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About the Site Assessment Section

Contaminants can be released from hazardous waste sites and other sources. They can impact the places where people live, work, or play creating potential health hazards. The Washington State Department of Health Site Assessment Section conducts health consultations and related community education and outreach to protect Washington residents from potential exposure to these contaminants.

What is a health consultation?

The Site Assessment Section conducts health consultations under a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). ATSDR is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is the principal federal public health agency responsible for health issues related to hazardous waste sites. A health consultation involves:

• Evaluating the levels of contaminants released into the environment from past or current practices.

• Determining exposure pathways (such as drinking water or indoor air) and possible routes of exposure to contaminants (such as skin contact, inhalation, or eating/drinking).

• Identifying the possible health hazards resulting from exposure to contaminants.

• Recommending actions that agencies and the public can take to reduce or eliminate exposures to contaminants.

Community Outreach and Education

Through outreach and education activities, we inform communities about potential environmental health hazards in their area. We develop materials that summarize the health consultation findings, which include information about:

• Specific contaminants.

• How community members could be exposed.

• Steps people can take to minimize exposures.

We share information with communities through a variety of ways, including public meetings, fact sheets, advisories, press releases, and one-on-one conversations. View our current health consultations and related fact sheets.