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PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor
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Ch. 585
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Article - Health - General
SUBTITLE 10. CHILDREN'S ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.
13-1001.
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS
INDICATED.
(B) "ADVISORY COUNCIL" MEANS THE CHILDREN'S ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ADVISORY COUNCIL.
(C) "ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD" MEANS EXPOSURE TO HARMFUL CHEMICALS
AND ONE OR A GROUP OF TOXIC CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, OR PHYSICAL AGENTS IN
THE ENVIRONMENT, RESULTING FROM HUMAN ACTIVITIES OR NATURAL
PROCESSES, THAT MAY IMPACT THE HEALTH OF EXPOSED CHILDREN. INCLUDING
SUCH POLLUTANTS SUCH AS LEAD, PESTICIDES, AIR POLLUTANTS, CONTAMINATED
DRINKING WATER, POLLUTED WATERS, TOXIC WASTE DUMPS, POLYCHLORINATED
BIPHENYLS, SECONDHAND TOBACCO SMOKE, AND INDUSTRIAL AND HOME
CHEMICALS, AND OTHER CHEMICALS AND POLLUTANTS THAT MAY IMPACT
CHILDREN'S HEALTH.
13-1002.
(A) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS THAT:
(1) CHILDREN IN THE STATE FACE AN ARRAY OF PREVENTABLE
EXPOSURES TO ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS IN THEIR SCHOOLS, HOMES, AND
COMMUNITIES;
(2) IN CERTAIN CASES CHILDREN ARE AT GREATER RISK THAN ADULTS
FOR EXPOSURE TO AND POSSIBLE ILLNESS FROM ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
BECAUSE CHILDREN:
(I) HAVE A DECREASED ABILITY TO DETOXIFY CERTAIN
SUBSTANCES;
(II) HAVE A GREATER SENSITIVITY TO ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
DURING THE STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH AS A RESULT OF THEIR
IMMATURE BODY ORGANS AND TISSUES AND WEAKER IMMATURE IMMUNE
SYSTEMS;
(III) HAVE DIFFERENT EXPOSURE BEHAVIOR PATTERNS, SUCH AS
HAND-TO-MOUTH BEHAVIOR, SPENDING A GREATER AMOUNT OF TIME OUTDOORS
NEAR HAZARDS, AND SPENDING MORE TIME ON THE FLOOR AND ON THE GROUND
WHERE CONTAMINANTS CAN CONCENTRATE; AND
(IV) INCEST TAKE IN A GREATER AMOUNT OF CONTAMINANTS DUE
TO THEIR EATING PROPORTIONATELY MORE FOOD, BREATHING PROPORTIONATELY
MORE AIR, AND DRINKING PROPORTIONATELY MORE FLUIDS THAN ADULTS;
(3) HIGHER RATES OF POVERTY ARE ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT PLACE
CHILDREN OF ETHNIC AND MINORITY COMMUNITIES AT DISPROPORTIONATE RISK
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- 3061 -
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