The Environmental Health Division of the McDonough
County Health Department provides health protection programs
to prevent or reduce the incidence of disease, death or disability
caused by exposure to hazardous or toxic substances; unsafe food,
water, air, consumer products; or other environmental exposure.
While several functions of this division are regulatory in nature,
a strong emphasis is placed on health education.
What's New
| Food and Defense Self-Assessment Tools April, 2008 In 2003, the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) issued the Food and Cosmetic Security Preventive Measures Guidance, which consists of five separate guidance documents designed to make operators in the food and cosmetics industries aware of each segment of the food and cosmetic products delivery system that is within their control, so that at each segment, they can minimize the risk of tampering or other malicious, criminal, or terrorist actions.
Copy and paste the following link to your browser to access the US FDA Food and Cosmetic Security Preventive Measures Guidance at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/defguids.html
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| Cleaning Up After a Flood June, 2008 Concerns about personal health and safety may increase in the days and weeks following recent flooding. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) provides the following information which may be useful to citizens.
These basic precautions can help to prevent disease:
Minimize skin contact with flood water, especially cuts and sores. Keep them clean and covered.
Do not allow children to play in flood water.
Do not eat or drink anything exposed to flood water.
Keep contaminated objects, water and hands away from your mouth, eyes and nose.
Wash hands frequently, especially after bathroom use, before eating and immediately following contact with flood water or contaminated objects or surfaces.
Take the following precautions to prevent injury:
Turn off main power switches if necessary. Air out and wipe dry all appliances and electrical outlets exposed to water before use.
If you have fuel oil or gas systems, be sure tanks are secure and all lines are free from breaks.
Wear rubber boots, gloves and an N95 or HEPA respirator mask during removal and cleanup.
Open windows if possible to ventilate and dry the area. Fans can be used to help with drying.
The following cleaning guidelines may help prevent the transmission of disease and reduce property loss:
General Cleaning:
Discard any contaminated objects that cannot be thoroughly washed or laundered.
Wash contaminated surfaces and objects with warm, soapy water and disinfect with a bleach and water solution made of no more than 1 cup of bleach per 1 gallon of water. For objects that would be damaged by bleach, use a home or laundry disinfectant.
Make sure to read and follow label instructions. Do not use ammonia. Do not mix ammonia and bleach; the vapors are hazardous.
Scrub and wash all objects in the affected area of your home, including clothes, exposed to flood waters. Use warm, not hot, tap water with soap.
Specific Cleaning:
Carpets and Rugs
Carpets and rugs that cannot be thoroughly dried and cleaned should be discarded and replaced. If the damaged area is small, you may be able to save the carpet by cleaning the area with a mild detergent. There also are professional home cleaning services that may be able to clean your carpets.
Floors, Drapes and Furniture
Floors and hard surfaces should be cleaned with a bleach and water solution made of no more than one cup of bleach per one gallon of water, or use a household disinfectant. A professional cleaner may be able to clean furniture and drapes.
Basement
Pump out standing water and remove all debris. Wait to pump until flood waters have receded below basement level. Allow debris to drain before disposal. Strain away all liquids from trash. After straining trash, wrap in newspaper and store in tight-lid garbage cans until pick up. Paneling and wallboard must be immediately cleaned and dried thoroughly. If the damage is severe, they should be removed and replaced.
Food and Water Safety
Use only bottled or disinfected water for drinking, cooking, tooth brushing and bathing until you are sure the water supply is safe. Discard food exposed to contaminated waters. If refrigerators or freezers have taken in water, discard food stored there. If no water entered these appliances, but power was lost long enough for foods to thaw, discard all partially thawed foods unless prepared immediately. Discard milk, cheeses and other foods prone to spoilage. Completely thawed meats and vegetables should be discarded without question. Discard all bulging or leaking canned food and any food stored in jars. Undented, intact cans can be cleaned with a bleach solution before use.
IDPH offers two additional publications which may also be useful after a flood:
After the Flood (http://www.idph.state.il.us/pdf/aftflood.pdf)
Common Questions and Answers about Indoor Mold (http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/mold_qa_fs.htm)
If you have other questions, contact the McDonough County Health Department at (309) 837-9951.
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| OPERATING UNDER A BOIL ORDER April, 2008 A boil order is a notice to boil all drinking water and water used for cooking purposes for at least five minutes before use. This type of notification is issued at the discretion of the Water Superintendent whenever the water being supplied may have become contaminated with bacteria.
