Public Health Advisories
An advisory is an official notice that ATSDR gives to U.S. EPA or to a state regulatory agency. The advisory identifies an immediate threat to human health from a hazardous substance. The advisory also includes a recommendation to reduce exposure and any threat to human health. In the advisory ATSDR also notifies appropriate state and local health and environmental agencies about any public health problems.
- What the levels or concentrations of a hazardous substances are
- Whether people might be exposed to contamination and how they might come into contact with it (breathing, drinking, eating)
- What harm the substance might cause to people (the toxicity)
- Whether working or living near the site might affect people’s health
- Other dangers such as unsafe buildings, abandoned mine shafts, or other physical hazards.