Environmental Exposure Assessments

The Public Health Toxicology Program in the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Environmental Health Services, works with communities and various state and federal agency officials to determine if contaminants in the environment are a health hazard. Some of our assessments include determining the amount of volatile organic compounds in the air, the amount of lead contamination in soil, the level of tetrachloroethylene (PCE) in groundwater, or the amount of mercury in the biota of a body of water. If we determine that an existing health threat exists, the community is informed immediately and recommendations are provided to eliminate or reduce the hazard. Frequently, the Toxicology Program is asked to provide a written report that summarizes any potential health hazards, how individuals may be exposed, and recommendations to the public.  Search the table below to find reports written from 2002 to the present.