If you find your are operating under a boil order, the following are important to keep in mind for the health and safety of your staff and customers:
1. Do not use contaminated water or water of questionable quality. Serve and use potable water from an approved source for all uses including:
Preparation of coffee, tea, and other drinks
Direct-feed coffee urns that are connected into the water supply
Post-mix beverage machines
On-site ice machines
Washing produce or thawing food
Employee handwashing
Washing, rinsing, and sanitizing of dishes, equipment, and utensils
Water for sanitizing solutions
Water for mechanical dish machines
2. Alternative procedures that help reduce water use may include:
Purchase pre-prepared food products
Use single-serve dishes and utensils when possible
Purchase canned or bottled beverages
Substitute commercially processed ice from an approved source
Limit menu choices to those that are least complicated
Limit your hours of service
3. When the boil order is lifted, remember to:
Flush the water lines, clean faucet screens and water line strainers on mechanical dish machines
Flush all fixtures and appliances that use water such as ice machines, beverage machines, and hot water heaters
Clean and sanitize all fixtures such as sinks and equipment that are connected to water lines
Excerpted from Illinois Department of Public Health Publication After the Flood
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| 2008 Sports Fish Consumption Advisory
02-14-08 SPRINGFIELD, Ill. The Illinois Department of Public Health today announced its 2008 consumption advisories for sport fish caught in Illinois waters. The advisory includes less stringent advice for some Lake Michigan fish. The following lakes are new to the special mercury advisory this year: Evergreen Lake and Mt. Olive New City Lake. These additions are the result of expanded and directed sampling by the Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program and do not suggest that Illinois fish are becoming more contaminated.
The advisories are not meant to discourage people from eating fish, but should be used as a guideline to help anglers and their families decide the types of fish to eat, and how to prepare fish for cooking to reduce possible contaminants, said Dr. Damon T. Arnold, state public health director. Fish can be an important part of a balanced diet. It is a good source of high quality protein and other nutrients and is low in fat. However, contaminants in fish may make some fish unsafe to eat except in limited quantities, particularly for women of childbearing age and young children.
While there is no known immediate health threat from eating contaminated fish from any body of water in Illinois, there are concerns about the effects of long-term, low-level exposure to pesticides and chemicals, such as chlordane, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and methylmercury, found in fish listed on the advisories. Methylmercury has been found to cause reproductive damage and have adverse effects on the central nervous system, including developmental delays.
The advisories are based primarily on protecting sensitive populations, including women of childbearing age, pregnant women, fetuses, nursing mothers and children younger than 15 years of age. They may be overprotective for women beyond childbearing age and men older than 15.
This years changes to the advisories include:
Largemouth bass larger than 19 inches from Evergreen Lake in McLean County should be limited to one meal per month for sensitive populations and one meal per week for all others because of elevated levels of methylmercury.
All sizes of largemouth bass from Mt. Olive New City Lake in Macoupin County should be limited to one meal per month for sensitive populations and one meal per week for all others because of elevated levels of methylmercury.
Less stringent advice for Lake Michigan includes: chinook salmon larger than 36 inches should be limited to six meals per year (previously larger than 32 inches), chinook salmon smaller than 36 inches should be limited to one meal per month (previously less than 32 inches), brown trout larger than 25 inches should be limited to six meals per year (previously larger than 22 inches), and brown trout smaller than 25 inches should be limited to one meal per month (previously less than 22 inches). All of these changes are because of decreasing levels of PCBs.
The remainder of the consumption advisories is unchanged from last year. The statewide mercury advisory cautions sensitive populations to eat no more than one meal per week of predator fish, which pose a greater risk because they feed on other fish and accumulate higher amounts of methylmercury. Predator fish include all species of black bass, (largemouth, smallmouth and spotted), striped bass, white bass, hybrid striped bass, flathead catfish, muskellunge, northern pike, saugeye, sauger, and walleye.
Women beyond childbearing age and males older than 15 years of age can eat as many meals of predator fish as they please with the exception of fish caught from the 17 bodies of water that are on the special mercury advisory and have more restrictive meal advice because of high levels of methylmercury. These include Arrowhead Lake, Campus Lake at Southern Illinois University, Cedar Lake (Jackson Co.), Devil's Kitchen Lake, Evergreen Lake, Kinkaid Lake, Lake Bracken, Lake in the Hills, Little Grassy Lake, Little Wabash River and Tributaries, Marquette Park Lagoon, Midlothian Reservoir, Monee Reservoir, Mt. Olive New City Lake, Ohio River, Rock River (from Rockford to Milan Steel Dam), and Wabash River.
