Ympäristöhygienia

Ympäristöhygienia, known in English as Environmental Hygiene or Environmental Health, is the field concerned with protecting human health through the control of environmental factors. This encompasses a wide range of elements that can impact well-being, including air and water quality, food safety, waste management, and the prevention of disease transmission in various settings. The core principle is to identify, assess, and mitigate risks posed by the physical and biological environment.

Key areas within environmental hygiene include ensuring safe drinking water supplies, managing sewage and industrial wastewater, and promoting proper solid waste disposal to prevent pollution and disease vectors. It also involves regulating air quality, both indoors and outdoors, to minimize exposure to pollutants that can cause respiratory and other health problems. Food safety is another crucial aspect, focusing on preventing contamination throughout the food production and distribution chain.

Furthermore, environmental hygiene addresses occupational health and safety, ensuring safe working conditions and minimizing exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace. Public health interventions, such as sanitation campaigns and vector control programs for diseases like malaria or dengue fever, are also integral to this discipline. The goal is to create and maintain environments that support optimal human health and prevent illness and injury.