Public Health Assessment

ATSDR is mandated by Superfund to conduct a public health assessment at each facility listed on EPA's National Priority List for Uncontrolled Hazardous Substances (NPL).

The public health assessment process is used to determine how releases of hazardous substances from a site may have affected public health in nearby communities.

The public health assessment is the primary public health process ATSDR uses to:

• identify populations off the site who may have been exposed to hazardous substances at levels of health concern
• determine the public health implications of the exposure
• address community health concerns
• recommend follow-up public health actions or studies to address the exposure.

The Oak Ridge Reservation public health assessment will evaluate and analyze the information, data, and findings from previous studies and investigations on the radiological and chemical contaminants released from the Oak Ridge Reservation.

ATSDR is following the plan of work for the Oak Ridge Reservation Public Health Assessment that was developed with advice from the subcommittee. Throughout the public health assessment process, ATSDR staff members will present each phase of the process to the subcommittee for discussion.

Members of the general public can participate in the public health assessment process and provide advice to ATSDR. The process flow sheet (PDF) for the Oak Ridge Reservation public health assessment shows designated times that individuals can participate in the process. Public health assessment work group meetings provide the primary opportunity for public participation.

Jack Hanley, ATSDR site lead for the Oak Ridge Reservation, presented an overview of the public health assessment process at the November 2000 ORRHES meeting and discussed the process with subcommittee members. He provided an additional presentation on the public health assessment process at the January 2001 meeting. The following links will provide the information from the presentations, the handouts, and the discussions.

The Public Health Assessment Process, ORRHES meeting, November 2000 (minutes, handouts (PPT))

ATSDR Public Health Assessment Process, ORRHES meeting, January 2001 (minutes, handouts (PPT))

Additional information about the public health assessment process is available elsewhere on the ATSDR Web site.