Environmental Epidemiology Program

Mission: to create a more environmental health-knowledgeable, data-empowered, healthier Tennessee 

Vision: to protect and promote the health of all people in Tennessee by providing education about hazardous substances exposure prevention and environmental health-related data trends

The Environmental Epidemiology Program works to keep people safe from environmental pollution. We help review and clean up hazardous waste sites that could harm human health. We aim to help people live in wholesome environments that promote a healthy lifestyle.

We investigate sites where people may be at risk of chemical exposure, respond to questions about health impacts of environmental pollution, and recommend actions to keep people safe. We promote designing healthy places to improve the quality of life for all who live, work, study or play in Tennessee. We facilitate free and open access to health, environmental, and community data to promote environmental public health. We also assist residents with a wide variety of questions to help them maintain safe and healthy homes.  

The Environmental Epidemiology Program supports all 95 counties in Tennessee. We work with our local, regional, and metropolitan health departments as well as with other state agencies like the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. EEP is funded by two  subagencies of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): (1) The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and (2) the National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH).

Half of EEP’s funding comes through a cooperative agreement with the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).  This cooperative agreement is called ATSDR’s Partnership to Promote Localized Efforts to Reduce Environmental Exposure, or APPLETREE Program. Through this cooperative agreement, we work to protect Tennesseans’ health from environmental pollution associated with hazardous waste sites. For this work, we often partner with the state environmental agency, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, as well as the federal U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We have three main program activities under our APPLETREE grant:  

  -  Environmental Site Investigations
  -  Choose Safe Places for Early Care and Education
  -  Environmental Public Health Education and Outreach

The other half of EEP’s funding comes through a cooperative agreement with CDC’s Health Tracking Program. CDC's Health Tracking Program has laid the foundation of this national system by providing grants to state and local health departments. Tennessee has been a fellow in CDC’s Tracking network of integrated health, exposure and hazard information and data from a variety of national, state and city sources. Through this program, our EEP Health Tracking team correlates environmental exposures to hazardous substances with adverse health effects. 

Our goal is to share health, environmental, and demographic data in one place:  TDH's Health Data Website.  

Environmental Health Topics

EEP provides education and community involvement for persons interested in or affected by exposure to hazardous substances. We provide general information on a variety of environmental public health topics. Click the links for topics such as asbestos, lead, mercury, mold, ozone or radon.

Healthy Homes Website

Environmental hazards in the home harm millions of people each year in the United States. A healthy home can prevent illness and injuries. A healthy home is designed, built, and maintained to support health. EEP promotes Healthy Homes – a coordinated, comprehensive and holistic approach to preventing diseases and injuries that result from housing-related hazards and deficiencies.

A healthy home reassures health and wellness by preventing illness and injury. Our Healthy Homes Website presents topics like mold, radon, lead, carbon monoxide, mercury, pesticides, and unintentional injuries. It has tips for every room in the home as well as information for home owners and renters. Learn The 8 Principles of a Healthy Home and you can promote good health and wellness for you and your family.

Curious about who contacts TDH about substandard housing concerns and why? Our Healthy Homes Dashboard tracks 10 years of calls and emails we've received from across Tennessee.