Agencies Publish New Tool that Measures Environmental Impact on Community Health
The Environmental Justice Index (EJI) was published in August.
- By Alex Saurman
- Aug 19, 2022
A new tool was recently launched to help people know how environments affect health and health equity in communities.
Published in August, the Environmental Justice Index (EJI) scores communities with a “single environmental justice score” and measures the impact of the environment on community health, according to a press release. The EJI combines data from the EPA, CDC, Census Bureau and Mine Safety and Health Administration.
The EJI rank of each county represents the percentage of other communities that are lower in cumulative impact, which is measured by the “total harm to human health that occurs from the combination of environmental burden such as pollution and poor environmental conditions, pre-existing health conditions, and social factors," according to the press release.
This can potentially lead to major changes for communities, including additional resources, new policies and greater health equity.
The tool was released by the CDC and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry with Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Environmental Justice.
About the Author
Alex Saurman is the Content Editor for Environmental Protection.