Occupational and environmental medicine: moving the factory fence or hedging our bets?

Occupational and environmental medicine evolved out of concern for the effect of work hazards on health. The experienced gained in considering such hazards has been extended to understanding general risks in the environment. As we look toward the future, classical occupational and environmental hazards such as over exposure to lead, asbestos and mercury are waning and being replaced by concerns around sustainable development, toxicology testing and exposure information for high production volume chemicals, development of better approaches for setting workplace and community exposure limits, environmental justice and many others. The opportunities for the future exist in overcoming these new challenges.