Issues: Health

• Kids' Health
• Health Threats & Effects
• Farming & Pesticides
• Farming & Organic Foods
• Chemicals at Home, School & Work
• Science & Public Policy

In Depth Articles

Sneezing and Wheezing
Issue Papers

Global warming isn't just making our planet hotter. Scientific studies have also shown that our changing climate could mean more ozone pollution in some areas and intensify the health problems stemming from allergenic pollen such as ragweed. This is bad news for allergy sufferers and asthmatics because both ragweed and ozone have been linked to respiratory problems such as asthma and to allergic symptoms in adults and children -- and studies show that people exposed to both ragweed and ozone are likely to become sicker than people exposed to just one of these pollutants. New NRDC research -- the first to map areas within the United States where ragweed and unhealthy ozone pollution overlap -- shows that 110 million Americans live in areas with both ragweed and ozone problems.

Smoke Out: Three Measures for Cleaning Up Diesel Air Pollution in New York City
Issue Papers

This April 2005 NRDC paper outlines the current health threat posed by diesel-powered trucks, buses and construction equipment in New York City, and recommends three critical measures for how the city council, Bloomberg administration, MTA bus fleets, state legislature and Governor Pataki can clean up the city’s diesel pollution problem.

EPA's Proposed Policy on Sewage Dumping During Wet Weather Conditions
Testimony

The proposed policy will worsen water quality, expose the public to greater risk of illness and death from waterborne pathogens and toxic chemicals, and adversely affect the economy.

Cleaning Up Today's Dirty Diesels
Issue Papers

Stringent new federal standards for diesel fuel and emissions will provide significant health benefits. But these benefits will not be fully realized for 20 years unless effective programs are put in place to replace and retrofit today's fleets of dirty diesel vehicles. The most effective such programs will concentrate on urban areas, where people are exposed to more vehicle pollution, and on cleaning up the oldest, dirtiest vehicles first. This November 2004 NRDC issue paper details compelling arguments for instituting retrofit and replacement policies today and provides a roadmap for getting started.

Pollution Unchecked: A Case Study of Greene County, Pennsylvania
Report

Southwestern Pennsylvania's Greene County suffers from serious air and water pollution, and cancer rates in this predominantly low-income Appalachian community are substantially higher than state and national averages. This December 2004 report details the results of NRDC's investigation into the county's pollution problems, and finds that despite the obvious health risks county residents face, state and federal officials have repeatedly allowed inadequate monitoring of air and water pollution and have made no significant effort to collect data on possible health effects linked to pollution in Greene County.

Swimming in Sewage
Report

This February 2004 report from NRDC and the Environmental Integrity Project describes the emerging environmental and public health crisis resulting from our nation's failure to effectively treat sewage, presents seven case studies from around the country that illustrate how exposure to sewage pollution has killed or seriously injured people and harmed local economies, and recommends solutions to America's sewage problem.

Out of the Gutter
Report

Every time it rains, Washington, D.C. -- like most major cities -- is plagued by stormwater runoff, which has gravely contaminated the city's three major rivers (the Potomac, the Anacostia, and Rock Creek). To clean up the pollution, the city's Water and Sewer Authority is relying on conventional stormwater management practices, which are costly and outdated. In this July 2002 report, NRDC recommends instead that WASA adopt an approach called low-impact development, which would use "green" roofs, strategically placed beds of native plants, rain barrels, and other measures to soak up rain and prevent it from washing directly into waterways. NRDC is also urging the local government and WASA to restructure the city's flat stormwater fee, protect environmentally sensitive lands, restore the urban forest, and encourage water conservation and water reuse techniques.

The Environmental Impacts of the World Trade Center Attacks
Report

The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, perhaps the worst episode in the history of New York City, also created a significant environmental health emergency. This February 2002 report lays out the facts, as best as we know them at this point, regarding both the environmental impacts of the attacks and the response of government officials to the ensuing environmental emergency. It also sets forth recommendations for improving New York's readiness for future environmental health emergencies.

Exhausted by Diesel: How America's Dependence on Diesel Engines Threatens Our Health
Report

This report describes the impacts of diesel exhaust on human health, makes recommendations and includes success stories about alternatives to diesel fuel.

See the NRDC Policy Solutions section for more expert analysis of environmental issues. You may also wish to view the working materials in the NRDC Document Bank