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About IDPH

Environmental Health Protection

  • Asbestos Abatement In the mid-1980s, newly enacted state and federal legislation required that schools be inspected for asbestos and that plans for its management be developed. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) staff reviews asbestos management plans for elementary and secondary school facilities and inspects abatement projects to ensure compliance with state and federal laws. More
  • Integrated Pest Management (IPM) What is Integrated Pest Management (IPM)? Integrated Pest Management in schools and day care centers involves cooperation between school staff and pest control personnel (e.g., commercial pest management professionals or in-house staff). IPM uses a variety of non-chemical methods as well as pesticides, when needed, to reduce pest infestations to acceptable levels and to
  • Lead Poisoning Prevention Lead poisoning, the number one environmental illness of children, is caused primarily by lead-based paint in older homes. While Illinois has made great progress in recent years, we maintain one of the highest rates in the nation for the number of children with elevated blood lead levels. The most common exposure to lead by children is through the ingestion of paint chips and
  • Manufactured & Modular Homes/Mobile Structures The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) regulates construction of modular homes and commercial mobile structures located in Illinois. Staff review plans for each model to be located in Illinois to ensure that these units meet minimum structural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical and energy conservation standards. About 1,300 modular homes and commercial mobile
  • Migrant Labor The IDPH administers 2 programs that affect agricultural workers, one dealing with field sanitation and the other with migrant labor camps. The field sanitation program promotes the health and safety of agricultural workers by requiring that basic sanitary facilities be available to them. All farm operators who employ 10 or more agricultural workers must provide toilets,
  • Non-Community Public Water Systems Non-community public water systems are facilities, such as schools, factories, restaurants, resorts, and churches, served by their own water supply (usually a well). These facilities are required to provide a safe and adequate supply of water under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Non-community water systems serve either a transient or a non-transient population. A
  • Plumbing Are you preparing to close or reopen your building or business? Did you know that your building's water quality may be impacted by changes in water use? Whether your building is closed, unoccupied, or less occupied due to COVID, vacation or any other reason, have a plan and flush away stagnant water to protect your water quality! Improper plumbing can result in the
  • Private Sewage Disposal Malfunctioning or improperly constructed and maintained private sewage disposal systems can pose serious health hazards. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) regulates the installation of all private sewage disposal systems that have no surface discharge (such as septic tanks and seepage fields) as well as those that discharge treated effluent up to 1,500 gallons
  • Private Water & Closed Loop Wells In the private water and closed loop systems program, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) administers the licensing of water well and pump installation contractors and regulates the construction, modification and sealing of all water wells, with the exception of community water wells. In addition, the program administers the registration of closed loop well
  • Structural Pest Control IDPH protects the public from improperly prepared and used pesticides and from groundwater contamination around commercial pesticide storage sites and promotes the concept of integrated pest management in schools. Illinois has approximately 750 licensed structural pest control business locations as well as 60 registered non-commercial (not-for-hire, in-house pest control)
  • Swimming Facilities Swimming facilities have become standard features in hotels, motels, apartment complexes and subdivisions, as well as many parks and recreation areas. However, swimming can be hazardous due to the numerous diseases that may be transmitted by contaminated water and the dangers associated with diving accidents and falls on wet surfaces.
  • Toxicology The Illinois Department of Public Health's Toxicology Program was created in 1986 to carry out the Department's responsibilities under the Environmental Toxicology Act.
  • Vector Control & Surveillance Vectors are insects, ticks, rats, mice, birds and other animals that transmit disease-producing organisms to humans. To prevent the human disease and discomfort caused by these vectors, IDPH provides technical information to local health departments, governments, mosquito abatement programs and the public on methods to monitor and control them. IDPH also awards annual grants
  • Wildfire Smoke Wildfires are becoming larger and more frequent in the United States and Canada, in part due to the influence of climate change. Breathing wildfire smoke can make anyone sick, but some people are at greater risk than others of experiencing health-related problems like heart and lung disease
  • Winter Weather Resources Weathering Winter Some people dread the thought of the thermometer dipping below the freezing mark. Others look forward to the first chill in the air, knowing it means the first snowfall and the holiday season are just around the corner. Snow and ice provide an ideal outdoor playground for children and adults, but also present hazards for those who need to drive or to take