Environmental Policy and Regulation

Flashcards covering key environmental health policies, regulatory agencies, and foundational principles from the lecture notes on Chapter 4: Environmental Policy and Regulation.

Environmental Health Protection

Protection from environmentally associated health hazards, regarded as a fundamental human right.

Environmental Policy

A statement by an organization of its intentions and principles in relation to its overall environmental performance, providing a framework for action and enabling the setting of environmental objectives and targets.

Precautionary Principle

Preventive, anticipatory measures should be taken when an activity raises threats of harm to the environment, wildlife, or human health, even if some cause-and-effect relationships are not fully established.

Environmental Justice

The equal treatment of all people in society irrespective of their racial background, country of origin, and socioeconomic status.

Environmental Sustainability

The philosophical viewpoint that a strong, just, and wealthy society can be consistent with a clean environment, healthy ecosystems, and a beautiful planet.

Polluter-Pays Principle

The polluter should bear the expenses of carrying out pollution prevention and control measures to ensure that the environment is in an acceptable state.

Risk Assessment (in policy)

Closely aligned with the policy process through balancing economic and other costs with health and societal benefits that may accrue through specific policy alternatives.

Risk Management

The adoption of steps to eliminate identified risks or lower them to acceptable levels, often determined by a government agency after considering public input.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

A process that reviews the potential impact of human (anthropogenic) activities with respect to their general environmental consequences.

Health Impact Assessment (HIA)

A method for describing and estimating the effects that a proposed project or policy may have on the health of a population.

World Health Organization (WHO)

A major international agency responsible for environmental health at the global level, providing leadership in minimizing adverse environmental health outcomes associated with pollution and industrial development.

US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

A federal agency established in July 1970 with the mission to protect human health and the environment.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

A federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness, created by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.

Clean Air Act of 1970

A comprehensive federal law that regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources and authorizes the EPA to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public health and welfare.

Clean Water Act (CWA)

First enacted as the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1948 and amended in 1972 and 1977, it establishes the basic structure for regulating pollutants discharged into US waters.

Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974

A law established to protect the quality of drinking water in the US by authorizing the EPA to establish minimum standards for tap water and requiring public water systems to comply with health-related standards.

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA)

One of the first laws establishing a broad national framework for protecting the environment, ensuring all branches of government consider environmental impacts before undertaking major federal actions.

Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) of 1996

Provides for federal regulation of pesticide distribution, sale, and use, requiring pesticides sold in the US to be registered (licensed) by EPA, demonstrating they will not cause unreasonable adverse environmental effects.

Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1976

Provides the EPA with authority to require reporting, record-keeping, and testing requirements, and restrictions relating to chemical substances and/or mixtures, and maintains the TSCA Inventory of chemicals.

CERCLA 1980 (Superfund)

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, which provides a federal 'Superfund' to clean up uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites, and addresses accidents, spills, and emergency releases of pollutants.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976

Gives the EPA control over hazardous waste from 'cradle-to-grave,' including its generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal, and addresses environmental problems from underground storage tanks.

Endangered Species Act of 1973

Provides a program for the conservation of threatened and endangered plants and animals and the habitats in which they are found, with the US Fish and Wildlife Service maintaining a worldwide list.