Slum housing conditions that create environmental health hazards include vermin infestation, exposure to lead dust, damp living quarters, inadequate hot and cold running water, and inadequate heating.   Related health problems include insect bites, rat bites (involving deep puncture which quickly become infected), rashes, nausea, cramps, respiratory tract problems, headaches, coma and seizures, severe conjunctivitis, vomiting, fever, neuralgia and muscle pain as well as kidney and liver problems. The Coalition for Economic Survival (CES), in an effort to combat slum housing conditions and the health risks it creates, fulfills the role of tenant educator, organizer and advocate in several coalitions and programs.  CES is proud to be a key member of the Los Angeles Healthy Homes Collaborative.  CES informs tenants throughout the Los Angeles area about toxic environmental hazards, such as lead paint and mold, in their dwellings that create health problems. CES has been promoting a procedure to eliminate pests known as Integrative Pest Management (IPM).  IPM looks at the root causes of the infestation by first addressing structural issues.  Tenants have experienced various allergic reactions to fumigation in the building, including rashes, cold like symptoms, and shortness of breath. IPM, on the other hand, uses nontoxic pesticides which helps eliminate health concerns caused by the use of toxic pesticides. IPM is a partnership between tenants and landlords in which all parties do their part to maintain the home free of infestation. CES educates and trains tenants on their rights and actions that can be taken to improve substandard conditions.  CES assists tenants in securing required repairs, organizing tenant associations, and working towards the development of housing and health related policies.   Long-term exposure to lead, a naturally occurring metal used in paint prior to 1979, can cause serious health problems, particularly in young kids. Lead is toxic to everyone, but unborn babies and young children are at greatest risk for health problems from lead poisoning — their smaller, growing bodies make them more susceptible to absorbing and retaining lead. Each year in the United States 310,000 1- to 5-year-old kids are found to have unsafe levels of lead in their blood, which can lead to a wide range of symptoms, from headaches and stomach pain to behavioral problems and anemia. Lead can also affect a child's developing brain and, thus, suppressing a child’s IQ resulting in ensuring them a life of poverty.

Using the Widget Select your category from the drop-down list and enter your search terms in the text box. You may search on product name, UPC, brand, and level of concern. NONE, LOW, MED, and HIGH are reserved words and if added to the search will filter the results based on level of concern. Query results are limited to 30 products. If your query returns more than 30 products we suggest narrowing your search. The query results show the product name, the level of concern, and an icon of the level of concern (green for none or low, yellow for medium, and red for high). If the product name is too long to fit in the Widget, you can move your mouse over the product to find out the entire name. For complete test results click on the listed product to go to its details page on HealthyStuff.org.

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