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Health Information for Texas-->Sociodemographic
& Community Characteristics
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Environmental Information
Toxics Release Inventory Data
TOXMAP
(National Library of Medicine; facility/chemical level; 1987 to 2005)
Finally! A site that integrates the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory, the
Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB), and TOXLINE. This site uses maps
of the United States to help you locate data from the EPA's Toxics Release
Inventory (TRI). Maps can show facilities, color-coded releases for a
single year, and chemical release trends over time.
Toxic Release
Inventory Basic Information (US Environmental Protection Agency)
This resource will provide an outline of the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI)
program.
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Releases, Spills, & Other Pollutants
Query/Download
NRC Data (National Response Center; facility level data; 1982 to present)
The NRC serves as the sole national point of contact for reporting all
oil, chemical, radiological, biological, and etiological discharges into
the environment anywhere in the United States and its territories.
Air
Emission Event Report (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;
2003 to present)
This site provides current information (the past two years) on air releases
only from industries in Texas. You can search by one of three ways:
Leaking
Petroleum Storage Tanks (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;
2004? to current)
Search by facility name, responsible part name, county, city, or other
parameters.
2007
Air Pollution Events (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; 2000
to current year)
This site contains links to descriptions and analyses of data for large-scale
air pollution events, such as high ozone levels and dust storms, throughout
Texas.
Central
Registry Query (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality)
This database has basic facility information, such as name, address, TCEQ
identification numbers, associated regulatory programs, and the status
in the program. For IHW Corrective Action, status refers to whether program
staff are currently working on cleanup or closure projects at the facility.
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Air Quality
In Harm's Way
(Houston Chronicle; east Harris County; 2004)
Free registration required! This series of articles presents the findings
of an investigation into environmental pollutants. "The Houston Chronicle
tested the air in public parks, playgrounds and neighborhoods bordering
some of the state's largest industrial plants and found the air in the
Manchester area so laden with toxic chemicals that it was dangerous to
breathe.
The Chronicle collected air samples on three days last summer in four
communities in Houston, Baytown, Freeport and Port Neches. The test was
carried out with the same equipment used by plant workers to detect hazardous
chemicals in the air, and the samples were analyzed for 18 toxic substances
by the University of Texas School of Public Health."
Air
Emission Event Report (Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission;
2003 to present)
This site provides current information (the past two years) on air releases
only from industries in Texas. You can search by one of three ways:
Air
Quality (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality)
- Air
Monitoring Site Information
- Air
Quality Data
- Texas'
Air Quality Today
- Air
Pollution Watch List: Regulating Chemicals in a Specific Area
The purpose of the Air Pollutant Watch List is to alert technical
staff to cities or counties within the state that have areas with
elevated air concentrations of special interest pollutants.
- Effects
Screening Levels
Effects Screening Levels are used to evaluate the potential for
effects to occur as a result of exposure to concentrations of constituents
in the air.
- Emissions
Sources and Inventories (2005)
- Point
Source Emissions Inventory
The Point Source Emissions Inventory is an annual survey of
chemical plants, refineries, electric utility plants and other
industrial sites that meet the reporting criteria in the TCEQ
emissions inventory rule. Reports on: PM10, PM2.5, NOX, VOC,
SO2, and CO.
- Non-Road
Mobile Source Emissions Data
- Mobile Source Emissions Data-- currently not available
- General
Air Pollution and Meteorological Data
- Air
Pollution Events (2000 to current year)
This site contains links to descriptions and analyses of data
for large-scale air pollution events, such as high ozone levels
and dust storms, throughout Texas.
- Air
Pollution Data Collected by Automated Gas Chromatographs
(current)
Links to ozone and air toxics data collected by the TCEQ's AutoGCs,
a description of why this data is collected and how it is used,
current web cameras images, and monitoring network and program
contact information.
- Air
Trajectories
Trajectories are aerial maps showing the path taken by an air
parcel. These estimates of air movement are important to better
understand the behavior and potential impact of air pollution.
- Historical
Air Pollutant and Weather Data (1972 to 2006)
Air pollution and meteorological data from the TCEQ, local Texas
monitoring networks, and the EPA since 1972.
