozone. They are also responsible for more than a quarter of annual CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions - the primary "greenhouse" gas. Continued.

Boulder County Public Health Asking for Input about Septic Systems

May 29, 2007, Boulder - In Boulder County there are over 14,000 households that use septic systems for the treatment of wastewater. In essence, they are each operating a miniature wastewater treatment system in their backyards without any ongoing monitoring of effectiveness. Of these systems, 4,700 (that's nearly 33%) have not been approved to ensure their design and installation meet the specific site requirements to achieve safe treatment of wastewater. Continued.

Fleas Test Positive for Plague in Boulder County

May 14, 2007, Boulder- A sample of fleas collected by Boulder County Public Health (BCPH) on Tuesday, May 8, from prairie dog colonies located near 63rd Street and the Diagonal Highway (CO 119) have tested positive for plague. The area, near the base of the Boulder Reservoir dam and adjacent to the City of Boulder Water Treatment Plant, has been posted with signs, and some prairie dog burrows will be dusted with a pesticide to reduce the likelihood of plague exposure from fleas. Continued.

EPA presents Environmental Achievement Award to the Keep it Clean Partnership

April 11, 2007, Boulder - On Tuesday, April 10, the Keep it Clean Partnership, formerly known as the Watershed Approach to Stream Health (WASH) Project, was awarded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 8's "Environmental Achievement Award." The award recognizes communities for their significant achievements in protection of public health or the environment. Continued.