Monthly Archives: April 2019

From Other Blogs: Heart failure Symptoms, Addressing Obesity Health Disparities, When Cancer Runs in the Family

Leave a reply

A collection of health and environmental posts from other governmental blogs.

Heart failure symptoms you shouldn’t ignore

One out of every five people over the age of 40 will develop heart failure at some point in their lifetime. Right now, around 6 million Americans have heart failure, and another 900,000 people will develop it each year. Heart failure is a big issue, so it’s important to know the facts in case it happens to you or someone you love. – From Flourish, Prisma Health’s blog

Addressing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities in Adult Obesity and Encouraging Physical Activity this National Minority Health Month

Every person should be able to reach his or her full health potential. I’m proud of the work we do in CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) to support Americans’ journey to good health—especially among people most vulnerable to chronic disease. We protect the health of Americans at every stage of life by encouraging regular physical activity and good nutrition, helping to prevent obesity in children and adults, and addressing barriers to treating obesity in children. – From Conversations in Equity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Blog

When Cancer Runs in the Family

I remember watching her pack a footlocker and suitcase for her first year of college. As I sat there on her purple crushed velvet bedspread, I wondered how long she would be gone. My Aunt Pat was the first woman in our family to go to college, so I didn’t exactly know how this was supposed to work. All I knew was that I would really miss her while she was gone and that I definitely wanted to go to this “college” place when I grew up. – From The Topic is Cancer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Blog

DHEC in the News: Beach Water Advisories, Champions of the Environment

Leave a reply

Here’s a look at health and environmental news from around South Carolina. 

What state health officials want beach-goers to know about water advisories

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — It’s officially beach season in Myrtle Beach and with that comes water advisories. However, officials with the South Carolina Department of Health say bacteria in the water advisories don’t mean the beach is closed for swimming.

DHEC’s Champions of the Environment Program

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) – Each year eight schools statewide are awarded a Champions of the Environment Grant for their environmental education projects.

Protecting the Earth: Bureau of Land & Waste Management

Leave a reply

By: Adah Gorton, Bureau of Land and Waste Management

 

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has specific programs that work to protect human health and the environment. From the extraction of natural resources to cleaning up accidents, the Bureau of Land and Waste Management (BLWM) focuses on the earth and the life cycle of material it generates. What does that mean to you? It means we keep the land you work, live and play on clean so you can be happy and healthy!

April 25 2019 Blog Photo

The Division of Mining and Solid Waste Management handles mining from beginning to end (including permitting and operating within legislation). It also oversees solid waste operations, including permitting and monitoring, planning, distribution of grants and regulation development as well as outreach and education on waste reduction and recycling. These are the folks who help your local solid waste operations function, teach schools and businesses how to recycle and maintain active mines.

Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) are used across the state to store gasoline and other fuels that we need daily but could pose a risk to the environment if not properly contained. The UST Management Division regulates USTs from the day they’re planned to the day they’re retired. This includes permitting as well as remediation efforts and oversight when leaks occur.

The Division of Waste Management issues permits and provides guidance for major projects that manage hazardous, radioactive and infectious waste. While some small-scale operations (e.g., a county household hazardous material collection site) are maintained by other entities, these folks take care of federal and state projects across the board, so you only have to worry about your household waste.

The Site Assessment, Remediation and Revitalization (SARR) Division manages the evaluation and restoration of sites where hazardous waste has polluted the environment. These sites include Brownfields, Superfund and State Voluntary Cleanup locations. SARR oversees cleanup work to be sure it is done according to state and federal standards. They ensure that when mistakes do happen, they’re cleaned up and the environment gets the attention it needs to get back to normal.

The Compliance and Enforcement Division tracks material-handling operations around the state, dealing with every other division contained in BLWM. This prevents the violation of environmental regulation and damage to the environment. The Enforcement area handles violations across the bureau, holding responsible parties accountable and making sure they fix their mistakes.

During Earth Month (April), BLWM focuses on outreach to help South Carolinians better care for their environment and encourages residents to contact us with any questions or requests. Just remember – from the creation of material to clean-up, BLWM protects the earth on Earth Day and every day!

 

No Butts on the Beach

Leave a reply

By: Liz Hartje, Ocean & Coastal Resource Management

Did you know that cigarette litter is the most common type of marine debris found on South Carolina beaches? Cigarette butts are a toxic form of marine debris. Most cigarette filters are made of thin plastic fibers called cellulose acetate, a material that degrades very slowly. Plastics exposed to sunlight and waves break down into smaller and more numerous microplastics, which may never fully degrade in the marine environment. Birds, fish, and sea turtles may ingest cigarette butts or other plastic debris along the coast, which can lead to choking, poisoning, or blockage of the gut. Leaching of toxic materials from cigarette butts can also degrade water quality. Various metals, including lead and nickel, have been found to leach from smoked cigarettes within 24 hours, which may increase the risk of acute harm to local marine life. In a laboratory study, a concentration of one cigarette butt in one liter of water killed half of all fish exposed, within 96 hours!

OCRM 1

In 2015, DHEC OCRM conducted a Cigarette Litter Reduction Pilot Study on Folly Beach in Charleston County. The project was funded by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and included partners from the Surfrider Foundation and Folly Green. The goal of the project was to reduce cigarette litter on Folly Beach by educating residents and visitors about the negative effects cigarette litter can have on the marine environment. Foldable paper ashtrays and flyers printed with educational information were distributed, and new cigarette receptacles were installed at several beach walkovers on Folly Beach. Small-scale monitoring events were designed to look at the amount of cigarette litter on the beach before and after project implementation. Results of the monitoring efforts found fewer cigarette butts in the study area after project implementation, suggesting this pilot project may have influenced human behavior.

Last year, DHEC’s project was replicated in the Grand Strand by the Coastal Waccamaw Stormwater Education Consortium (CWSEC). CWSEC and its partners took a watershed-based approach to enhance public awareness and promote proper disposal of cigarette butt litter at beach and river accesses in Horry and Georgetown Counties. Similar to the Folly Beach study, the Grand Strand Cigarette Litter Reduction project focused on public education, installation of new cigarette receptacles, and cigarette litter monitoring. Results of the project can found on the project website.

OCRM 3

Breathe Better (B2) for Businesses

Leave a reply

As the population and the number of businesses grow, so does the volume of vehicles on the road in a single day. This can be challenging for keeping the air in South Carolina clean and safe.

The good news is South Carolina does have clean air and is currently attaining all of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide.  These standards were established to protect public health. Maintaining favorable air quality by keeping emissions at a minimum will help keep South Carolina within the air quality standards and protect public health.

Your business can be a leader in your community by implementing air pollution reduction strategies to maintain good air quality in South Carolina:

  • Register to be a Breathe Better (B2) business. You will receive anti-idling signs that can go in your loading areas and parking lots.
  • Sign up for the EPA Air Quality Flag Program and display the corresponding air quality desktop sign in your place of business.
  • Create and support a telecommuting policy for your employees so they can work from home one or more days a week to reduce the number of vehicles on the road.
  • Create and support an alternative work schedule. A flexible work schedule allows your employees to stagger their work schedule to avoid driving in peak rush hour traffic.
  • Encourage carpooling and vanpooling. Sharing your daily commute can reduce the number of vehicles on the road and save on gas.
  • Install a bike rack at your business and encourage employees to ride a bike or walk to work whenever possible. It’s good for the environment and your health.
  • Consider replacing and/or purchasing fleet vehicles with hybrid vehicles or electric vehicles.
  • Look for opportunities to reduce diesel emissions through reduction strategies and technologies. South Carolina Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Grants are available for eligible applicants to help fund these types of projects.