800 Access The latest on environmental risks
By Judy Feldman

(MONEY Magazine) – For helpful, practical information on a variety of environmental health risks, call the Enviro-Health Clearinghouse at 800-643-4794. Operated by the federal government's National Institute of Environmental Health Science in Durham, N.C., the line takes calls weekdays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Your call will be answered by a technical specialist trained in biology, chemistry or related fields. He or she will be able to give you specific data and advice on 10 major issues, including commonsense tips on dealing with radon and lead in the home or how to tell whether a factory in your area is emitting toxins. Also available: the latest news on women's health issues, such as ovarian cancer and osteoporosis. If your query requires further investigation, the NIEHS will dig for extra facts and call you back with additional info and recommendations. Or if the answer to your question appears on any of the NIEHS' several hundred fact sheets, you will be sent the appropriate one free of charge.