Environmental Health

Fluorescent bulbs are energy-efficient light sources that use mercury vapor to produce light. Mercury is a naturally occurring element that can harm humans when inhaled as a vapor. The use of...

The EPA regulates tap water through standards designed to protect water quality, taste, color and clarity. Public systems treat water with chlorine disinfectants and filters in order to meet...

Mercury lamps provide efficient lighting in many schools, buildings, and households. Although they save a lot of energy and are generally good for the environment, they also--as the name...

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitors public drinking water systems to check for contaminants and to ensure treatment processes are protecting human health. Drinking water must meet...

Hazardous waste occurs in all areas of life. Any solid, gas or liquid waste that might cause hard to individuals or the environment is considered hazardous. This means that human...

Nuclear waste is some of the most dangerous material in existence. Although the U.S. produces a large amount of radioactive waste, they have policies and procedures set up to ensure that nuclear...

Mercury toxicity can cause a variety of severe reactions in healthy adults and developing fetuses. Exposure to mercury comes from both natural environmental causes, such as the absorption of...

Oils are a common product around the house and in business used for lubrication and cooking. Knowing the proper definition of waste oil is not only a responsible action, it can even save you money...

Generating waste is almost unavoidable in today's world. Properly segregating and disposing of your waste not only reduces the amount of toxins that enter the atmosphere, you may even save...

Although we often dispose of waste by simply contracting out to removal services, the type of waste disposal system our community uses has a large impact on the environment and our health. Even...

Organized society has made managing our wastewater fairly easy, compared with the founders of our country who had little technology to rid themselves of polluted water. Without monitoring and...

Hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal is not just an environmental concern, but a public health hazard that can even exist around the home in unsuspecting products. Even the proper...

Indoor air pollutants increase the risk of asthma, allergic reactions and various diseases and are found inside many homes, offices and schools. "High pollutant concentrations can remain in the...

Whether you drive your own car or ride the bus, just about everyone deals with exhaust fumes on a constant basis. Exhaust fumes come from inefficiencies within the internal combustion engine and...

Molds are fungi that digest organic materials. They produce microscopic spores in order to multiply. Mold spores exist in the air both indoors and outdoors. Spores create health and infrastructure...

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) restricts how industry disposes of hazardous waste, but it can still find its way into the environment and cause serious damage. While proper disposal of...

Although we often think of hazardous waste as relegated to industry or the nuclear sector, medical waste is just as dangerous and as big a problem as any toxic waste. The Environmental Protection...

Air cleaners are devices used to remove pollutants from indoor air. Some air cleaners are designed to emit ozone, a gas that can eliminate certain airborne contaminants. Ozone is also known to be...

Nitrates are compounds that form when nitrogen mixes with oxygen or ozone, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nitrates are commonly used in fertilizers, and humans can...

Oils and fats are an essential part of every day for many Americans. It is an unfortunate fact that many people simply discard spent oil such as that used in cars, reports the Environmental...

Nature has been recycling since the beginning of time and continues to reuse water today. Recycling water with technology is a relatively recent invention that reduces some of the impact that...

The debate over how modern society's pollution emissions will effect tomorrow's world is hard to ignore. The long lag time between pollution and measurable results combined with unpredictable...

Properly disposing of waste is not just a personal responsibility; some kinds of waste, usually hazardous, must be properly disposed of according to law set forth by the Environmental Protection...

The problem of solid waste is a growing concern for America and the world; so much so that the federal government dedicates an entire federal agency, The Environmental Protection Agency, to...

One of the biggest dangers in our environment is hazardous waste. It wasn't until the passage of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 that federal laws covered the storage and...

The United States has one of the safest water supplies in the world, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. But drinking water quality varies from place to place depending on its...

Consumers who have experienced a fire or recently restored a house may want to get rid of the odor left over by using an ozone generator. Many ozone generator manufacturers claim that ozone is not...

The federal government, specifically the Environmental Protection Agency, believes that greenhouse gases contribute to the phenomenon of global warming. According to EPA predictions, the world...

New Jersey's EPA regulations are under the jurisdiction of the state's Department of Environmental Protection. Since 1970, the Department has passed environmental rules that aim to control air,...

Toxic waste consists of materials that can create a hazard to people, animals or the environment. Many people understand that industrial waste can often be toxic, but the normal household also...

You may have noticed a national awareness campaign that is warning consumers about the dangers of radon poisoning. The effort comes from The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has...

Biohazardous wastes are generated from human and animal diagnoses, treatment and inoculation procedures. If a waste is infectious or potentially infectious, such as blood or body fluids, it should...

Smog covers industrial areas and large cities all over the world. Smog comes from the words "smoke" and "fog" put together to describe this relatively recent environmental feature, which looks...

Mold can grow on almost any surface where there is adequate moisture and oxygen. There are more than 1,000 known species of mold, some of which are harmless and some that are extremely toxic. Many...

Pollution is defined as the introduction of toxic and potentially harmful substances into the environment. Pollution can outright harm or kill plant and animal species. For example, pesticides...

Nearly 1 in 15 homes has a high level of indoor radon. Because of this, since 1985 millions of U.S. homes have been tested for radon, according to the United States Environmental Protection...

Permethrin is a chemical that is commonly used for pest control and to repel ticks and biting insects. It works by damaging the nervous system after it has been ingested or absorbed into the body....

Atrazine is a widely used herbicide utilized by farmers to control and prevent weeds from growing among crops, especially corn. Public safety measures have increased through the years because of...

We all want clean water to drink at home and it would be nice to assume that the water that comes out of our tap is clean. But do you really know how clean it is? Some home water sources have not...

Indoor candle burning does pose a pollution hazard. The seriousness of the pollution is based on the specific chemicals involved in the internal wick structure and the candle's wax composition,...

Atrazine is an herbicide used primarily on farms and along highways and railroads. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandates that only trained people are allowed to spray this...

Water is essential to the survival of all living things. But to find out whether the water you drink and use for household activities is reliable and safe and whether fish in public waterways are...

Medical wastes are a public health concern because they can be infectious. "A medical waste is defined as any solid waste which is generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of human...

Toxic waste, also known as hazardous waste, is any kind of byproduct that poses a threat to humans, animals or plants. Toxic waste comes in one of three forms: solid, liquid and sludge. According...

Hazardous waste is a solid or liquid containing toxins that pose risks to humans and the environment. Waste is generated by many things, including commercial businesses such as exterminators;...

The differences between distilled water and tap water go beyond the fact that tap water comes from home faucets and distilled water comes from a bottle. The major difference between these two...

Toxic or hazardous waste is a catch all term applied both culturally and by the EPA to a large range of materials. The EPA has five general criteria for something to be considered toxic waste. ...

You can't afford to ignore environmental laws. The EPA has strict compliance requirements about how businesses impact water, air and soil. You're protecting yourself and your community when you...