Environmental health impact assessment: Evaluation of a ten-step model

"Environmental impact assessment" denotes the attempt to predict and assess the impact of development projects on the environment. A component dealing specifically with human health is often called an "environmental health im pact assessment." It is widely held that such impact assessment offers uniq ue opportunities for the protection and promotion of human health. The foll owing components were identified as key elements of an integrated environme ntal health impact assessment model: project analysis, analysis of status q uo (including regional analysis, population analysis, and background situat ion), prediction of impact (including prognosis of future pollution and pro gnosis of health impact), assessment of impact, recommendations, communicat ion of results, and evaluation of the overall procedure. The concept was ap plied to a project of extending a waste disposal facility and to a city byp ass highway project. Currently, the coverage of human health aspects in env ironmental impact assessment still tends to be incomplete, and public healt h departments often do not participate. Environmental health impact assessm ent as a tool for health protection and promotion is underutilized. It woul d be useful to achieve consensus on a comprehensive generic concept. An int ernational initiative to improve the situation seems worth some considerati on.