ATSDR’s Mission and Goals

ATSDR’s Mission

ATSDR protects communities from harmful health effects related to exposure to natural and human-made hazardous substances. ATSDR responds to environmental health emergencies, investigate emerging environmental health threats, conduct research on the health impacts of hazardous waste sites, and build capabilities of and provide guidance to state and local health agencies.

ATSDR’s Goals

ATSDR’s goals are to:

• Evaluate human health risks from toxic sites and recommend timely, responsive public health actions.
• Determine the relationship between exposure to toxic substances and disease.
• Develop and provide reliable, understandable information for affected communities and tribes and for other stakeholders (such as a document summarizing ATSDR’s evaluation of the potential for harmful health effects from site exposures).
• Build and enhance effective partnerships with federal agencies, states, territories, localities, tribes, academic institutions, community members, and other stakeholders.
• Foster a quality work environment at ATSDR.

As needed, ATSDR may refine our mission and goals to 1) improve the approach to evaluate public health hazards and 2) ensure practice of the best science to meet the needs of affected communities.