What is an Environmental Health Practitioner
Environmental health practitioners (EHPs) are dedicated to protecting public health by monitoring and recommending solutions to reduce pollution levels. EHPs use specialized equipment to measure the levels of contaminants in air, water, and soil, as well as noise and radiation levels. Some also design solutions to reduce pollutants or assist in clean-up and remediation efforts.
EHPs can be generalists or become specialized in a specific area:
- Air quality experts work indoors, monitoring allergens, mold, and toxins in the air, as well as outdoors, measuring the pollutants generated by businesses, vehicles and agricultural operations.
- Soil specialists focus on risk assessment and reclamation of land contaminated by manufacturing processes, farming, garbage and other hazardous waste.
- Hazardous and solid waste professionals look for ways to minimize waste production, safely move and dispose of waste and, when necessary, expedite clean up of spilled waste.
- Noise abatement specialists protect our quality of life and our hearing by enforcing limits on ambient noise from vehicles, airports, construction and industrial sites, music venues, and even the barking dog next door.
- Radiological assessors monitor radiation levels from power plants, medical and other x-ray equipment and natural sources.
Most environmental health practitioners earn a four-year college degree with a scientific major. Some states offer certification for EHPs who have a specified amount of work experience and pass an examination. Many EHPs have a master’s degree in environmental health science.
Acquiring a degree from an accredited environmental health degree program is highly recommended for individuals interested in entering the field of environmental health.
Because EHPs must work with many different types of people and report their findings, good written and communication skills are essential. It also helps to have acute senses and be highly observant. The work can be fast-paced, with tight deadlines and multiple pressures. It can get confrontational as well, particularly for EHPs who work in enforcement.
Depending on the type of specialty, years of experience and location, environmental health practitioners can earn from $45,000 to $113,000 per year.
More about environmental health practitioners and other careers in environmental health can be found at www.explorehealthcareers.org.
Reprinted courtesy of ExploreHealthCareers.org, funded in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation of Princeton, NJ, and administered by the American Dental Education Association, 1400 K Street NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005.
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