Category: Toxic Substances

ATSDR Investigates Superfund Sites

Whether it’s lead, cadmium, or zinc at a mining company in Oklahoma, tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethylene at the Kittatinny Limestone Aquifer in New Jersey, or perchlorates in Tierra Verde Lake in Arizona, ATSDR examines health effects of toxic substances on people who live and work on and around Superfund sites. As Mark Johnson, the regional director Read More >

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Tracking Program Maps Radon Exposure in Washington State

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon causes about 20,000 cases of lung cancer each year, making it the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Radon can seep up from the ground and become trapped in buildings. The EPA recommends taking action to reduce radon in buildings that have a radon Read More >

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A Year in Review: 2014

Arizona, BPA, arsenic, Haiti, American Indian/Alaskan Native Tribes, mercury, foodborne illness, Palau, epidemiology, contaminated water. What do these seemingly random items have in common? They all appeared in “Your Health, Your Environment” blog posts about NCEH/ATSDR staff in 2014. Our “Meet the Scientist” and “Voices from the Field” series aim to put a face on Read More >

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Top 10 NCEH/ATSDR “Your Health, Your Environment” Blog Posts of 2014

As this year draws to a close, perhaps you’ve realized you didn’t get a chance to read all of the “Your Health, Your Environment” blog posts. To help get you into full catch-up mode, here are the ten most popular posts of 2014: Staggering Numbers: Do You Know the Disease? Are We Getting Enough Vitamins Read More >

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Woman’s Worry Prompts CDC/ATSDR Outreach on Testing Private Wells

In the “Voices from the Field” blog series, NCEH and ATSDR staff tell us about their work in communities, states, tribal territories, and even other countries. Read about how ATSDR Region 9 employees Ben Gerhardstein and Jamie Rayman discovered a critical need for accurate information in an Arizona community and created educational materials that everyone Read More >

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In California, Community Advocates Have a Seat at the Table

What is a “roundtable”? It’s more than a circular surface to host meals or hold a meeting. For the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the term has come to mean a way to bring together environmental health experts and community advocates to meet, share their stories, and learn from each other. As with King Read More >

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Get the Lead Out: National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week 2014

Joseph and Gwen Porter are so excited. For several years they have been looking for an older home they can afford. They’ve found a charming 1930s bungalow in a beautiful, tree-lined neighborhood with plenty of room for their three children. But when they read the seller’s disclosure required by law, they are surprised to learn Read More >

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NTSIP Released Its First Annual Report

Did you know that each day, nearly the entire U.S. population is at risk for exposure from toxic substance spills? Thousands of chemicals surround us at home, work, school, or play. Chemicals have made possible advances in medicine, energy production, and digital technology. However, very little information exists about many of these chemicals and the Read More >

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Voices from the Field: Hydrogen Sulfide in Detroit

Mark Johnson is ATSDR’s Region 5 director in Chicago, Illinois. Read about how he helped stop harmful hydrogen sulfide exposures in Detroit, Michigan. Air Samples Catch Harmful Levels of Hydrogen Sulfide at the Detroit Water Treatment Plant Hydrogen sulfide is a flammable, colorless gas that smells like rotten eggs. Exposure to hydrogen sulfide is a Read More >

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New ATSDR Brownfield and Land Reuse Site Tools Now Available

NCEH/ATSDR works to keep you safe and secure from things in the environment that threaten the public’s health. Read on to learn more about how the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) protects communities from harmful exposures at hazardous waste sites. Is there a vacant lot in your neighborhood that’s an eyesore? Do Read More >

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