- Hourly
Data by Pollutant (1997 to current date/hour)
Scroll down to elect the date, pollutant you want to measure,
in in which region.
- Hourly
Air Pollution Data by Day and Month
Search for air quality data collected on a specific day or during
a particular month and at a specific TCEQ air monitoring site.
- Ozone
Data
- PM2.5
Data
AirNow-- State and Local
Air Quality Forecasts (Environmental Protection Agency; 2002 to present)
View air quality conditions around the country. Includes:
- Ozone
Now
- Ozone
Archives
Animated maps! View changes in ozone levels by 20 minute increments
throughout the country all the way back to 2002.
- Particles
Now
- Particles
Archives
Animated maps! Be sure to click the button next to Particles to
view the correct pollutant. View changes in particles levels by
20 minute increments throughout the country all the way back to
2002.
Texas
Attainment Status by Region (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality)
AirData
Monitor Values Report (Environmental Protection Agency; 1994 to present)
"The AirData Web site gives you access to air pollution data for
the entire United States. Want to know the highest ozone level measured
in your state last year? Ever wonder where air pollution monitoring sites
are located? Are there sources of air pollution in your town? You can
find out here! AirData produces reports and maps of air pollution data
based on criteria that you specify."
Visibility
Information Exchange Web System (VIEWS) (Colorado State University)
Requires free registration. Views is an online exchange of air quality
data, research, and ideas designed to understand the effects of air pollution
on visibility and to support the Regional Haze Rule enacted by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce regional haze and improve
visibility in national parks and wilderness areas.
American
Lung Association State of the Air 2006 (County level
data)
Read
the regional analysis for Texas.
American
Lung Association State of the Air 2005 (County level
data)
"Breathing dirty air? You can find out with the American Lung Association
State of the Air 2005 report. Check YOUR air in the 'How's Your Air' box
to the left or click on your state in the map below to learn how ozone
and particle pollution hurts your lungs -- and what you can do to protect
yourself. Tell your Senators to defend the Clean Air Act and protect public
health -- the state of our air relies on your support."
Border
Air Quality Data- Reports (US EPA; US-Mexico border
level data; 1993 to 2004)
Interactive site; create reports to Monitor Values (Annual summary of
standards-related air monitoring data reported by each monitoring site);
Monitor Trends (Number of times per year pollutant concentration exceeded
U.S. air quality standards at each monitoring site); Monitor Summary (Peak
values of pollutant concentrations at each monitoring site, like the Air
Quality Trends publication). Find additional information
about chemicals or hazardous substances in a ToxNet database.
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Health Information
ToxNet (National
Library of Medicine)
This site is made up of over 10 databases to help you assess the environmental
health risks. Databases included are:
ToxFAQS
(Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry)
"The ATSDR ToxFAQs™ is a series of summaries about hazardous
substances developed by the ATSDR Division of Toxicology. Information
for this series is excerpted from the ATSDR Toxicological Profiles and
Public Health Statements. Each fact sheet serves as a quick and easy to
understand guide. Answers are provided to the most frequently asked questions
(FAQs) about exposure to hazardous substances found around hazardous waste
sites and the effects of exposure on human health."
Public
Health Statements (Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry)
"The ATSDR Public Health Statements (PHSs) listed below are a series
of summaries about hazardous substances developed by the ATSDR Division
of Toxicology. The information in these PHSs has been taken from Chapter
One of their respective ATSDR Toxicological Profiles. Each Public Health
Statement serves as a summary for that complete Toxicological Profile.
The PHSs provide information in a question and answer format which address
the most frequently asked questions about exposure to hazardous substances
found around hazardous waste sites and the effects of exposure on human
health."
Right
to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets (NJ Dept. of Health &
Senior Services)
The Right to Know fact sheets are designed for the public, but still provide
a great deal of information. They are very well designed and include:
a hazard summary, workplace exposure limits, health hazard information
(acute effects and chronic effects), and handling and storage information.
The site includes fact sheets on Chemical
Carcinogens as well fact sheets En
Espanol.
