Environmental health publications

A list of Environmental Health Standing Committee (enHealth) publications providing nationally agreed information and practical resources on environmental health matters. These publications are currently distributed by the Office of Health Protection and Response of the Australian Government Department of Health.

Page last updated: 12 April 2022

This list includes guidance produced by the National Environmental Health Forum, which became the enHealth, in 2000.

Contents

Air and Water Quality Guidance

enHealth Guidance for Public Health Agencies – Managing Prolonged Smoke Events from Landscape Fires (2021)

This enHealth Guidance (Guidance) aims to support a nationally consistent approach to the health protection measures advised by public health agencies when landscape fires cause community smoke impacts lasting for a prolonged period of time (typically more than two to three days). Public health agencies will need information about the expected duration of the landscape fire to apply this Guidance.

The Guidance contains frameworks comprising nationally agreed 1-hour PM2.5 air quality categories and public health advice and 24-hour PM2.5 air quality categories and forecast messages at Appendix 1 and 2.

Reducing Exposure to Metals in Drinking Water from Plumbing Products (2021)

This document assists Australian state and territory health departments in providing advice to homeowners, residents and building and asset managers to reduce exposure to lead and other metals from plumbing products in a plumbing system. This document also provides guidance on collection of samples of drinking water to test for metals in a plumbing system and recommendations for testing as part of building commissioning prior to occupation.

Updated enHealth Guidance Statement on Lead in drinking water from some plumbing products (2021)

The updated statement highlights the risks associated with lead and the need to minimise an individual’s exposure as much as possible, especially for infants and children. The statement also offers advice as to how homeowners and individuals can minimise any potential exposures to lead leached out of plumbing fittings.

Bushfire smoke and health: Summary of the current evidence (2020)

In response to the 2019/20 bushfires that affected many parts of the country, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee requested that enHealth review the evidence on the known health effects of prolonged bushfire smoke exposure. This statement gives a summary of the current known health effects of bushfire smoke exposure whilst further research is undertaken on this issue.

Guidelines for Legionella Control (2016)

These guidelines are designed to assist facility managers to assess the risk from Legionella in health and aged care facilities. The design and function of the water distribution system within a health or an aged care facility can affect the potential health risks posed by Legionella within the facility. The guidelines are aimed at facility managers and the members of a facility’s Legionella risk management team to support the development of a Legionella risk management plan. The guidelines apply to all water distribution systems in health and aged care facilities with the exception of cooling towers. Facility managers should consult relevant state or territory legislation and guidelines for the management and control of Legionella in cooling towers.

The document is available electronically and in hard copy (ENV78).

The Role of Toxicity Testing in Identifying Toxic Substances in Water (2012)

This document outlines the steps that can be taken to identify an unknown toxicant in a drinking water source. The document describes toxicity testing and its application to water quality monitoring, outlines the standard protocol for toxicity identification evaluation and discusses how to bring the information together to produce a risk assessment.

Guidance on the use of Rainwater Tanks (2010)

This third edition of Guidance on the use of Rainwater Tanks has been produced by the Environmental Health Committee (enHealth) of the Australian Health Protection Committee to revise the monograph produced in 2004. This guidance document provides information on the range of potential hazards which can threaten water quality, preventative measures which can be used to stop these hazards from contaminating rainwater, straightforward monitoring and maintenance activities, and, where necessary, corrective actions. Guidance on use of rainwater tanks includes information on design and installation of rainwater tanks, as well as the potential of rainwater tanks to contribute to improved water conservation. The information on management and water quality is consistent with the general advice provided in the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

Publications available via email:

  • Unflued Gas Heaters & Your Health Brochure (2005)
  • Healthy Homes - A guide to indoor air quality in the home for buyers, builders and renovators (2002)
  • Indoor Air Quality: A report on Health Impacts and Management Options (2000)
  • Guidance on water quality for heated spas (1996)

Guidance on Other Environmental Health Hazards

Potential Health Effects of Mould in the Environment (2021)

The Environmental Health Standing Committee (enHealth) has developed this national factsheet ‘Potential Health Effects of Mould in the Environment’. This national guidance was a recommendation of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport Inquiry into Biotoxin-Related Illnesses in Australia.

The Health Effects of Environmental Noise (2018)

This review updates and revises a 2004 Environmental Health Standing Committee (enHealth) report on the non–auditory effects of environmental noise.

