Vacuum Bag Participant Instructions

OMB Control Number: 0925-0593

Expiration Date: 07/31/2013

Vacuum Bag Collection Instructions, Phase II

National Children’s Study

Vacuum Bag Collection Instructions

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To be done Monday through Thursday.

The purpose is to send us a bag from your home vacuum cleaner

to analyze the dust.

Instructions for Vacuum Bag Kit Set-up
Remove contents of the Vacuum Bag Collection Kit (Photo 1).	Put disposable gloves. Gloves are to protect the vacuum bag from soap or oil on your hands.
Photo 1. Vacuum Bag Kit contents.

Write the date and mark the day of the week on the Vacuum Bag Kit with the marking pen provided. Obtain the vacuum that is used most frequently in your home (Photo 2). If the vacuum that is used most frequently in your home is a handheld vacuum, obtain the standard sized vacuum that is used most frequently. If you do not have a standard sized vacuum, collect the dust from a hand-held vacuum. Open the plastic-lined towel and place it on the floor next to the vacuum cleaner.	Photo 2. Vacuum with plastic lined towel
If you have a vacuum with a bag
Carefully remove the bag from your vacuum cleaner. Holding the vacuum bag over the plastic-lined towel, place the vacuum bag on the aluminum foil provided. Fold the aluminum foil around the vacuum bag. Place the foil-wrapped vacuum bag in the 2-gallon zip-lock bag provided. If you need to bend the foil-wrapped vacuum bag to fit it inside the zip-lock bag, that’s okay. Just be careful not to spill the dust. Carefully squeeze any excess air out of the zip-lock bag. Seal the zip-lock bag. (Go to step 10 below.)	Photo 3a. Wrapping the vacuum bag in aluminum foil. Photo 3b. Vacuum bag wrapped in aluminum foil and placed in sealed zip-lock bag.
If you have a bagless vacuum
Carefully remove the dust collection cup from your vacuum cleaner. Holding the vacuum dust collection cup over the plastic-lined towel provided, pour the dust onto the aluminum foil provided. If the contents are dense and do not pour out easily, reach in and grab the dust with your fingers. Make sure you have removed as much of the fine dust as possible. Shake if necessary. Fold the aluminum foil around the dust. Place the foil-wrapped dust in the 2-gallon zip-lock bag. If you need to bend the foil-wrapped dust to fit it inside the zip-lock bag, that’s okay. Just be careful not to spill the dust. Carefully squeeze any excess air out of the zip-lock bag. Seal the zip-lock bag.	Photo 4a. Aluminum foil layed out on top of plastic-lined towel. Photo 4b. Pouring dust out of vacuum dust collection cup with hand pulling the dust out. Photo 4c. Dust wrapped in aluminum foil and placed in sealed zip-lock bag.
Open the FedEx shipping box and place the zip-lock bag containing the vacuum bag or vacuum dust and the packing slip inside the box (Photo 11). Seal the box with the provided tape.	Photo 11. Place packing slip and sample in FedEx box.
Call FedEx to schedule a pick up (1-800-463-3399) for the next day or bring to a FedEx office the same day. This is prepaid. There will be no charge to you. Seal the FedEx box. Write the date that the Vacuum Bag Kit will be picked up or dropped off on the prepaid, addressed FedEx label and attach it to the FedEx envelope (Photo 12).	Photo 12. Ensuring label is attached to FedEx box.

Thank you for participating in the National Children’s Study.

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Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 15 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: NIH, Project Clearance Branch, 6705 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7974, Bethesda, MD 20892-7974, ATTN: PRA (0925-0593). Do not return the completed form to this address.