Household Exposures to Hazardous Substances

Our main objectives of research (phases I, II, and III) are to 1) obtain product usage data, 2)construct a database linking consumer products with hazardous constituents and with potential healtheffects, and 3) establish means to communicate and educate the general public about potential healthrisks of household products including ways to minimize exposures. The tasks for phase I include aliterature search using on-line databases, identification of household products containing hazardouschemicals, designing a questionnaire for a consumer survey, and determining the feasibility of conductinga consumer survey via focus group testing. Tasks were also described for phase II, although this phaseis not a part of the current research application. The phase II tasks include the conduction of aconsumer survey, design a product/toxicology database, investigate a "900" help line, and developeducational materials for general public use. Phase III tasks include operation of a "900" help line at aprofit, distribution of a product/toxicology database, and dissemination of educational materials.