Chemicals and toxic pollutants in the environment affect millions of people each year in low- and middle-income countries. Without proper containment or public health interventions, these pollutants pose long-term problems to both the environment and people living in contaminated communities.

The Toxic Sites Identification Program (TSIP) works to locate and assess contaminated sites in low- and middle-income countries and identify those that pose the greatest threat to human health.

Coordinated by Pure Earth (formerly known as Blacksmith Institute) and funded by the European Commission, UNIDO, The World Bank, Green Cross Switzerland and others, the program has trained more than 400 investigators in nearly 50 countries. Investigators assess contaminated sites, undertake environmental sampling and collect health data using a rapid assessment tool called the Initial Site Screening (ISS) protocol. This protocol was developed based on US EPA protocols with the input and advice of experts from US EPA, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and others.

TSIP projects include reviews with local governments, NGOs, community groups, businesses and other stakeholders. Only sites that have exposures that exceed local or international standards for safety AND that demonstrate a credible pathway of exposure to a local population are included in the database.

Toxic Sites Identification Program

What is TSIP?

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