4 careers in environmental health

For many, the term “environmental health” might bring to mind the quality of the earth’s various ecosystems. However, from a public health standpoint, defining what environmental health is shifts the focus to the impact of the physical environment on the well-being of individuals and communities.

The U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion defines environmental health as the prevention and control of disease, injury, and disability caused by interactions between people and their environment. These are among the environmental factors that have the greatest impact on our health:

• Exposure to hazardous material found in the air, soil, water, and food
• Natural and human-caused disasters
• Climate change
• Occupational hazards
• Infrastructure that influences human behaviors, activity patterns, social networks, and access to resources

Our health depends on clean air and water, the ready availability of safe and nutritious foods, and easy access to natural resources and nature areas. For communities to thrive, we need to promote healthy lifestyles and allow everyone to connect with nature.

• Research published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology found that people who make weekly visits to nature areas are more likely to participate in recycling, conservation, and other activities that promote environmental health.
• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency highlights the link between exposure to high levels of toxic air pollutants and increases in cancer risk, as well as damage to immune, reproductive, and respiratory systems. Pollution also can compromise our physical and mental development and cause neurological damage.
• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies several ways climate change threatens our health, including increased rates of respiratory allergies and asthma, more cases of malnutrition and diarrheal diseases, and higher incidences of malaria, dengue, West Nile virus, and other infectious diseases.

Public health officials at the federal, state, and local levels are directly involved in environmental health programs designed to promote the health and well-being of individuals and communities. The CDC defines environmental health hazards as any substance that can cause an adverse health event. The dangers stem from physical, chemical, and biological sources, some natural and others manufactured by humans:

• Air pollutants
• Toxic waste
• Microorganisms and plants that cause disease
• Pesticides
• Heavy metals
• Chemicals in consumer products
• Radiation
• Extreme weather

Environmental health professionals work to protect people from these and other environmental hazards through three types of activities:

• Conducting research into the impact of exposure to potential environmental health risks
• Creating standards, recommendations, and guidelines for monitoring environmental health
• Devising and implementing programs and interventions that promote environmental health practices

Among the duties of environmental health practitioners are identifying environmental hazards, measuring the exposure of individuals to these hazards, diagnosing and treating environmental health issues in patients, and educating the public about the link between their health and their physical environment. These are among the health effects of environmental hazards:

• Air pollution increases the likelihood of asthma sufferers experiencing an attack.
• Children who have elevated levels of lead in their bloodstream are at greater risk of developmental disabilities.
• Heat waves cause higher levels of heat-related illnesses, especially in infants and the elderly.
• Power outages resulting from extreme weather events or other natural disasters can cause carbon monoxide poisoning and jeopardize food safety and supply.

The environmental health efforts of the American Public Health Association (APHA) focus on several key areas:

• Children’s environmental health: A survey of the environmental health services offered to children by 48 state health departments is helping shape guidelines for health professionals at the federal, state, and local levels.
• Climate change: Resources provided by the APHA include the impact of energy justice and climate change on public health services, a parent and educator tool kit for various grade levels and topics, and fact sheets on the impact of climate change on nine specific regions of the U.S.
• Environmental public health tracking: The APHA supports the CDC’s National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program, which includes the Data Explorer graphical presentation tool. Environmental health professionals can view dynamic maps, charts, and graphs illustrating topics related to environmental health.
• Lead: Exposure to lead by breathing contaminated air, drinking polluted water, or eating contaminated food affects children’s mental and physical growth and causes a range of serious health problems in adults. The APHA is working with various groups to remove lead from the environment.

