STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF PUBLIC-HEALTH IN ENVIRONMENTAL-POLICY

Over the past 25 years there has been a steady decline in the role of public health agencies in environmental protection. This paper examine s the major factors that have contributed to that decline, including t he impact of federal environmental laws, the disparity in funding betw een regulatory and public health activities in environmental protectio n, and the emergence of risk assessment as a basis for environmental d ecisions. The methods of risk assessment and traditional public health approaches are contrasted, and the advantages of the involvement of p ublic health agencies are discussed. Recommendations are presented for strengthening the role of public health in environmental decisionmaki ng to address more effectively public concerns about environmental ris ks.