Health and Safety

About this Indicator

This new indicator summarizes the status of several conditions that contribute to the health and safety of King County residents. These conditions are ones that King County's Department of Natural Resources and Parks seeks to improve through its program and service delivery.

Status

All sub-indicators are approaching standards and/or are stable:

• Reducing toxic burdens in children and vulnerable populations
• Utilization rates of parks and trails
• Access to clean and safe surface waters
• Access to potable groundwater on Vashon Island

Influencing factors

Many broad societal and economic factors, as well as individual decisions, bear on conditions that affect the health and safety of King County residents.

Utilizations rates of parks and trails are affected by weather, the team sport programs of school districts, and the popularity of private facilities and programs that serve local residents.

The toxic burdens to children and vulnerable populations in our communities are influenced by national and state laws, product design decisions of consumer product manufacturers, and exposure levels that vary by household.

Access to clean and safe surface waters of streams, rivers, lakes and marine waters are influenced by decisions of households and local businesses, federal and state policies, and legacies of prior industrial activities.

DNRP response

The Local Hazardous Waste Management Program (LHWMP) has a range of innovative programs underway to combat exposure to and build-up of toxic substances in humans and the environment. LHWMP is focusing its efforts to increase

• the protection of King County's most vulnerable residents by:
• Working 'upstream' to reduce the production of hazardous wastes and materials;
• Facilitating 'product stewardship' policies and programs; and
• Enhancing hazardous waste management capacities and responsibilities

To improve access to clean and safe surface waters, DNRP is:

• improving facilities which convey and treat wastewater
• partnering with other jurisdictions to promote stewardship of land and water
• reaching out to land owners and land managers with technical assistance and education

To increase utilization of parks and trails, DNRP is:

• Expanding and improving the Regional Trail System
• Partnering with community organizations to expand and improve facilities for passive and active recreation
• Improve maintenance levels at existing park facilities

What you can do

• Minimize your impact to surface waters by driving less, cleaning up pet waste, and improving yard care practices.
• Reduce toxic burdens through environmentally-preferable purchasing decisions, eating lower on the food chain, nd reducing your exposure to house dust and other environmental contaminants.
• Protect groundwater through water conservation and improving yard care and land management practices.

More information about King County's Health & Safety indicators is available by continuing to these indicators:

• Access to Clean & Safe Surface Water
• Utilization of Parks & Trails
• Reduced Toxic Burdens in Children / Vulnerable Populations
• Access to Potable Groundwater