Mercury occurs naturally in the environment and it can be released into the air through industrial pollution, including coal-burning power plants. When it falls into surface water, bacteria in the water cause chemical changes that transform the mercury into methylmercury, which is then taken up by fish as they feed on aquatic organisms.
For fish that may contain PCBs and chlordane, the advisory provides eating advice in five categories unlimited consumption, no more than one meal per week, no more than one meal per month, no more than six meals per year and do not eat.
Anglers who vary the type and source of sport fish consumed opting for the younger, smaller fish, and consuming leaner species such as walleye and panfish over fatty species such as carp and catfish, and who prepare and cook fish in ways that reduce the amount of contaminants - can limit their exposure to harmful substances that may be found in fish.
There are several ways to reduce any PCBs and chlordane present in edible portions of fish:
Before cooking, remove the skin from the filet and cut away any fatty tissue from the belly and dorsal areas.
Broil, bake or grill in a way that allows fat to drip away.
Discard fat drippings or broth from broiled or poached fish. Do not use in other dishes.
These precautions will not reduce the amount of methylmercury in fish. Mercury is found throughout the fish's muscle tissue (the edible part of the fish) rather than in the fat and skin. Therefore, the only way to reduce mercury intake is to reduce the amount of contaminated fish eaten.
The Illinois Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program screens fish samples from about 40 bodies of water per year for contamination from 13 banned pesticides and industrial chemicals. The program is a joint effort of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and the Departments of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Public Health.
The fish are collected by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and tested by IEPA. The Illinois Department of Public Health bases its consumption advisories on the IEPA test results. This year's advisories can be viewed on IDPH's Web site at http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/fishadv/2008_fish_advisories.pdf and are included in the 2008 Illinois Fishing Information Guide, which is available from IDNR and from businesses that sell state fishing licenses, and can also be viewed on IDNRs Web site at: www.dnr.state.il.us.
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Overview
Environmental Health Sanitarians
What is a sanitarian?
- A sanitarian is a specialist in sanitary science and public
health.
What is a Licensed Environmental Health
Practitioner (L.E.H.P.)?
- “A licensed environmental health practitioner" is
a person who, by virtue of education and experience in the
physical, chemical, biological, and environmental health sciences,
is especially trained to organize, implement, and manage environmental
health programs, trained to carry out education and enforcement
activities for the promotion and protection of the public health
and environment.
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Food Safety Program
*Goal*
To reduce the occurrence of foodborne illness and to promote
safe food practices within McDonough County.
How does the McDonough County Health Department
ensure food safety for its citizens?
- McDonough
County Food Ordinance (pdf)
- Provides licensing for permanent and temporary food service
facilities.
- Sanitarians conduct inspections of food service and food
retail facilities in McDonough County to determine compliance
with the Illinois
Food Service Sanitation Code. There are approximately 200
food service/retail facilities operating in McDonough County. Inspection
Results
- Conducts food complaint/food incident investigations.
- Responsible for foodborne
illness surveillance in McDonough County.
- McDonough County Health Department offers Foodservice Sanitation
Manager Certification classes. Refresher courses are also offered.
For more information about upcoming classes, please call 309-837-9951.
- Provides educational information about food safety to the
public and food service industry through presentations, pamphlets,
and videos.
Where can I get more information about food
safety?
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Potable Water Program
*Goal*
To protect the citizens of McDonough County from contracting
and transmitting waterborne illnesses by helping to provide and
assuring safe water for drinking, culinary, and sanitary purposes.
What is potable water? Potable water
means water that is safe for drinking and cooking.
How Does the McDonough County Health Department
ensure potable water for its citizens?
Test kits are available at the McDonough County Health Department.
Samples are screened for biological and chemical contamination.
Coliform bacteria are used as an indicator for biological contamination
and nitrate/nitrite is used as an indicator for chemical contamination.
Test kits can be used for water supplies that are not public
water systems.
- What is a private water
supply? A private water supply is any supply
that is not a public water system, which provides water
for drinking, culinary, and sanitary purposes and serves
an owner-occupied single-family dwelling.