With increasing urban populations and changes in urban development, a growing number of people in Australia are being exposed to environmental noise. The research literature has grown substantially, providing new insights into how people are being exposed to noise and potential health risks. This review intends to inform noise policy and regulation in Australia by evaluating the evidence of the health effects of environmental noise. It also highlights specific areas for further research. The review concludes that although the evidence is still emerging, it is sufficient to show that noise adversely affects health.

enHealth Guidance on Clandestine Drug Laboratories and Public Health Risks (2017)

The purpose of this document is to highlight the potential public health risks associated with chemical contamination at clandestine laboratories.

Asbestos: A guide for householders and the general public (2013)

This guide provides useful information to enable householders to manage the risks arising from any occasional encounters with asbestos material in and around their homes.

Arthropod Pests of Public Health Significance in Australia (2013)

This document provides an overview of Australia's major arthropod pests of public health importance, focussing on their relative public health significance, recommendations for first aid, personal protection measures, and pest management. The content has been updated and expanded from the 1999 version, Guidelines for the Control of Public Health Pests - Lice, Fleas, Scabies, Bird Mites, Bedbugs and Ticks, and now represents a key resource for those agencies and other groups, workplaces and individuals dealing with infestations of arthropod pests.

This publication is available electronically and in hard copy (ENV77).

Publications available via email:

  • enHealth Council Position on Copper Chrome Arsenate (CCA) Treated Timber Products (2005)
  • Management of asbestos in the non-occupational environment (2005)
  • Human Health and Climate Change in Oceania: A Risk Assessment 2002 Published by the Australian Department of Health and Ageing (2003)
  • Healthy Communities Healthy Environments (2000)
  • National standard for licensing pest management technicians (1999)

Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances

enHealth Guidance Statements on Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances (2019)

This document provides background and contextual information about per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which were previously known as "perfluorinated chemicals", or "PFCs", and guidance for state and territory public health units for use in assessing any public health risks where these chemicals have been released into the environment. The enHealth Guidance Statements on Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances (the enHealth Guidance Statements) also provide guidance on the potential health impacts from exposure to three types of PFAS - perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA); the major human exposure pathways; the development of human health reference values for PFOS, PFOA and PFHxS; breast feeding and pregnancy; and blood tests.

The enHealth Guidance Statements on PFAS were first issued in 2016. The statements were revised in 2019 to reflect the most current evidence relating to PFAS.

The enHealth Guidance Statements on PFAS revised in 2019 are available electronically in PDF and Word formats.

The enHealth Guidance Statements released in 2016 are available electronically in PDF and Word formats below.

Interim National Guidance on Human Health Reference Values for Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances for use in Site Investigations in Australia (2017)

The interim HBGVs adopted by enHealth have now been replaced by the final health based guidance values for site investigations in Australia. For the current health based guidance values for site investigations in Australia, please refer to the section Final Health Based Guidance Values (HBGVs) for PFAS for use in site investigations in Australia on the health based guidance values (HBGVs) for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for use in site investigations in Australia web page.

This interim national guidance was developed by the Environmental Health Standing Committee (enHealth) to assist relevant authorities in assessing any public health risks associated with the contamination of sites in Australia with per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances. The guidance includes interim reference values for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) for use in assessing food, drinking water and recreational water.

This interim guidance has been rescinded by enHealth and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee effective as of 3 April 2017.

The rescinded interim guidance is available electronically in PDF and Word formats.

Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances Factsheet (2016)

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances Factsheet (the AHPPC Factsheet) provides general information to the public about three types of fluorinated chemicals - perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).

The AHPPC Factsheet was developed by the Environmental Health Standing Committee (enHealth) and endorsed by the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee in June 2016.

Environmental Health Practitioner Workforce and Resources

Assessment of Australia’s Regulatory Science Workforce Needs (2017)

This report was completed by Human Capital Alliance on behalf of enHealth in 2017 and is the first in a series of proposed work on the regulatory science workforce in Australia. The report identifies current regulatory science roles and responsibilities, defines the skill set required to meet those responsibilities, and identifies current and emergent workforce issues confronting regulatory science agencies.

Health Impact Assessment Guidelines (2017)

Human health and development are linked through an array of environmental, social, cultural and economic determinants of health. In order for development to capitalise on opportunities to improve health as well as effectively manage any risks to health, it is critical that these links are identified and understood. This requires knowledge about both the type of health impacts that may occur and the distribution of those impacts in the affected community.

