Current OEJCH Projects
Many types of activities cause pollution. Diesel trucks, freeway traffic, warehouse traffic, refineries, factories, and local businesses like auto body shops all pollute the air, water, and land. This pollution harms the health and lives of people who live, work, and go to school nearby. The harm can start small, like a headache, but it can lead to serious long-term health problems.
Many of these same activities create greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. These emissions are the main causes of climate change.
Climate change leads to more frequent extreme heat events causing more intense wildfires, droughts, higher risks of flooding, and further harm air and water quality. It also poses growing threats to the health and safety of communities.
The Office of Environmental Justice and Climate Health works on projects, programs, and policies to promote health protections and equal enforcement of environmental laws for Los Angeles County communities.
Explore our current and past programs and projects.
- Learn about key topics and their health impacts in our Community Resources section.
- Learn more about why environmental justice is critical to public health in our Environmental Justice section.
- Learn more about how climate change impacts health in our Climate Health section.
Climate Health and Extreme Heat
- Heat-Related Illness and Mortality Dashboard: Explore the data to see how often heat-related illness occurs and which communities in Los Angeles County are most affected.
- Heat Toolkit for Schools: The toolkit provides resources and guidance to protect students and staff from heat on school campuses.
- LARC-HEAT: The Health Ambassador Initiative was launched by the Los Angeles Regional Collaborative for Climate Action and Sustainability (LARC)in partnership with UCLA, Rising Communities, Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, and LADPH Community Health Workers in LA County use group and door-to-door outreach in communities at higher risk of serious heat impacts and to talk about the health effects of heat and ways to stay safe.
- Maximum Indoor Temperature Ordinance: The new County ordinance sets a maximum temperature of 82°F for rental units to protect health and safety and prevent heat-related illness due to high indoor temperatures for renters in unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Click here to find more information on how this may impact you if you rent or own rental properties.
- Heat Related Illness Data Brief: A new health data report analyses heat-related illnesses and shows extreme heat is becoming a serious health concern in Los Angeles contributing to growing health impacts.
- Stay Healthy in the Heat: Fact sheets and resource links to information to help stay cool and healthy in the heat.
- Climate Change and Health Equity in Los Angeles County - Strategies for Action: Read the report outlining the Department’s Strategies on Climate Change and Health Equity.
Lead Exposure
- Lead Free Homes LA: Offers free hazardous lead paint removal from eligible homes across Los Angeles County and provides information on the health impacts from exposure to lead paint. Check your eligibility here.
- Exide Battery Recycling Facility: Learn about free blood lead testing, soil testing, free lead paint cleanup, information for your doctor, community meetings, and find background information and reports.
Oil and Gas Facilities
- Map of Oil and Gas Facilities and Industrial Sites: Interactive map with location and data of industrial facilities, including oil & gas operations, and waste sites across LA County.
- Aliso Canyon Disaster Health Research Study: Learn more about the Health Research Study and background information about the Aliso Canyon gas blowout and disaster.
- Oil & Gas Facilities: Reduce the risks associated with oil and gas production in Los Angeles County by coordinating with community groups and enforcement agencies.
- Inglewood Oil Field Study and Baldwin Health Assessments: Learn more about the results of the Baldwin Health Assessments and the health impacts to the community living near the Inglewood Oil Field.
Hazardous Sites and Toxic Exposure (legacy sites)
- Ecobat (Formally Quemetco) Battery Recycling Facility: Learn about background information about Quemetco and lead and arsenic exposures. You can also visit Department of Toxic Substances Control page on Ecobat.
- Fish Contamination: Learn about fish contamination, safe eating guidelines, pier fishing, frequently asked questions, links to videos, and other resources.
Past Projects (2023-Older)
- Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant (Playa Del Rey) : Learn about odors at the sewage treatment plant in 2021. Fact sheets and resources available.
- Parter Medical Products Facility (Carson) : Learn about ethylene oxide levels near the facility in July 2022.
- Sterigenics Medical Facility (Vernon) : Learn about ethylene oxide emissions at the facility in May 2022.
- Air Toxins in City of Paramount and Unincorporated West Rancho Dominguez : Find information on air toxins like hexavalent chromium, originally found in 2018 and 2019 in the areas respectively. Fact sheets and reports available.
- Central Metal Scrap Metal Recycling Facility in Walnut Park : Find information on the Central Metal site and hazardous levels of lead and arsenic. The EPA released its final report of the site investigation, which started in 2019 and concluded in 2023.
Landfills
The Solid Waste Management Program, within Environmental Health, serves as the as a Local Enforcement Agency (LEA) responsible for regulating landfill operations. Please visit Environmental Health’s landfill page for more information. The Office of Environmental Justice and Climate Health provides general health information to community members and supports monitoring efforts; however it does not have regulatory authority.
- Chiquita Canyon Landfill Subsurface Reaction: Learn about how local, state, and federal agencies are working together to control, monitor, and reduce the landfill gases and noxious odors resulting from the Chiquita Canyon Landfill subsurface elevated temperature reaction.
- City Terrace Community Outdoor Air and Soil Vapor Sampling: Learn about soil vapor and outdoor air sampling results near the two closed landfills in the City Terrace community in 2021 and 2023.