Toxicological
Profile Information Sheet (ATSDR)
"By Congressional mandate, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR) produces "toxicological profiles" for hazardous
substances found at National Priorities List (NPL) sites. These hazardous
substances are ranked based on frequency of occurrence at NPL sites, toxicity,
and potential for human exposure. Toxicological profiles are developed
from a priority list of 275 substances. ATSDR also prepares toxicological
profiles for the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Energy
(DOE) on substances related to federal sites. "
Documentation
for Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Conditions (National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health)
"The "immediately dangerous to life or health air concentration
values (IDLHs)" used by the National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health (NIOSH) as respirator selection criteria were first developed
in the mid-1970's. The Documentation for Immediately Dangerous to Life
or Health Concentrations (IDLHs) is a compilation of the rationale and
sources of information used by NIOSH during the original determination
of 387 IDLHs and their subsequent review and revision in 1994."
11th
Report on Carcinogens (US Public Health Service)
"The Report on Carcinogens (RoC) is an informational scientific and
public health document that identifies and discusses agents, substances,
mixtures, or exposure circumstances that may pose a hazard to human health
by virtue of their carcinogenicity. It serves as a meaningful and
useful compilation of data on (1) the carcinogenicity (ability to cause
cancer), genotoxicity (ability to damage genes), and biologic mechanisms
(modes of action in the body) of the listed substances in humans and/or
in animals, (2) the potential for human exposure to these substances,
and (3) Federal regulations to limit exposures. The RoC does not present
quantitative assessments of the risks of cancer associated with these
substances. Thus listing of substances in the RoC only indicates a potential
hazard and does not establish the exposure
conditions that would pose cancer risks to individuals in their daily
lives. Such formal risk assessments are the responsibility of the appropriate
federal, state, and local health regulatory and research agencies."
Environmental
Health OR Salud
Ambiental (National Library of Medicine MedlinePlus)
MedlinePlus will link you to a wonderful collection of resources that
focus on environmental health issues. Many of the sites you get linked
to are also found on this page, so be sure you don't go around in circles!
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Superfund Sites
Superfund
in Texas (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality)
Superfund
Sites (US Environmental Protection Agency)
This site takes you to several tools to help you locate Superfund sites
in various stages of remediation. And what is a Superfund site? "...are
uncontrolled or abandoned places where hazardous waste is located, possibly
affecting local ecosystems or people."
- About
Superfund
- National
Priorities List
"The NPL is the list of national priorities among the known releases
or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants
throughout the United States and its territories...From this web site,
you can locate NPL sites, check their cleanup progress, and get information
on new and proposed NPL sites."
- CERCLIS
"The profile includes information such as the current status of
cleanup efforts, what cleanup milestones have been reached, and how
much liquid and solid-based media have been treated."
- EnviroMapper
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Overview of Environment
Texas Environmental
Profiles (Texas Center for Policy Studies and Environmental Defense;
county level data)
This site provides explanations of key issues at the state level; values,
rankings, and links for over 50 indicators of environmental quality for
all 254 counties utilizing an interactive mapping system.
Find additional information about chemicals or hazardous
substances in a ToxNet database.
Map your Community
from HUD
Click on Map your community. This interactive mapping
site provides:
Environmental Defense
Scorecard (County and Census tract level
data)
Drill down to your state for broad information or enter a zip code to
find current information about environmental pollution.Pull up lists of
polluters, find out how your county compares to others, and get great
information about pollution in general. Find additional
information about chemicals or hazardous substances in a ToxNet database.
EnviroFacts
(US EPA; 2002; county and city level
data)
Locate waste data, water data, toxins data, and air pollution data by
zip code, county, and city. Find additional information
about chemicals or hazardous substances in a ToxNet database. EnviroFACTS
is composed of several resources, including:
- Queries for:
- Texas
Brownfield Reports
"Brownfields are real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or
reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence
of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Cleaning up and
reinvesting in these properties takes development pressures off of undeveloped,
open land, and both improves and protects the environment. "
Environmental
Health Analyst (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry)
Allows you to search down to the city/zip code level.
Find additional information about chemicals or hazardous
substances in a ToxNet database.