- What is a semi-private water supply? A
semi-private water supply is any supply that is not a public
water system, which serves a segment of the public other
than an owner-occupied single-family dwelling.
- Non-Community Public Water Supplies:
Monitoring of non-community water supplies (NCPWS).
- What is a NCPWS? A NCPWS is
a system that is not a community water system, and has at least
15 service connections used by nonresidents, or regularly serves
25 or more nonresident individuals daily for at least 60 days
per year.
- Abandoned Well Sealing: Review
plans to seal abandoned water wells, and perform inspections
during sealing. The sealing form must be reviewed to ensure
it meets Illinois Water Well Construction Code abandoned well
sealing requirements.
- Water Well Construction
Permits: Perform a plan review and site evaluation
prior to issuing a permit to construct a new water well.
- Subdivision Plat Approval: Performs
inspection of plats to be subdivided upon request of the McDonough
County Plat Officer to determine the availability or feasibility
of a potable water supply.
- Real
Estate Transactions: Inspects private water
wells at rural properties and collects samples from those
wells upon request.
- Waterborne
Illness: Monitor indicators of waterborne illness.
Perform waterborne illness investigation in the event of
an outbreak.
- McDonough county Illinois
Groundwater Protection Education Committee: The
committee has been promoting the protection of groundwater
and the education of citizens of McDonough County since
the fall of 1994. Through the efforts of the committee,
McDonough County has been designated as a Groundwater
Guardian Community since 1996.
- Consultations: Provide
recommendations to the public regarding private water supplies,
at their request.
- Complaint investigations: Investigate
complaints regarding private water supplies.
- Education: Presentations
and information provided to schools, organizations and the
public for the protection of our water resources.
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Private Sewage Disposal
*Goal*
To reduce the incidence of disease transmission, disease organisms
and nuisances through the disposal of sewage to properly designed,
constructed and operated sewage disposal.
What is “Private Sewage Disposal”?
Any sewage handling or treatment facility receiving domestic
sewage from less than 15 people or population equivalent and
having a ground surface discharge or any sewage handling or treatment
facility receiving domestic sewage and having no ground surface
discharge.
How Does the McDonough County Health Department
ensure the effectiveness and safety of private sewage disposal?
- Inspects septage haulers.
- Subdivision Plat Approval: Performs
inspection of plats to be subdivided upon request of the McDonough
county Plat Officer to determine if the private sewage disposal
system is in compliance with the Private Sewage Licensing Act
and Code or if a private sewage disposal system can be constructed
on the site.
- Percolation
Tests: May perform soil
percolation tests.
- Complaint Investigations: Investigates complaints regarding
wastewater and sewage in McDonough County.
- Education: Presentations and
information provided to schools, organizations and the public.
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Radon Awareness
*Goal*
To increase radon awareness and knowledge; promote
testing of homes; and increase the number of homes that achieve
corrective action when an elevated level exists.
What is radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring, colorless, odorless, radioactive
gas that is produced by the breakdown of Uranium in the soil.
It enters the home through cracks in the foundation, openings
around sump pumps and drains, construction joints, and cracks
in walls. It is most concentrated in the lowest levels of the
home.
Is indoor radon harmful? Radon
is the second leading cause of lung cancer.
Radon in McDonough
County:
41% of homes tested in McDonough County had indoor radon levels
of 4 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L) or greater, which
is the level at which residents should take steps to reduce
the radon levels in their home. For more information on radon
in McDonough County and what you can do to protect yourself
visit, http://www.state.il.us/idns or
view a brochure about radon
in McDonough County.
What radon services does McDonough County Health
Department offer?
- Free testing of schools and daycare centers upon request.
- Presentations
- Radon awareness education
- Information on radon resistant construction techniques
- Radon test kits at a low cost
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Tanning Facility Program
*Goal*
To minimize the health and safety risks associated
with indoor tanning facilities through routine inspections, complaint
investigations and education for the operator and consumer.
What are the risks of tanning?
- Skin cancer
- Premature wrinkling
- Skin and eye burns
- Allergic reactions
- Reduced immunity
Do tanning devices increase the risk for developing
skin cancer?
Yes, both indoor tanning devices and the sun have risks, but
tanning devices have an increased risk.
Can I tan if I am on medication?
If you are taking any medicines, check with your doctor or pharmacist
before you tan. If you are taking certain medicines and are exposed
to UV radiation, you may have an allergic-type reaction.
