Health and Environment, El Paso County, CO

Solid Waste and Vector

The primary goal of the Solid Waste and Vector section is to reduce the risk of disease transmission through surveillance, outbreak investigations, control measures and community education. Prevention is the primary goal of the Solid Waste and Vector Section - the prevention of disease and/or illness from exposure to biologic or toxic agents that occur in or are introduced into the local environment. Our efforts in prevention center upon (1) surveillance for early detection, and (2) rapid intervention for control. Environmental Quality Programs embrace a number of disease prevention and public health programs. For the sake of this operational plan these programs are grouped into the following areas:

1. Diseases transmittable from animals to man.
Programs include: Epidemiology - the study of these diseases as they occur in our community; Rabies Control; Plague Control; West Nile Virus Control; the Control of other viruses transmitted by mosquitoes; Bioterrorism; Insect and Rodent Control; and, Mosquito Control.
2. Disease prevention in Institutional Settings. Programs include: Health and Safety in Schools.

3. Disease/Illness Prevention from Hazardous Material exposures.

Programs include: The disposal and management of Solid Waste; Mitigation of the health effects of accidental or purposeful releases of Hazardous Materials into the environment; The proper handling and disposal of Hazardous Materials; and, oversight over clean up and threat reduction from operations involving the manufacture of illicit Drugs and Hazardous Substances.

In the Solid Waste and Vector section all efforts are population based, directed toward prevention and/or threat reduction, and apply training, intervention, and control as necessary.