What is the California Environmental Contaminant Biomonitoring Program?
The California Environmental Contaminant Biomonitoring Program is a new initiative that will measure levels of environmental chemicals in California residents. The Program was authorized by the State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2006. The law calls for the Program to systematically collect biological specimens, such as blood and urine, from California residents and to analyze them for the presence of designated environmental chemicals. The goals of the Program are to: • Determine levels of environmental chemicals in a representative sample of Californians; • Establish trends in the levels of these chemicals over time; • Assess the effectiveness of public health efforts and regulatory programs to reduce exposures of Californians to specific chemicals; and • Provide opportunities for meaningful public participation through activities and materials that are understandable and sensitive to the diverse needs of Californians. The Program will actively engage