This challenge can be assisted by the application of Health Impact Assessment, an internationally recognised process that provides a systematic approach to address the potential health costs and benefits of projects, plans or policies. This publication outlines principles for undertaking a health impact assessment.

Publications available via email:

  • Using the enHealth Environmental Health Officer Skills and Knowledge Matrix (2010)
  • enHealth Environmental Health Officer Skills and Knowledge Matrix (2009)
  • Guidelines for Economic Evaluation of Environmental Health Planning and Assessment (2002)
  • Thinking Sustainable Development - Acting for Health (2001)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Environmental Health

Policy Principles on which to Base Improvements for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Environmental Health (2010)

This list of principles outlines key considerations for developing policies to improve environmental health in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Publications available via email:

  • Environmental Health Practitioner Manual: A resource manual for Environmental Health Practitioners working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities

Incident Management and Response

Environmental Health Incident Management Framework (2021)

The Environmental Health Incident Management Framework (EHIMF) has been developed by enHealth as a supporting framework of the National Health Emergency Response (NatHealth) Arrangements. Utilising an all-hazards approach, the EHIMF is intended to assist with responding to ‘slow burn’ environmental health issues, such as emerging environmental contaminants, as well as environmental health emergencies. This framework should be used in response to public and environmental health incidents affecting either more than one Australian jurisdiction, or to support a single jurisdiction where an incident is of such a nature or scale that it overwhelms local environmental health resources.

The EHIMF was endorsed by the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee in July 2021.

Disaster and Emergency Management for Environmental Health Practitioners (2020)

This document is a guide for environmental health practitioners in managing disasters and emergencies in Australian settings.

Publications available via email:

  • Floods: An environmental health practitioner's emergency management guide (1999)

Risk Assessment

enHealth Risk Communication Guidance: Risk Communication Principles (2021)

This contemporary set of risk communication principles has been developed to assist environmental public health practitioners and public health agencies when working with communities on environmental health issues to better understand and prepare for communicating ‘risks’ to the public.

Australian Exposure Factor Guide (2012)

The document is prepared as a companion to the 2012 update of the enHealth guidance document Environmental Health Risk Assessment: Guidelines for assessing human health risks from environmental hazards. This handbook is intended to provide risk assessors with sets of tabulated data on human factors that may be used as inputs to the exposure assessment component of an environmental health risk assessment.

This publication is available electronically and in hard copy (ENV76).

Environmental Health Risk Assessment: Guidelines for Assessing Human Health Risks from Environmental Hazards (2012)

This document provides a national approach to environmental health risk assessment. The document presents a general environmental health risk assessment methodology applicable to a range of environmental health hazards. The focus is on chemical hazards, but the core methodology can also be applied to physical (e.g. radiation, noise) and microbiological hazards. The document is intended to be used by environmental health agencies reviewing risk assessments; people preparing risk assessments for environmental health agencies; and those regulatory agencies reviewing risk assessments. It is also intended to be of assistance to broader audience seeking information about processes of environmental risk assessment in Australia.

This publication is available electronically and in hard copy (ENV7).

Risky Business - A Resource to Help Local Governments Manage Environmental Health Risks (2012)

This document has been developed for local government representatives and senior management. The aim of the resource is to raise awareness of how to minimise the financial, health and reputation risks related to the environmental health responsibilities of local governments and protect the interests of both their communities and their organisation.

This publication is available electronically and in hard copy (ENV74).

Publications available via email:

  • Environmental Health Risk Assessment (EHRA) Consultation Summary (2011)
  • Responding to Environmental Health Incidents - Community Involvement Handbook (2006)
  • Environmental Health Risk Perception in Australia - A Research Report to the enHealth Council (2000)
  • Child activity patterns for environmental exposure assessment in the home (1999)

Accessibility Issues
Should you encounter issues in accessing the information contained either on this web page or within the downloadable publications please email enHealth Secretariat (enHealth.Secretariat@health.gov.au).

Where stated, hard copies of environmental health publications can be ordered from National Mail & Marketing (health@nationalmailing.com.au) phone 02 6269 1000 quoting the ENV number.

For publications available via email, please contact the enHealth Secretariat (enHealth.Secretariat@health.gov.au).

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Environmental health links