It is best not to tan, but…
If you choose to ignore the risks follow these
precautions:
- ALWAYS use protective eyewear
- KNOW your skin type and FOLLOW the exposure schedule
- NEVER tan more than once in a 24 hr. period
- Make sure a trained operator is present at ALL times
- ALWAYS inform the operator of medication changes
- REPORT INJURIES to the tanning salon and to your local health
department, and SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION
- PERFORM self-examinations of
the skin IT IS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY!
- Any unusual sore, lump, blemish, or change in appearance
may be a sign of skin cancer AND you should make an appointment
with your physician or dermatologist.
What does the tanning facility program
do?
- Provides permit applications and procedure
information to individuals interested in operating an
indoor tanning facility.
- Inspects tanning facilities
- Provides educational information about the risk of indoor
tanning
- Conducts complaint investigations
Tanning facilities in McDonough County
There are seventeen tanning facilities in McDonough County.
Each facility is inspected once per year.
Where can I get more information about the risks
of indoor tanning?
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Tattoo Facility Program
*Goal*
To promote and protect health and for the control
of disease caused by bloodborne pathogens.
Are there risks involved with tattoos?
Yes, there are many bloodborne pathogens and infections that
can be transmitted from one person to another through the tattoo
process if proper precautions are not followed. The importance
of safe tattooing cannot be stressed enough. If you chose to
get a tattoo, it is important that you are careful in choosing
the tattoo parlor.
Follow these steps when looking for a tattoo
parlor:
- Look for a valid permit, issued by the McDonough County Health
Department, posted in obvious view.
- Keep sanitation and your safety in mind.
- Is the parlor clean and orderly?
- Needles should be new and disposed of after each use.
- Equipment must be washed, rinsed and sterilized after each
use.
- Solder should be lead free.
- Good handwashing and hygiene should be evident.
- Gloves and protective eyewear must be worn by the artist.
- Skin should be shaved with a sterile razor and thoroughly
washed before tattooing.
- The facility must have and use a proper sterilization method
(dry heat, autoclave or boiling water) for equipment.
How does the McDonough County Health Department
ensure the safe operation of tattoo facilities?
- McDonough
County Tattoo Parlor Ordinance
- Provides applications and
issues permits to operate a tattoo parlor or mobile tattoo
facility. ALL tattoo operations MUST have a valid permit.
- Conducts inspections of all permitted tattoo facilities.
- Provides education to the public.
- Conducts complaint investigations.
Tattoo facilities in McDonough County
Currently there is one tattoo facility in McDonough County.
It is inspected four times per year.
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Insect, Vector and Rodent Control
*Goal*
To educate the public and minimize the potential
for human disease caused by vectors.
What is a vector?
Vectors are insects, ticks, rodents, some birds and other animals
that can transmit disease and cause discomfort in humans. Control
of these pests reduces the incidence of disease in the public.
Services
- Vectorborne disease surveillance and investigation
- Vector Seminar
- Educational Materials
- Complaint investigations
West Nile Virus
West Nile Virus was positively identified in birds and horses
in McDonough County in 2002. In 2003 McDonough County had its
first human case of West Nile Virus. Information for Illinois
and McDonough County on West Nile Virus for 2004 and previous
years as well as prevention and control of mosquitoes can be
found at http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/wnv.htm.
McDonough County residents are encouraged to:
- Remove items from their properties that collect water and
provide breeding areas for mosquitoes.
- Keep weeds and grasses cut.
- Maintain screens in good repair.
- Avoid places and times when mosquitoes bite.
McDonough County Health Department’s role
in WNV control:
- Education
- Surveillance
- Mosquito trapping and testing
- Dead bird tracking, collection and testing
- Solid Waste Task Force
Ticks
Ticks can be brought to the McDonough County Health Department.
They will be sent to either the Illinois Natural History Survey
or the Illinois Department of Public Health for identification. Information
on ticks.
Where can I get more information about
insect, vector and rodent control?
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Environmental Complaints
The Environmental Division responds to a wide range of complaints,
including solid waste, housing, toxic and hazardous waste, facility
sanitation, foodborne illness, occupational health, and general
nuisance conditions through investigations or referrals to other
agencies. An individual may register a complaint or report a foodborne
illness with the Environmental Division by telephone, mail, or
in person, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Names
of complainants are confidential.
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