Environmental
Justice Geographic Assessment Tool (US EPA; county
and city level data)
This is another interactive mapping site, but this one allows you to pull
up demographics of the population-- education level, income, etc. Unfortunately,
the maps are drawn so the entire county is treated as one statistical
entity, i.e. you can't see environmental damage by Census tract. Find
additional information about chemicals or hazardous substances in a ToxNet
database.
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Water Information
Texas
Drinking Water (US Environmental Protection Agency)
Select your county to view reports from individual water suppliers or
take a look at Annual
drinking water reports in Texas, a view of water quality from major
cities in Texas.
National Water
Quality Assessment (US Geological Survey)
While this site does not cover every river and estuary in Texas, it does
provide an assessment of some of the major water sources in Texas, including:
Leaking
Petroleum Storage Tanks (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;
2004? to current)
Search by facility name, responsible part name, county, city, or other
parameters.
BEACON
- Beach Advisory and Closing On-line Notification (Environmental Protection
Agency; 2000 to current)
Current and historical data on beaches and beach closings.
Groundwater
Reports to Congress (Environmental Protection Agency; 1994, 1996,
and 1998)
These are PDF documents. Do a search on texas to retrieve all Texas hits.
Continuous
Water Quality Monitoring Stations and Data (Flash) (Texas Commission
on Environmental Quality; 1996 to current)
Scroll down to the map, then click on the area of interest to retrieve
the area of interest. Information includes: surface temperature, water
level, water ammonia, water nitrate, and surface dissolved oxygen.
Surface
Water Quality Summary Reports (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;
2003 to 2004)
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Additional Information
In Harm's Way
(Houston Chronicle; east Harris County; 2004)
Free registration required! This series of articles presents the findings
of an investigation into environmental pollutants. "The Houston Chronicle
tested the air in public parks, playgrounds and neighborhoods bordering
some of the state's largest industrial plants and found the air in the
Manchester area so laden with toxic chemicals that it was dangerous to
breathe.
The Chronicle collected air samples on three days last summer in four
communities in Houston, Baytown, Freeport and Port Neches. The test was
carried out with the same equipment used by plant workers to detect hazardous
chemicals in the air, and the samples were analyzed for 18 toxic substances
by the University of Texas School of Public Health."
Public
Health Assessments & Consultations (US Agency for Toxic Substances
& Disease Registry)
Since 1986, ATSDR has been required by law to conduct a public health
assessment at each of the sites on the EPA National Priorities List.
Internet
HazDat Site Activity (US Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease
Registry)
These reports cover investigations in Texas on hazardous substances in
the soil, water, and air.
ToxNet (National
Library of Medicine)
This site is made up of over 10 databases to help you assess the environmental
health risks. Databases included are:
- Hazardous
Substances Data Bank
- Broad scope in human and animal toxicity, safety and handling,
environmental fate, and more. Scientifically peer-reviewed.
- Integrated
Risk Information System
- Data from the EPA in support of human health risk assessment,
focusing on hazard identification and dose-response assessment.
- International
Toxicity Estimates for Risk
- A product of the Cincinnati based Toxicology Excellence for Risk
Assessment, ITER presents chemical risk information from authoritative
groups worldwide.
- Household Products
Database
- This database links over 4,000 consumer brands to health effects
from Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and allows you to research
products based on chemical ingredients.
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Resources en Espanol
ToxFAQs
en Espanol (Agencia para Sustancias Toxicas y el Registro de Enfermedades)
"Las ToxFAQs™ de la ATSDR son hojas informativas, las cuales
contienen resúmenes acerca de sustancias peligrosas. La información
en las mismas ha sido extraída de las Reseñas ("Perfiles")
Toxicológicas de la ATSDR [En inglés.] y de las Resúmenes
de Salud Pública, las cuales a su vez contienen información
acerca de sustancias peligrosas y sus efectos sobre la salud. Las mismas
han sido desarrolladas por la División de Toxicología de
la ATSDR. Cada hoja informativa sirve como una guía rápida
y fácil de entender. También proveen respuestas a las preguntas
más frecuentemente formuladas (FAQs, por sus siglas en inglés)
acerca de la exposición a sustancias peligrosas encontradas en
los alrededores de vertederos de desperdicios peligrosos y sus efectos
sobre la salud humana."
