INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE TOPICS

Emerging Contaminants Program

Emerging contaminants (EC) are defined by the Department of Defense (DoD) as chemicals or materials that either lack published health standards, have an evolving regulatory or science status or pose a threat to human health or the environment with the potential to impact mission readiness. The program is managed under the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Environment, Safety and Occupational Health as delineated in DoD Instruction 4715.18, Emerging Contaminants (EC). As an active member of the Chemical and Material Risk Management Directorate's Materials of Evolving Regulatory Interest Team (MERIT), we participate in the coordinated effort of the military services to develop processes and approaches that enable:

Early identification of emerging contaminants with relevance to DoD
Assessing and minimizing occupational safety and health impacts for DoD personnel
Developing workable and innovative risk management options

We provide subject matter experts for specific EC impact assessments. This includes researching and evaluating information on Navy operations and processes where the chemical is used, analyzing exposure data to assess human health risks for the chemicals under scrutiny, and proposing less hazardous alternatives.

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)

Reproductive/Developmental Hazards References

Carcinogen References

Respiratory Protection Toolbox

Bureau of Medicine and Surgery
7700 Arlington Blvd. Ste. 5113 Falls Church, VA 22042-5113
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General Navy Medical Inquiries (to Bureau of Medicine and Surgery): usn.ncr.bumedfchva.mbx.bumed-general-inquiries@health.mil