Click here to read the Summer 2009 Editor's Message

Part 2: Why Do We Monitor Onsite Wastewater Systems?
Onsite Wastewater Compliance Monitoring in Florida – A Critical Review of Laws, Policies and Procedures that Impact Sustainable Growth
By William G. Brookman,  M.P.H.

Just as the popularity of the automobile required federal legislation to protect health and safety, so the popularity of developing environmentally sensitive coastal lands resulted in federal legislation. The Clean Water Act (CWA) established the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters. The basis of the CWA was enacted in 1948 and was called the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, but the Act was significantly reorganized and expanded in 1972. Changes in 1987 phased out the construction grants program, replacing it with the State Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund, more commonly known as the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. This fund primarily addressed municipal wastewater treatment plants.

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Liquid Mercury
Making You Aware - Harmful Effects, Handling Spills and Proper Disposal
By Susan Skye

Remember back in the ‘60s and ‘70s when everyone used glass mercury thermometers?  Back then, we thought it was "ok" to play with mercury as it rolled around the bathroom sink after a thermometer broke.  No more.  Now we know that vapors are particularly unsafe for pregnant women and children – especially at high levels in the air.  Mercury in the mother’s body passes on to the fetus.  Harmful effects to an unborn child may include brain damage, mental retardation, incoordination, blindness, seizures, and an inability to speak.  Children exposed to mercury may develop problems of their nervous and digestive systems.  They might also suffer kidney damage.  Just like other chemicals and health issues, however, more mercury education and awareness is still needed in Florida.  Please do what you can to spread this awareness.

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Beaches and HABs:  Successful Expansion of the Florida Red Tide Reporting System for Protection of Public Health through Community Education and Outreach
By Kate Nierenberg, Andrew Reich, Robert Currier, Barbara Kirkpatrick, Lorraine C. Backer, Richard Stumpf, Lora Fleming, and Gary Kirkpatrick

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) occur throughout the world with Florida having the distinction of being home to all major toxin-producing marine, estuarine and freshwater microalgae.  The subtropical warm climate, 1200 miles of coastline, varied aquatic habitats and the human interface through seafood consumption and from water activities compose an environment where the presence of aquatic toxins can have a significant impact on public health.  In Florida, the estimated annual economic impacts from HABs are in the magnitude of millions of dollars with direct effects to both tourism and public health.  Nationwide, approximately $22 million is attributable to public health issues related to seafood ingestion alone (Anderson et al., 2000).  Additional costs yet to be determined relate to respiratory illness, lost wages due to illness and increased burden on the health care. 

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Composting and Incinerating Toilets: A brief description
By Kim Duffek

With the “greening” of America and the environment on the forefront, interest in alternative waste disposal is emerging.  Composting, also called waterless toilets, can be defined as a system that provides an environment with a container for predominately aerobic decomposition of waste.  Some composting toilets use electricity, while others do not.  Some of the electrical systems use fans to exhaust air and increase microbial activity.  Others systems require the user to rotate a composting drum or otherwise stir the compost from time to time.  True composting is a slow process and takes around 4-6 years and a variety of processes involving bacteria, fungi, worms, and other micro- and macro-organisms.  Incinerating toilets are also a form of waterless toilets that work by using electricity or gas to produce heat which literally incinerates the waste.   Typically they do not require pumping.  All composting and incinerating toilets eventually need some end product removal.

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Investigation Techniques in Foodborne Illness Outbreaks
Roy Costa, RS, MS/MBA

When a public health agency becomes aware of an outbreak of foodborne illness, they put into place interventions to stop the transmission.  Central to that effort is an environmental assessment referred to as an inspection.  Companies may also employ third party inspectors during outbreaks to determine the strength of prevention efforts.  Legal firms and private investigators interested in understanding how these outbreaks occur, increasingly conduct inspections during or after foodborne illness outbreaks.

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PACE EH:  Promoting Economic Revitalization with Incentive for Redevelopment in East Jacksonville
Cassandra J. Haverkamp, MPH and Scott Turner, RS, MPA

According to the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), the Protocol for Assessing Community Excellence in Environmental Health (PACE EH) is designed to help communities systematically conduct and act on an assessment of environmental health status in their localities.

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The Ode to Novel H1N1 (Swine) Flu
Courtesy of Julie Casani, MD, MPH and FEMA Region IV

An outbreak in Mexico
Linked to flu found in swine
Came into the US
The last week of April, two thousand and nine

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Users Guide to the “Petting Zoo” Compendium
By the NASPHV Animal Contact Compendium Committee

The Compendium of Measures to Prevent Disease Associated with Animals in Public Settings, 2009, was prepared by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc. (NASPHV). This guide to the Compendium was adapted directly from it. After reading the guide, the reader should refer to the full Compendium for the Recommendations and Appendices sections, both of which are concise and easy to follow, and can be found at www.NASPHV.org.  Environmental Health Professionals at the county health department level are involved in outbreak investigations of human illness associated with petting zoo animals.  This Compendium increases the overall knowledge base for these professionals.

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Alternative Drainfield Products in Florida:  A Statewide and Regional Analysis of Frequency, Distribution, and Density
By Elke Ursin and Kara Loewe

A properly sized and constructed drainfield provides an area for temporary storage and dispersal of wastewater effluent into the surrounding soils.  In the State of Florida, mineral aggregate has historically been used as the dispersal material for effluent coming from a septic tank.  Chapter 64E-6 of the Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) specifically references mineral aggregate for drainfield sizing and construction.  After a soil evaluation has been performed at the site, the soil texture and estimated seasonal high water table are used to determine the loading rate from Table III of 64E-6.009 (d), F.A.C.  The loading rate and the estimated daily sewage load of the structure are used to determine the square footage required for the drainfield.

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