In This Issue Monitoring Air Toxics at Oregon Schools Better Burning Tips for Cleaner Air Oregon Recycling Brings Good News	Monitoring Air Toxics at Oregon Schools On Oct. 7, DEQ and the Environmental Protection Agency will present information about air toxics monitoring at Harriet Tubman Leadership Academy in Portland. The monitoring is part of a national initiative to determine whether outdoor air pollution from industry, motor vehicles and other sources poses health concerns to schoolchildren. EPA is also monitoring for air toxics at Toledo Elementary School in Toledo, Oregon. For more information, see the Toxic Air Pollution Near Schools web page. Parents, turn off your engines If you need to wait to pick up or drop off your children at school, consider these facts: Idling vehicles emit significant amounts of pollution, including carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compounds. Children are more vulnerable to tailpipe pollution because their lungs are still developing and they breathe 50 percent more air per pound than adults. Children’s asthma symptoms increase as a result of car exhaust. Asthma is the most common chronic illness in children and the cause of most school absences. Visit DEQ’s "What You Can Do" web page for an idling reduction toolkit and other helpful resources. Better Burning Tips for Cleaner Air During colder months in Oregon, smoke from fireplaces and woodstoves is one of the largest threats to healthy air. Woodsmoke is basically fuel from your firewood that does not burn and becomes air pollution.  If you heat your home with wood you can take steps to burn cleaner (good for your health) and more efficiently (good for your pocketbook): Use only dry, seasoned wood.  Dry wood for at least 6 months. Burn only wood.  Do not burn garbage, plastics, rubber, paint or oil, briquettes, paper, etc. – burning these items releases harmful chemicals into the air. Build small, hot fires instead of large, smoldering ones. Don’t “bed the fire down” for the night. Holding a fire overnight is a fire hazard and can create serious indoor and outdoor air pollution problems. For more tips on how to burn smart, visit our Woodstoves web page. Oregon Recycling Brings Good News Oregonians, keep up the good work. Your recycling last year resulted in energy savings of 2.7 percent of all energy used in Oregon. In 2008, Oregonians recycled 48.2 percent of their throw-aways, an increase of 1.7 percent over 2007,   according to DEQ’s 2008 Oregon Material Recovery and Waste Generation Rates Report. “When people recycle materials, industry is able to make new products with significantly less energy and lower greenhouse gas emissions,” said Mary Lou Perry, DEQ solid waste specialist and report coordinator. “People who recycle really make a difference. They should be heartened by the positive effect that recycling has on the environment.” For more information, see our news release or web page about the survey.	DEQ toxics reduction workshop slated for Nov. 17 DEQ is hosting a free day-long workshop on Nov. 17 in Portland to address reducing toxic pollutants in Oregon’s environment. This will be an exciting event for those interested in pollution prevention, public education, incentive-based programs and cooperative efforts to reduce toxics. Speakers will share perspectives and present information about efforts to reduce toxics. The event will include brainstorming and small group sessions for participants to develop toxics-reduction solutions. DEQ will use ideas generated at this workshop in its toxics reduction strategy and report to the Legislature on reducing toxic pollutants in Oregon’s waters. See our web page for more information and to register. Get involved in a DEQ committee Looking for a constructive outlet to apply your passion and expertise to benefit Oregon’s environment? Advisory committees and work groups hosted by DEQ welcome diverse public input to help the state develop new environmental programs and policies. Learn more by visiting DEQ’s Committees and Work Groups web page where you will find a one-stop location to view active committees and any new recruitments under way for committee members. Advisory committees and work groups are crucial to DEQ’s policy and rulemaking activities. Says DEQ Director Dick Pedersen, “Public involvement in advisory committees is one of the ways we can help make sure many voices are heard when shaping the future of environmental protection in Oregon.”

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