Environmental health (EH) is the branch of public health protection that is concerned with all aspects of the natural and built environment that may affect human health. Other terms that refer to the discipline of environmental health include environmental public health and environmental health and protection.

EH is also a field of science that studies how the environment influences human health and disease. “Environment” in this context means identifying and addressing how the environment impacts human health. EH practitioners in this area may do research on a variety of topics including environmental toxins, communicable disease outbreaks, human health impacts of environmental catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina and more.

EH professionals are best known for their efforts to ensure safe food, water, air quality and sanitary conditions. The increase in environmental health threats such as E-Coli outbreaks, and the emergence of new threats such as the West Nile Virus, SARS, bio/agro-terrorism (intentional tainting of food) and the human health impacts of environmental catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina exemplify the ever-increasing need for an educated environmental health workforce.

EH professionals also include those who monitor air quality, water and noise pollution, control for toxic substances and pesticides, conduct restaurant inspections and promote healthy land use and housing just to name a few.