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. Topic pages are reviewed and updated with new content periodically. These lists are not intended to be exhaustive, and the omission of any individual resource does not preclude it from having value.
Marine shellfish poisoning refers to illnesses caused by eating marine bivalve shellfish (e.g., clams, mussels, oysters, scallops, cockles) that contain biotoxins, which shellfish can accumulate when…
Lead is a naturally occurring toxic metal that can be harmful to human health. Health effects of lead exposure can include neurological, cardiovascular, renal, immunological, reproductive and…
The frequency and intensity of Canadian wildfires is increasing due to the changing global climate, as well as long-standing forest management practices. Ever-worsening fire seasons impact…
The provision of safe drinking water across Canada is a responsibility shared across many agencies. At the federal level, Health Canada sets Drinking Water Guidelines for contaminants in drinking…
Indigenous communities may be disproportionately impacted by a variety of emergencies and disasters, including floods, wildfires, and crude oil spills in their traditional territories. This may be…
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 the…
Cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae, are naturally occurring microscopic organisms found in fresh, brackish, or marine water that can release cyanotoxins into freshwater systems. These…
Health equity is achieved when everyone has a fair opportunity to meet their health potential. Health inequities result from systematic disparities in the social determinants of health (the external…
Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are small, elusive, and resilient insects that live by feeding on the blood of mammals, including humans. Bed bug infestations have become prominent worldwide, generating…
Hydraulic fracturing (also termed “fracking”) is the process used, along with horizontal drilling, to extract unconventional natural gas (shale gas, tight gas or coalbed methane) and tight oil from…