Environmental Health: First edition

The 1990s may well become known as the decade of the environment. Natural disasters in North America and beyond, oil spills, the revelation of crippling air pollution in parts of Europe, the elimination of a major portion of our rain forests - on and on the litany goes. How, then, is it possible to maintain an environment that does not endanger human health? Environmentalists, public health specialists and others are researching the problem and addressing the issues in reports, newsletters and monographs. This book aims to present an all-encompassing view of our many environments: personal, indoor, outdoor and worldwide. Moeller emphasizes the interrelations of local, regional and global events and their short- and long-term effects on the health of humans and other living things. He examines individual aspects of the environment - such as air, water and food - and links them to issues concerning the development and application of control measures. The book covers a broad spectrum of topics, including health hazards in the workplace; pest control; the disposal of solid, radioactive and hazardous wastes; the effects, uses and management of ionizing and nonionizing radiation; accidents as a cause of injuries and deaths; environmental and occupational standards; environmental monitoring; risk assessment; and natural and man-made disasters and the impact of energy usage. The result is designed to be a well-balanced and unsensationalized perspective on the often complex phenomena that cause environmental health problems. The book is aimed at students, health professionals and general readers concerned with the well-being of the environment.

Dade W. Moeller is Professor of Engineering in Environmental Health, Emeritus, at the Harvard School of Public Health.