Hazardous Sites and Substances
Site Assessment and Consultation Unit
The Site Assessment and Consultation (SAC) Unit contributes to the Department of Health's mission by conducting public health activities related to contaminant release, including:
- Assessing health risks from exposures to contaminants from hazardous waste sites, landfills, dumps, industrial facilities, and other sites containing hazardous materials;
- Tracking hazardous substance emergency events and clandestine drug laboratories;
- Investigating exposures to contaminant releases.
SAC conducts health evaluations at many types of hazardous waste sites in Minnesota: state and federal Superfund sites, landfills, dumps, industrial facilities, voluntary cleanup sites, and defense sites. Established through a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), the unit works with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, local health agencies, local communities, and other interested parties to identify and evaluate public health issues.
Site assessment and consultation involves conducting health evaluations of contaminant releases at sites containing hazardous substances.
Activities include:
assessment of contaminant levels in soil, sediments, water, and air; contaminant transport and environmental fate;
contaminant toxicity, and actual and potential exposure pathways.
Results of these assessments are often compiled in site documents called public health assessments or health consultations.
Other activities include:
Providing technical assistance to other governmental agencies on environmental health issues to
facilitate regulatory actions and decision-making protective of health.
Conducting health education activities to 1) ensure that citizens who live near contaminated sites
and understand how to reduce/eliminate their exposure and protect their health; 2) convey information to health professionals
Conducting health studies and exposure investigations for contaminant releases. Activities
include design of research studies, collection of environmental
and biological samples, administration of survey instruments, analysis and
interpretation of data, and dissemination of results to study participants and others.
Maintaining databases for hazardous substances emergency events and illegal drug laboratories.
Following up on emergency releases of hazardous substances. Activities include determining the
causes and types of emergency releases, and communicating results to local law enforcement
officials and emergency response planners.
Communicating health evaluation results and recommendations by participating in community
meetings, distributing brochures, fact sheets, posters and news releases.
For more information about this page, please contact us at health.hazard@state.mn.us call 651-201-4897, or toll-free 1-800-657-3908 and press "4" to leave a message.
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