Environmental Public Health demo

Goals:

• To reduce environmental exposures that can negatively impact health status and outcomes.
• To enforce policies and uphold programs designed to protect humans from environmentally-based injury and communicable disease.
• To protect the residents and businesses within our county by collaborating with local municipalities and partners.

Current Issues in Our County:

• The Ohio Department of Health estimates that two-thirds of all housing units in Ohio were built before 1980 and contain lead paint or other lead-based dangers. Children in Cuyahoga County are at the highest risk statewide for lead exposure.
• Critical violations noted during routine food inspections can contribute to foodborne illness.
• Increased development of natural environments leads to harmful effects such as soil erosion and groundwater contamination.

Current Health Data About Our County:

• We conduct nearly 10,000 routine food inspections and provide food safety education to more than 1,500 food employees each year.
• Since 1993, more than 10,000 septic systems countywide have been replaced by the installation of new sanitary sewer systems.
• As of year-end 2023, we have completed remediation of lead-based hazards on approximately 2,300 housing units over a 20-year period.