Air Quality

Radon is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that can cause lung cancer. Radon can accumulate to dangerous levels inside homes, schools, and other buildings. Radon can be tested for easily and if high levels are found, it can be removed at a relatively low cost. 

Radon is a naturally occuring gas and comes from the decay of Uranium in the ground. As Radon decays, it releases radioactive byproducts that are inhaled and can cause lung cancer. Radon is not only found in selected areas, but is found throughout the world. 

Radon:

• Is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers
• Causes over 20,000 deaths per year in the U.S.
• If you smoke and your home has a high radon level, your risk of lung cancer can increase

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NEHA Radon Resources

Radon Data Standardization Webinar

Topics / Featured Speakers:

• Radon Pilot Project, Michele Monti, MS, MPH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Radon Communications Toolkit, Holly Wilson, MHSE, CHES, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Radon Data Collection in Washington State, Tina Echeverria, PhD, Washington State’s Tracking Portal

View Radon Data Standardization Webinar

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Environmental Health Saves Lives, Saves Money, and Protects Our Future

Environmental Health professionals ensure our air is safe by testing and mitigating radon in homes, schools and other buildings.

 

Built environment is the infrastructure of cities and towns that includes transportation, roadways, buildings, and land-use. Built environment design and development can help mitigate climate change, support adaptation, and improve environment and public health. The more resilient the built environment, the less impact from climate change.

Additional Resources:

• Building Healthy Places

• Designing Healthy, Equitable, Resilient and Economically Vibrant Places

• EPA Sustainable and Healthy Communities: Strategic Research Action Plan 2016-2019

• Resolve: Healthy Communities

• Smart Growth: Guides on Rebuilding Downtown

• World Economic Forum: Blueprint for a Greener Footprint

Climate change affects the air we breathe and the environment around us. It is most noticeable with air pollution—soot, smog, and toxic pollutants and includes carbon pollution, as well as methane and hydrofluorocarbons.

Additional Resources:

• EPA - Air, Climate, and Energy: Strategic Action Plan
• EPA Climate Change Information

• Climate Change Indicators in the U.S.

• Hydraulic Fracturing

• United Nations Environment Programme – Climate Change

• United Nations Environment Programme – News & Stories

Social Media Toolkit for Environmental Health Day

World EH Day, September 26, 2016, NEHA will be working with IFEH to engage with the community on the issues of second and third hand tobacco exposure.

This toolkit provides a set of sample social media messages, animations and graphics, key data points and newsletter blurbs that participants and supporters of this campaign can use in their personal and institutional accounts to distribute and amplify messages.

World Environmental Health Day Talking Points

• September 26, 2016 is World Environmental Health Day to recognize the importance of protecting the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink and play in.
• People in all communities deserve these basic essentials – safe water, clean air, safe food – to enjoy a healthy life and live up to their full potential.
• Communities benefit when qualified, trained, and competent environmental health professionals work with health care providers, officials, local leaders, and businesses to educate, monitor, and enforce standards for these critical air, food, and water necessities.
• EH professionals work with communities to reduce exposure to toxins typically found in tobacco smoke through sampling, enforcement, and education.
• Support smoke-free policies and the work of environmental health professionals who advocate for healthy communities.
• Tobacco harms in more ways than one. Children and pets are particularly vulnerable to second and third hand smoke.

Learn More Tobacco and Environmental Health Implications

• Environmental Health and Tobacco
• Second Hand Smoke
• Third Hand Smoke

 

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Social Media Messages 

1. It's #WorldEHDay and @NEHAorg is bringing attention to the harmful effects of #ThirdHandSmoke and #SecondHandSmoke http://bit.ly/2bFzmLv
2. DYK that #ThirdHandSmoke is the residue from nicotine attached to dust & indoor surfaces and is inhaled & absorbed via skin? #WorldEHDay
3. #ThirdHandSmoke is most dangerous to infants, children & pets, retweet & bring awareness for #WorldEHDay http://bit.ly/2bVYCMt
4. DYK that #ThirdHandSmoke is the residue from nicotine attached to indoor surfaces & absorbed via skin? #WorldEHDay http://bit.ly/2bVYCMt
5. DYK: Arsenic, lead, and carbon monoxide are all found in #ThirdHandSmoke http://bit.ly/2bVYCMt
6. As an EH Professional, you can be proud to help reduce the exposure of chemicals to the public from #ThirdHandSmoke http://bit.ly/2bVYCMt
7. #WorldEHDay is raising awareness of the negative effects of tobacco use and environmental health http://bit.ly/2bFzmLv
8. DYK: #SecondHandSmoke causes 41,000 deaths in the U.S. each year? Raise awareness for #WorldEHDay http://bit.ly/2c7XEM3
9. DYK: That tobacco-related deaths will result in 10-million deaths annually by 2020. http://bit.ly/2bFzmLv #WorldEHDay #ThirdHandSmoke
10. Smoking is on the decline, there is still work to be done. Thankfully, EH professionals are protecting the public. http://bit.ly/2c7XEM3

World EH Day is a way of bringing together the global public and environmental health community to focus on an issue that needs attention and awareness. On September 26, 2016 we are partnering with the International Federation of Environmental Health and the National Environmental Health Association to raise awareness about second and third hand tobacco use as well the way EH professionals deal with tobacco use and exposure to environmental hazards. Check out the links to learn more.

