A synopsis of 30 years of major accomplishments by the Pennsylvania Department of Health in Environmental Health (Part 1 of 2): the 1980s.

This article reviews significant environmental health projects conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, particularly the Division of Environmental Health, during the 1980s. The authors describe lessons learned from dealing with health concerns related to the Vietnam War, Three Mile Island, hazardous waste sites, and radon, as well as emerging issues during that decade.