Environmental Public Health team
Environmental public health is concerned with identifying, assessing and managing risks linked to environmental hazards that can affect health. Exposures to environmental hazards across Wales continue to pose health risks for individuals and communities alike. Hazards come in many forms and may occur naturally or be the result of man-made activities.
Who we are
In Wales, Public Health Wales (PHW) and the UK Health Security Agency (Environmental Hazards and Emergencies – Wales) work together to provide other partner agencies and the public with independent, specialist environmental public health advice and support. As appropriate, we also access advice from epidemiology, toxicology and other experts from across both organisations.
Our service aim
Our service aim is to work in an evidence-based way to prevent and minimise exposures to, and resulting ill-health from, environmental hazards, and support the creation of healthy, fair and sustainable environments and communities.
Our needs-based work programmes
Our Environmental Public Health Service is underpinned by a jointly agreed working agreement and a framework that sets out our needs-based programme of reactive work (to address environmental public health concerns) and proactive projects (to understand more about exposure and health relationships, and links with wider determinants). All service objectives align with our strategic goals:
- Risk assessment and management
- Information and knowledge
- Policy, advocacy and risk mitigation
- Emerging threats and global public health (including activities beyond environmental public health)
- Capacity and capability
- Service quality and governance