Meeting Information

EnvironmentalCommittee

SF Asthma Task Force Environmental Committee

MINUTES

Wednesday, January 7, 2009, 1:30-3:30 pm

Children's Environmental Health Promotion,

Fox Plaza, 1390 Market St. #410, San Francisco 94102

Attendees: Cristina Carasquillo (Green Action), Karen Cohn ( DPH), Cynthia Knowles ( SFE), Krista Ward (Breathe CA), Anjali Nath (Breathe CA)

1. Review Dollar Store inventory (Cynthia)

• Cynthia and Krista have visited stores to conduct research.  Reported that it is difficult to find ingredients or any information on the products investigated.
• Cynthis clarified that GS8 is consumer products with Green Seal, not updated for asthmagens yet
• Cynthia will check if Canadian Green Seal updates GS8 yet
• Discussed idea of proposing legislation that could require posting of warnings for consumer products modeled after warning posters for hardware stores.  It might be a matter of approaching store owners and asking how we can help promote use of safer products.
• Two strategies discussed included 1) Propose a regulation, get it passed and work on its implementation; 2) Provide consumers with information on products we recommend over others
• Karen suggested being poinsed to apply for mini grants that are put out annually.

2. Progress on CAFA Homes workplan

• Cristina Carrasquillo, Project Coordinator, Greenaction for Health & Environmental Justice attended and shared details about their project in collaboration with Californians for Pesticide Reform.  Project is focused on identifying buildings in SF who are willing to implement IPM methods.  Strategies include outreaching to property managers of multi-unit housing, surveying tenants about pests in their homes and use of pesticides, and developing and distributing materials from Property Managers and tenants.
• Karen suggested Laundromats and other outreach strategies to encourage tenants to complete surveys
• Krista will ensure questionnaire is included in Breathe CA newsletter
• SFE has places the questionnaires on their website already
• Karen offered to help refer eligible tenants to project; to distribute project flyers through outreach workers
• Cristina will email fact sheets to committee and will check if there are any funds to provide incentives to tenants completing surveys
• Karen helped DPH website http://www.sfdph.org/dph/EH/housing/Property.asp

3. Update on New American Media (Cynthia)

• Cynthia received great feedback from a gentleman who runs a cleaning service and proactively contacted her to solicit her assistance after seeing the press conference

4. Passage of Air Regulations - letter sent by SFATF; We learned that Jerry Hill was initially supportive and they need to resolve key issues around how those paying the fee will receive benefits.  May be an uphill battle.

5. Additional Agenda Items – discussion on consumer products.  Cynthia has some resources she can email.