County by County Blog

Project updates, commentaries, events and news about health across the nation from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps team.

Improving the physical environment to improve community health

Publication date
January 16, 2025

Our physical environment shapes how long and how well we live. The number of trees that line our streets, the quality of the air we breathe and water we drink, and the safety of the homes we live in all play a role in the overall health of our communities.

Differences in the opportunities to live in healthy physical environments persist between and within counties across the country. County Health Rankings & Roadmaps’ What Works for Health (WWFH) is a database that includes more than 400 evidence-informed strategies, including over 60 related to the physical environment. Our analysts recently updated three of these strategies so that communities have the most up-to-date information about solutions for healthier communities. Among them:

Composting uses a natural decomposition process to turn food and yard waste into nutrient-rich soil amendments. It helps reduce consumer waste, improve soil conditions and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It can also improve both environmental and human health. Composting can be implemented on almost any scale, from individual homes to large city-wide treatment facilities. WWFH has rated composting as scientifically supported with the potential to decrease disparities in environmental hazards experienced by communities.

Plastic bag bans prohibit the manufacture and use of single-use plastic bags partially or completely. Plastic bag ban legislation can include fees for or taxes on alternative disposable bags to encourage consumers to shop with their own reusable bags. Single-use plastic bags remain as pollutants in the environment for hundreds to thousands of years, break down into microplastics, accumulate in land and water ecosystems and can take hundreds of years to break down in landfills. Plastic bag bans can increase wildlife protection, improve natural wildlife habitats and reduce litter and waste. WWFH has rated plastic bag bans as likely to work, but such bans alone cannot address the plastic waste problem. These bans also have the potential to decrease or eliminate disparities in pollution experienced by communities.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of chemicals used in nearly all industries and in many products such as waterproof clothing, cosmetics, household cleaners and nonstick cookware. They are frequently called forever chemicals because they are nearly impossible to remove from the environment and have toxic health effects, including increased cancer risk. Humans and other living organisms are exposed through water, food, air, and contact with products containing PFAS. PFAS regulations aim to stop adding PFAS into the environment as soon as possible. WWFH has rated such regulations as likely to reduce environmental contamination and to reduce exposure and improve health outcomes. More research is needed into which PFAS remain essential to produce. These regulations also have the potential to decrease disparities in health and environmental outcomes. 

WWFH strategies include an overview, potential benefits, historical background, and implementation examples. Search the database by keyword, topic or evidence rating.

Related Blog Posts