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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Navigating public health chemicals policy in Australia: a policy maker’s and practitioner’s guide

Adam Capon A B C , Wayne Smith B and James A. Gillespie A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Menzies Centre for Health Policy, The University of Sydney

B Environmental Health Branch, Health Protection NSW

C Corresponding author. Email: adam.capon@doh.health.nsw.gov.au

NSW Public Health Bulletin 23(12) 217-227 https://doi.org/10.1071/NB12110
Published: 15 March 2012

Abstract

Chemicals are ubiquitous in everyday life. Environmental health practitioners rely on a complex web of regulators and policy bodies to ensure the protection of public health, yet few understand the full extent of this web. A lack of understanding can hamper public health response and impede policy development. In this paper we map the public health chemicals policy landscape in Australia and conclude that an understanding of this system is essential for effective environmental health responses and policy development.


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