A key component of public health, environmental public health focuses on preventing and controlling human diseases caused or impacted by our environment. Many aspects of our environment, both built (pools, sidewalk, and park access) and natural (water, air, soil, and food), can impact our health.

Environmental public health professionals work to prevent disease and create healthy environments that promote well-being, fostering healthy, and safe communities by ensuring the safety of what we eat, breathe, touch, and drink.

Statewide activities focus on prevention, preparedness, and education through routine monitoring, outreach, surveillance, and sampling of facilities and other environments that may contribute to injuries and the occurrence or transmission of disease

The Florida Department of Health in Marion County’s Environmental Public Health (EPH) staff monitors conditions in a variety of areas and facilities throughout the community to protect the health, safety and welfare of Marion County residents and visitors. Each year our EPH department is responsible for verifying and maintaining public health standards at more than 2,300 different locations across the community.