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Topic Pages
Our topic pages introduce the reader to important and emerging environmental public health issues through a curated list of NCCEH and external resources. The most relevant resources have been selected to best guide the search for further information. These lists are not intended to be exhaustive, and the omission of any individual resource does not preclude it from having value.
The transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, occurs primarily via direct contact with or respiratory droplets from an infected person. However, there is evidence to suggest that…
Topics:
COVID-19, Emergency Preparedness, Emergency Response
The goal of any public health emergency is to help as many people as quickly as possible. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a new dimension to emergency management. Not only has COVID-19 made it…
A health impact assessment (HIA) is a process that strategically evaluates the potential effect on health of a policy, plan or project. The assessment generally takes place in a series of steps,…
Topics:
Contaminants and Hazards, Indoor Air, Radiation
Radon gas is a colourless, odourless, radioactive gas that is released during the decay of uranium in rocks and soils. Radon levels outdoors are generally low, but radon gas indoors poses more of…
The provision of safe drinking water across Canada is a responsibility shared across many agencies. At the federal level, Health Canada sets…
Topics:
Indoor Air, Mould
Mould is a ubiquitous fungus in outdoor environments that inevitably makes its way indoors. The general population is commonly exposed to mould through inhalation, and less commonly through direct…
Topics:
Contaminants and Hazards, Pesticides
Neonicotinoids (also referred to as “neonics”) are insecticides derived from nicotine. They act by binding strongly to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the central nervous system of insects,…
Modern artificial turf is used indoors and outdoors in a wide variety of settings, including multipurpose recreational and professional sports fields, playgrounds, residential areas, and public…
Indigenous communities may be disproportionately impacted by a variety of emergencies and disasters, including floods, wildfires, and crude…
Oil spills are very complex events that, depending on where they occur, may result in acute exposures to nearby human populations. Regardless of the presence of humans, however, oil spills have…
Topics:
Emergency Preparedness, Emergency Response, Flooding
A number of extreme flooding events have occurred in Canada over the last few decades, and as a result of climate change, are growing in both frequency and magnitude.…
According to Environment Canada, a heat wave is a period of more than 3 days when temperatures are more than 32°C (…
Topics:
Recreational Water, Water
Recreational water venues such as oceans, lakes, and rivers, attract large numbers of users. Usage is higher in the summer months, although recreational water activities such as swimming, water…
Topics:
Legionella, Recreational Water, Water
Public swimming pools, hot tubs, splash parks, wading pools, and other treated recreational water facilities are popular recreational water venues, which are regulated at the provincial or…
The frequency and intensity of Canadian wildfires is increasing as a consequence of the changing global climate, as well as long-standing forest management practices (…
Topics:
Biological Agents, Contaminants and Hazards, Food
Marine shellfish poisoning refers to illnesses in humans caused by consumption of marine bivalve shellfish (e.g., clams, mussels, oysters, scallops, cockles) that contain biotoxins (e.g., domoic…