Chapter 3: What Does Safe Siting Include?
Locating ECE programs on sites free of chemical and physical hazards or where those hazards have been identified and addressed best protects children’s health.
When an ECE program is being sited, it is important to determine whether the location is affected by past activities or hazardous substances from nearby sources or land uses. The following four key considerations come from ATSDR’s experiences working on ECE siting issues and are described in detail in this chapter. A thorough consideration of these four key elements can help ensure that exposures do not reach unsafe levels.
Key Considerations for ECE Safe Siting
Former uses of the site that might have left harmful substances
Migration of harmful substances onto the site from other sites, nearby infrastructure or activities
Presence of naturally occurring harmful substances
Access to safe drinking water