Environmental Health

Have You Heard? Facts From The Field is a weekly feature from the Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support to provide CDC and the field with facts and news from state, tribal, local and territorial public health agencies. We invite you to read and share this information broadly.

View the Current Have You Heard?

October 18, 2016

Across the United States, fish are affected by pollutants in the bodies of water where they live; Michigan’s Eat Safe Fish resource provides information about how to make safer choices when choosing, cleaning, and cooking fish from the state’s 11,000 lakes, streams, and rivers.
The Lower Sioux Indian Community and the American Indian Cancer Foundation have developed a sustainable food system policy that encourages growing indigenous foods in community gardens.

July 29, 2015

Arizona’s Maricopa County has developed a new awareness campaign to educate residents, such as seniors and outdoor workers, about the dangers of extreme heat.
In a recent progress report, Minnesota outlines progress it has made [PDF-4.3MB] through public health tracking—MN Tracking—that compiles data on environmental hazards and people’s exposure to them.

October 9, 2014

Private groundwater wells are not covered by federal safe drinking water regulations, so some states—like Oregon and New Jersey—have laws that require well water be tested before property is sold to a new owner.
Oregon’s private well testing laws enable public health officials to monitor well water quality and help protect people’s health.
New Jersey’s Arsenic Awareness Initiative offers private well owners free, informative videos on how to test their drinking water.

October 1, 2014

The New York State Department of Health helped create a national Model Aquatic Health Code, which states and localities can use to create or update existing pool codes to reduce risk for outbreaks, drownings, and pool-chemical injuries.
New York’s extensive pool program can benefit from incorporating the science-based, data-driven guidance of the code.
Every two years, the code will undergo revision overseen by the nonprofit Conference for the Model Aquatic Health Code.

June 19, 2014

You can help prevent tick-transmitted diseases and “fight the bite” by sharing the Minnesota Department of Health’s PSAs about the importance of using tick repellent.
From May to October, Virginia’s Fairfax County sets about 4,000 mosquito traps with its Disease Carrying Insects Program and then tests the traps for West Nile virus.
The Massachusetts Department of Health is teaching its residents how to protect themselves from mosquito and tick bites with its Mosquitoes and Ticks: They’re Out in Mass! campaign.

June 13, 2014

Vermont’s interactive lake conditions map lets you see where harmful algal blooms are before getting in or on the water and includes info on how to recognize these blooms.
Every week North Carolina publishes heat-related data and safety recommendations, which has helped the state develop its first statewide heat response plan.
During the summer months, New Yorkers are especially vulnerable to heat-related hazards.
As the climate changes, we are exposed to new health risks. Oregon’s Public Health Division is working to better understand how we can prepare for these risks and protect our communities.

May 21, 2014

New York State has regulations to help protect swimmers and aquatics staff from injuries associated with pool chemicals, and educational materials [PDF 116KB] to help pool owners store and handle pool chemicals safely.
New York also runs a unique surveillance program to track illnesses and injuries from pool chemicals. Factors contributing to illness and injuries include inadequate product labeling, improper mixing or storage, and inadequate pool operator training or anti-siphon safeguards.
California has information and resources to prevent drowning, which is a significant cause of injury-related deaths among children under the age of five.

November 10, 2011

Over 35 states now have operational prescription drug monitoring programs that track abuseable medications.
Operation UNITE has been working since 2003 to prevent prescription drug abuse in eastern Kentucky by empowering and mobilizing communities.
Washington and Utah have developed clinical guidelines to help healthcare providers prescribe prescription painkillers appropriately.