National Environmental Health Association (NEHA):

• World EH Day: http://neha.org/world-eh-day
• Environmental Health and Tobacco: http://neha.org/tobacco
• Third Hand Smoke: http://neha.org/third-hand-smoke
• Second Hand Smoke: http://neha.org/second-hand-smoke
• Post local World EH Day events on the NEHA Community Calendar

American Public Health Association (APHA)

• Tobacco: https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/tobacco
• Infographic: http://www.apha.org/news-and-media/multimedia/infographics/live-tobacco-free
• Reducing the Rising Rates of Asthma: http://www.apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy-database/2014/07/14/11/30/reducing-the-rising-rates-of-asthma
• Tobacco Free School Environments: http://www.apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy-database/2014/07/08/13/21/tobacco-free-school-environments
• Smoke Free Indoor Air: http://www.apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy-database/2014/07/15/11/31/smoke-free-indoor-air
• Supporting Regulation of E-Cigarettes: http://www.apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy-database/2015/01/05/12/58/supporting-regulation-of-electronic-cigarettes

National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)

• Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs at the Local Level: http://www.naccho.org/uploads/downloadable-resources/Best-Practices-Tobacco-Programs-Local-Level-2015.pdf
• Webinar: Creating and Enforcing Smoke-Free Multiunit Housing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z_lHDAcnrA&feature=youtu.be
• Webinar: Creating and Enforcing Tobacco-Free Environments at Colleges and Universities: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el4SygzDTkw&feature=youtu.be

Green and Healthy Homes Initiative

• Tobacco Resource Page:http://www.greenandhealthyhomes.org/home-health-hazards/tobacco-smoke

CDC in conjunction with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency  

• Second Hand Smoke: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/secondhand_smoke/
• Fact Sheet: http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/tobacco/
• Consumer Info:
  
  •  http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2006/index.htm

• http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2006/pdfs/no-risk-free.pdf

• Ventilation:
  
  • http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2006/pdfs/protect-from-shs.pdf
  • https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/protection/ventilation
• CDC Vital Signs Report – MMW:
  
  • http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6404a7.htm
  • http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/pdf/2015-02-vitalsigns.pdf

 

Graphics

   

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      

Environmental Health and Tobacco

Tobacco use causes 20% of cancer deaths worldwide, and it is estimated that tobacco-related deaths will result in 10-million deaths annually by 2020. We've come a long way since the mid-1900's in understanding the negative health effects of tobacco to smokers.

Health Effects

• Tobaccos smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals. Hundreds are toxic and about 69 can cause cancer. 
• Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. and causes over 438,000 deaths per year.
• Secondhand smoke causes 41,000 deaths in the U.S. each year from heart disease and lung cancer.
• While smoking is on the decline for both adults and students, there is still work to be done.

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What Environmental Health Professionals are Doing

Environmental Health professionals conduct a variety of activities to control tobacco exposure, such as:

• Investigate - Complaints and sample environments that may have unhealthy levels.
• Enforce - Many municipalities across the county prohibit smoking in public places, so EH professionals enforce local codes, ordinances, and statutes restricting tobacco use. While there are not well-established exposure limits for tobacco smoke, there are many exposure limits for specific chemicals within tobacco smoke. Some of these chemicals have exposure limits for occupational settings.
• Educate - Environmental Health agencies provide many educational resources and programs in awareness and tobacco cessation. They spearhead health campaigns to prevent illness and injury. Read about what local environmental health agencies are doing for their communities. 

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Emerging Issues

• Third-Hand Smoke

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NEHA Resources

• World Environmental Health Day - Celebrate with NEHA on September 26, 2016. This year's theme is tobacco control and NEHA is focusing specifically on the negative health effects of second and third hand smoke to both individuals and societies. Help us raise awareness of the environmental health implications of tobacco use. 

• Third-Hand Smoke

• Second Hand Smoke
• Tobacco and EH Professionals

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Additional Resources

American Public Health Association (APHA)

• Webpage: Tobacco 
• Infographic: Live Tobacco Free Infographic
• Policy Statement: Reducing the Rising Rates of Asthma
• Policy Statement: Tobacco Free School Environments
• Policy Statement: Smoke Free Indoor Air   
• Policy Statement: Supporting Regulation of E-Cigarettes   
   

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in conjunction with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency  (EPA)

• Fact Sheet: Tobacco Fact Sheet  
• Fact Sheet: Tobacco Use and Secondhand Smoke Exposure is High in Multiunit Housing
   

Green and Healthy Homes Initiative

• Webpage: Tobacco Resource Page 

National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)

• Factsheets:
  
  • Documentation Considerations for Accreditation: Tobacco Prevention and Control
  • Local Public Health Policy on Electronic Smoking Devices
• Guide: Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs at the Local Level
• Impact Stories: Tobacco Prevention and Control Stories from the Field
• Policy Statement: Indoor Air Quality and Public Health
• Report: Building Healthy Communities: Action Planning for Tobacco Prevention and Control
• Webinars:
  
  • Creating and Enforcing Smoke-Free Multiunit Housing
  • Creating and Enforcing Tobacco-Free Environments at Colleges and Universities
  • How State and Local Health Departments Can Leverage CDC’s 2015 Tips Campaign

 

Second Hand Smoke 

Second hand smoke occurs when someone uses and exhales tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, and the smoke is then inhaled involuntarily by others.

Health Effects

• Tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, including hundreds that are toxic and about 70 that can cause cancer.
• Since 1964 it is estimated that 2.5 million deaths are attributed in the U.S. to health problems caused by exposure to secondhand smoke.