Children's Environmental Protection Act

The Children's Environmental Protection Act (S. 855) aims to strengthen federal health standards to better protect children and other vulnerable groups from environmental pollutants. The bill would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to apply a higher margin of safety when setting pollution limits to account for the unique physiological vulnerabilities of children.

For families, the bill would mandate that federally funded schools and daycare centers notify parents in advance of any pesticide applications and prioritize the use of least-toxic pest control methods. Additionally, it would require the government to provide the public with "right-to-know" information regarding chemicals found in areas where children play, while expanding research into how environmental toxins specifically affect early childhood development.