The Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division's EHAP Program works to assess and prevent human exposure to contamination at Oregon sites listed on the National Priority List (or Superfund sites) and at other hazardous waste sites that impact communities.

Uncontrolled hazardous waste sites are a significant environmental and public health concern and there are many hazardous waste sites that affect communities in Oregon and the United States. EHAP’s goal is to assess and prevent human exposure to hazardous substances in Oregon’s environment. We examine health risks related to toxic exposures from industrial waste, superfund, and other contaminated sites in Oregon, and work with affected nearby communities to reduce their health risks.  View the EHAP brochure (pdf)

EHAP's staff, a program coordinator, a toxicologist, an epidemiologist, and a community health educator, conduct Public Health Assessments (PHAs) and Consultations (PHCs) to examine hazardous substances, health outcomes, and community concerns at a hazardous waste site to determine whether people could be harmed from coming into contact with those substances. The PHA also lists actions that need to be taken to protect public health. PHCs are similar to PHAs but they usually focus on one specific, site-related public health question. Health consultations can also address certain requests, such as if an organization or citizen has a specific health concern related to a site.

EHAP works closely with a variety of partners, including:

• Communities affected by contamination at a hazardous waste sites
• Local health departments
• Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry
• Non-profit agencies
• Many programs within the Public Health Division