When you buy a sandwich or beverage, swim at a local recreation center’s pool, or go to a park or attend an outdoor festival, many of the people charged with ensuring your safety are registered environmental health specialists employed by the city or county health department. The duties of environmental health professionals encompass the following areas:

• Food protection includes monitoring restaurants, markets, mobile food sellers, and facilities that produce dairy and milk products.
• Housing code enforcement covers programs to remove lead paint from buildings, safety checks of employee housing, and inspections of hotels and motels, detention facilities, and organized camps.
• Inspection of public recreational and bathing facilities ensures that they are safely constructed, free from pollutants and contaminants, and their operation complies with all safety regulations.
• Systems for disposing of solid waste are monitored to verify that landfills, transfer stations, compost facilities, and recycling facilities are operated in ways that protect the environment.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports on the largest employers of environmental scientists and specialists:

• Management, scientific, and technical consulting services: 25%
• State government (except education and hospitals): 24%
• Local government (except education and hospitals): 12%
• Engineering services: 10%
• Federal government (except the U.S. Postal Service): 6%

These are among the specialty areas for careers in environmental health:

•  Climate change analysts focus on the effects of climate change on our health and conduct outreach to educate the public on climate change remediation efforts.
• Environmental health and safety specialists perform research on potential health risks in the environment, including soil and water contamination caused by manufacturing activities.
• Environmental restoration planners determine the steps required to clean up polluted areas, including cost estimates and the technologies that will be necessary.
• Industrial ecologists study ways to reduce the environmental footprint of industrial activities by reducing consumption of resources and improving hazardous waste disposal.

Here’s a closer look at four popular career options for environmental health professionals.

The first step in protecting the public from environmental health hazards is educating people about the direct connection between their health and a vibrant, sustainable environment. Environmental health advocates are at the forefront of the effort to make people aware of the importance of environmental health, beginning with making them familiar with the term “environmental health” itself.

• The APHA reports on a recent survey that found most people in the U.S. believe “environmental health” refers to how humans affect the environment rather than how the environment affects their health.
• The primary role of environmental health advocates is to increase awareness in the populace of the potential negative impact of pollution and other environmental hazards on their health and the well-being of their community.
• Most people associate environmental health only with toxic chemicals over which they have little or no control.

Environmental health practitioners are the “boots on the ground” in the effort to protect the public from environmental threats to their health and to identify, mitigate, and prevent health hazards. The position requires scientific and technical proficiency as well as strong communication skills. Areas of expertise for environmental health practitioners include the following:

• Environmental surveillance
• Risk analysis and toxicology
• Climate change from a public health perspective
• Environmental justice
• Indoor and outdoor air quality
• Food safety and security
• Safe drinking water
• Pest and vector control
• Wastewater disposal and septic systems
• Solid and hazardous waste disposal
• Mass gatherings and public events
• Housing
• Emergency response and disaster preparation
• Occupational safety and health
• Noise abatement
• Radiation protection

Food safety specialists are sometimes referred to as food inspectors or agriculture and food science technicians. The position monitors and assesses the quality of raw and processed foods to ensure they are safe for the public to consume. Typical work environments for food safety specialists include food labs, offices, restaurants, grocery stores, and food manufacturing plants.

These are among the typical duties of food safety specialists:

• Collect and prepare food samples following established guidelines
• Conduct tests to confirm that food and food additives meet safety standards
• Determine the ingredients and formulas of food products via chemical analysis
• Describe the test results in written reports, graphics, and presentations
• Ensure that the laboratory environment is safe, properly provisioned, and equipped to ensure accurate results

Public health engineers combine a knowledge of engineering with a background in public health and safety to design and implement procedures and systems that protect the public from illness and injury. Among the duties of public health engineers are the following:

• Ensure that organizations comply with all health and safety policies, regulations, and industrial processes
• Inspect facilities, machinery, and equipment to identify and correct potential hazards
• Manage the installation of safety devices and equipment that protect the environment from contamination or destruction

Events such as the COVID-19 pandemic bring into sharp focus the critical role played by environmental health practitioners in protecting individuals, communities, and the world from the growing peril that climate change and other environmental degradation poses to our health and well-being. To help you discover the ideal environmental health career for your goals and interests, we offer a range of tools and resources that match your skills, background, and career goals with the right educational program for your needs. Use our recommendation engine to find degree programs that can serve as a foundation for a range of careers in the health information industry, including public health, life sciences research, health education, and patient care.