Resumen de
Salud Publica (Agencia para Sustancias Toxicas y el Registro de Enfermedades)
"Este Resumen de Salud Pública es el capítulo sumario
de la Reseña Toxicológica. El mismo forma parte de una serie
de Resúmenes de Reseñas Toxicológicas relacionados
a sustancias peligrosas y sus efectos sobre la salud. Una versión
más breve, ToxFAQs™, también está disponible.
Esta información es importante para usted debido a que esta sustancia
podría causar efectos nocivos a su salud. Los efectos a la salud
de la exposición a cualquier sustancia peligrosa van a depender
de la dosis, la duración, la manera de exposición, las características
y los hábitos personales, y si están presentes otras sustancias
químicas. Si desea información adicional, puede comunicarse
con el Centro de Información de la ATSDR al 1-888-422-8737."
Hojas
Informativas sobre Substancias Peligrosas del Programa del Derecho a Saber
(New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services)
"Las 50 Hojas Informativas sobre Substancias Peligrosas del Derecho
a Saber que se enumeran a continuación han sido traducidas al español.
Haga clic aquí para acceder a la lista entera de nuestra colección
de Hojas Informativas en línea. Las Hojas Informativas en español
son designadas con las siglas "sp", las cuales aparecen en la
primera columna, inmediatamente después del número de la
substancia RTK, y están en orden alfabético en inglés.
"
Salud
Ambiental (National Library of Medicine MedlinePlus)
MedlinePlus will link you to a wonderful collection of resources that
focus on environmental health issues. Many of the sites you get linked
to are also found on this page, so be sure you don't go around in circles!
Back to the top
Environmental Organizations
TexPIRG (Texas Public Interest
Research Group)
This group is involved in more than just the environment, but the work
they do on environmental issues is phenomenal. It is composed of citizens
just like you who want to leave Texas a better place.
Galveston-Houston Association for Smog
Prevention (GHASP)
This group..."works to persuade government and corporate officials
to prevent smog. GHASP seeks to accomplish its mission by being the most
credible advocate for clean air in the Houston region; by supporting efforts
to educate the public; and by directly engaging government officials,
community leaders, the media and industry on regional air pollution issues.
Our membership arm is the separately incorporated Mothers for Clean Air.
"
Mothers for Clean Air
"Mothers for Clean Air is a non-profit, membership organization concerned
with air pollution in the Houston-Galveston area and its effects on children's
health. Mothers for Clean Air serves as a collective voice to keep state
and local government, industry and consumers focused on obtaining and
maintaining cleaner air for our children."
EnviroHealthHouston
"This website grew out of a town meeting, Environmental Health in
Our Neighborhoods: Speaking Out About Pollution and Health, that was co-sponsored
by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and
the Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Research Center at Baylor College
of Medicine, with the support and collaboration of the regional NIEHS
Centers as well as area universities, organizations and individuals. From
surveys, questions raised at the meeting and post-meeting discussions,
three community-based task forces were formed to address the primary concerns
raised by the Houston-area community. This website grew out of that effort."
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Occupational Exposure Data
Non-fatal
Injury Data (TX Dept. of Insurance Worker's Compensation; County
level data; 2003 to 2005)
Reports are all PDF documents.
Fatal
Injury Data (TX Worker's Compensation Commission; County level
data; 1992-2003)
View reports with fatality data by industry, event or exposure, worker
characteristics, Can create custom tables to include specific counties
and types of injuries.
OSHA
Inspection Data (US Occupational Health & Safety Administration;
Company level data; 1972-present)
"This page enables the user to search for OSHA enforcement inspections
within a specified industry group. Information may also be obtained for
a specified inspection or inspections within a specified establishment.
See also search parameter instructions."
Haz-Map (National
Library of Medicine)
This site is an occupational toxicology disease designed to link occupational
exposures and tasks to the diseases and symptoms they cause.
National
Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH)
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Last update: 3/26/2007
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