Resources for early care and education programs

The following resources provide guidance and information to help ensure child care facilities are safe from environmental hazards.

Lead in drinking water

How to reduce and prevent exposure

• Fact Sheet – Flushing: A short-term solution to reduce lead and copper

Sampling and technical assistance

• Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Water-Smart Program 
• Guide to sampling for lead and copper at schools and child care facilities

Financial assistance

• Clean Water Trust School Water Improvement Grants (SWIG) - Available to early education facilities and non-residential daycares

Questions? Contact the MassDEP Drinking Water Program at [e-mail].

Additional drinking water resources

Sampling and technical assistance

• Find a certified laboratory for water testing
• Drinking water guidance for early education and care facilities connected to a public water system
• Drinking water guidance for early education and care facilities with private wells in Massachusetts
• Additional drinking water guidance for early education and care facilities with private wells

Questions? Contact the MassDEP Drinking Water Program at [e-mail].

Lead-based paint

How to reduce and prevent exposure

• Short-term habits to keep your child safe from lead
• Protecting children from high levels of lead in soil
• Find a licensed lead inspector in your area
• Find a licensed deleading contractor

Sampling and technical assistance

• Guidance on lead paint requirements for group and school age child care programs

Financial assistance

• Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) grant
• Early Education and Out of School Time Capital Grants
• Financial assistance for deleading

Questions? Contact the Massachusetts Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Information Line at [phone].

Radon in indoor air

How to reduce and prevent exposure

• Fixing radon in your home
• Nationally certified radon mitigation professionals

Sampling and technical assistance

• Guidance on radon testing in multifamily, school, commercial, and mixed-use buildings
• Guidance on radon testing in homes
• Nationally certified radon measurement professionals

Questions? Contact the Massachusetts Radon Information Line at [phone].

Healthy indoor air

How to reduce and prevent exposure

• Clearing the air: an asthma toolkit for healthy schools
• How to choose a portable air cleaner for child care
• EPA Guide to air cleaners in the home
• Fragrance free: healthy air for little lungs
• Resources about green cleaning for child care providers
• Environmentally Preferable Products (EPP) Procurement Program

Questions? Contact the DPH Bureau of Climate and Environmental Health’s Indoor Air Quality Outreach and Education Unit at [phone] ext. 4.

Emergency planning

Extreme weather

• Extreme heat events
• Extreme cold
• Extreme weather

Flooding hazards

• Flood safety tips   
• Flood zone mapping tool

Poor outdoor air quality

• Wildfire smoke events
• Poor outdoor air quality

Questions? Contact the DPH Bureau of Climate and Environmental Health’s Climate and Special Projects Unit at [phone] ext. 5.

Safe siting

Choose Safe Places for Early Care and Education

• A resource for early childhood educators
• Training for child care providers
• Property questionnaire to request a free check of possible environmental hazards

State hazardous waste sites

• MassDEP 21e sites

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sites

• EPA cleanups in my community
• EPA Removal Action Sites
• EPA Envirofacts 
• EPA Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) where you live map

Questions? Contact the DPH Choose Safe Places for Early Care and Education program at [e-mail] or [phone] ext. 5.