Our Mission

The San Francisco Department of Public Health strives to protect and improve health and quality of life for all San Franciscans by improving the environmental quality where they live, work and play. Environmental Health advances this mission by implementing San Francisco's health-protective environmental policies and laws. Our work ensures: safe and nutritious food; protection from excessive noise; prevention of exposure to chemicals, polluted soil, air and water; habitable housing; and quality neighborhoods.

Core Programs

• Business Regulation

• Hazardous Materials and Waste
• Massage
• Medical Cannabis Dispensaries
• Medical Waste
• Retail Tobacco
• Tattoo, Body Piercing and Permanent Cosmetics
• Weights and Measures

• Children's Environmental Health

• Children's Environmental Health Promotion
• Lead Prevention
• Asthma Home Visiting

• Environmental Hazards

• Air Quality
• Asbestos
• Emergency Response
• Environmental Tobacco Smoke
• Green Business
• Hazardous Materials and Waste
• Medical Waste
• Noise
• Pesticides
• Radio Frequency
• Solid Waste Management

• Food and Agriculture

• Agriculture
• Food Safety

• Healthy Development Measurement Tool (HDMT)

• The HDMT allows you to look at over 100 different community health indicators and baseline neighborhood conditions to understand health on a local level.

• Health, Equity and Sustainability

• The Program on Health, Equity and Sustainability advances urban health as well as social and environmental justice through policy, planning and research.

• Healthy Housing and Neighborhoods

• Apartment Inspections
• Hotel and Emergency Shelter Inspections
• Vector Control

• Safe Drinking and Recreational Water

• Cross Connections
• Swimming Pools and Spas
• Water Quality Home
• Wells