Discussion and Recommendations
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Typically, public policy decisions only consider the upfront costs of environmental health protection measures and rarely take into account the health impact and associated costs of not taking action to implement needed pollution controls. Incorporating the health and related costs of environmental contaminants into policy decisions would provide a more complete, balanced, and accurate understanding and would strengthen decision-making processes.
Knowing that many of the environmental contributors to disease are often preventable, policy makers are encouraged to make environmental public health a top priority. The following are suggested policy directions designed to reduce or eliminate some of the key environmental contributors to disease and disability in Oregon.
- Promote lead-abatement programs
- Reduce pesticide exposure
- Fund research on and data collection of environmental health threats
- Reduce exposure to diesel and gasoline exhaust
- Reduce mercury exposure
- Comprehensive chemical policy reform