Environment and Public Health Chapter 4

Environmental Impact

any change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, wholly or partially resulting from an organization's activities, products or services.

environmental impact assessment (EIA)

A process for reviewing the potential impact of anthropogenic (human-related) activities (e.g., a proposed construction project) with respect to their general environmental consequences.

Define Control-oriented measures

Deal with explicitly identified chemicals, groups of chemicals, or chemical processes; an example is the design of packages so that they are childproof and prevent young children's access to harmful substances.

Define monitoring

Measures of the level of an environmental toxin so that regulations can be enforced. Monitoring programs are in place for ozone and smog and for pesticide levels in foods, to name several examples.

Define Licensing laws

Require licensing and registration for new and existing chemicals; include requirements for toxicity testing, including the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

Define Standard-setting laws

Standard-setting laws Establish standards of exposure for chemicals used in specific situations; an example is the Clean Air Act.

environmental objectives

Statements of policy intended to be assessed using information from a monitoring program.

precautionary principle

States that preventive, anticipatory measures should be taken when an activity raises threats of harm to the environment, wildlife, or human health, even if some cause-and-effect relationships are not fully established.

Health Impact Assessment (HIA)

a method for describing and estimating the effects that a proposed project or policy may have on the health of a population

Examples of Risk Management

licensing laws, standard-setting laws, control-oriented measures, monitoring