Which agency was established to clean up hazardous substances in the environment?

• A. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
• B. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
• C. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• D. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is identifying an agency whose mandate is to assess and protect public health from environmental toxicants. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry was created to evaluate the health effects of exposure to hazardous substances at contaminated sites and to provide information, risk assessments, and health actions to communities. While cleanup of hazardous waste is led by the Environmental Protection Agency, ATSDR fills the health-impacts role—studying toxic substances, producing toxicological profiles, and advising on steps to prevent or mitigate health effects. The other agencies have different core roles: one focuses on healthcare quality research, another on broad disease prevention and control, and another on regulating foods and drugs.