The core activities of NSW Health in environmental health are the surveillance, investigation and prevention of health problems directly or indirectly attributable to environmental factors.
Intersectoral collaboration is a key to successfully manage complex environmental health problems.
The Lead Task Force, the Metropolitan Air Quality Study, the Malabar and North Head Sewage Treatment Works Incinerators Study, and the lead abatement project in Broken Hill are examples of successful collaborations of this kind. NSW Health works closely with the EPA and local government to develop guidelines for the inclusion and evaluation of these assessments in development applications NSW Health, in consultation with the EPA, will establish Community Consultative Forums on environmental health issues, which mirror the development of similar forums by the EPA on a range of environmental matters. Sun Exposure Reduction in exposure to sunlight, particularly among children, has the potential to prevent most skin cancers. Campaigns to encourage sun protection behaviour have included the Slip, Slop, Slap, Sunsmart, and Me No Fry campaigns. Strategies to create supportive environments include planting trees for shade at schools, child-care centres, recreational and sport venues.