Environmental Data

When we think of the environment and how it impacts health, we tend to think of the earth and our natural environment - the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat. As humans, we are connected and a part of our natural environment. As a result, in our daily lives, we can be exposed to contaminants or hazards that are in our environment, such as particulate matter in the air from industry, vehicles or wildfires; harmful algal blooms in a lake or pond; or extreme weather.

We also spend a great deal of time at home, school, or work, where indoor pollutant levels are often much higher than outdoors. Examples of indoor environmental contaminants or hazards include chemical solvents from household products, carbon monoxide, radon, or lead in paint chips or dust.

Environmental hazards include any chemical, toxin, or condition that can cause harm. The presence of a hazard does not necessarily mean that health problems will occur, but at sufficient levels of exposure over time it could cause a disease or other health problem. Although much progress has been made to understand environmental impacts on health, there is still much work to be done. For example, some links between health and the environment remain unproven, such as the suspected link between different types of cancers and exposure to contaminants in our environment.

Environmental Topics

Agriculture

Agricultural chemical use data and resources

Air Quality

Air quality data and resources

Fish Advisories

Fish consumption advisory and map

Pollen and Mold

Data on pollen and mold allergens in outdoor air

Radon

Data on residential radon test results

Water Quality

Public water quality data and resources

Weather & Climate

Data and information on the impacts of changes in weather

Additional Resources

• Podcasts: Environmental Health Chat
• The EPA’s Enforcement & Compliance History Online (ECHO) State Dashboard for Missouri
• National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals
• Pesticides
• Motor Vehicle Emissions

Missouri Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) is a program within the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. EPHT is part of a network of people and information systems which delivers a core set of health, exposure, and hazards data, information summaries and tools to enable analysis, visualization and reporting of insights drawn from data. Those insights are intended to help data drive actions and improve community health.