According to Health Canada (1997), some common steps included in an environmental impact assessment (EIA), and hence in an environmental health impact assessment (EHIA) as well, are: (1) Screening the characteristics of the registered project to determine the need for an EIA; (2) Identifying the issues or effects to be considered; (3) Assessing the potential health and environmental impacts; (4) Soliciting the input on public concerns; (5) Determining the implications of the adverse effects; and (6) Proposing and implementing necessary mitigation measures and follow-up activities.

It is for the third assessment step listed above that some form of health risk assessment (RA) is required to complete an EHIA/EIA for most any development project. Today, both the EHIA and the EIA processes are more formalized and recognized, as evident from the numerous environmental health courses and study programs advertised on the Internet. These courses and study programs are available in different parts of the world including Australia (Griffith University), Thailand (Prince of Songkla University), Germany (University of Bielefeld), Brazil (Brazilian Society for the Environment), and more.

Although development policies and projects (DPP) are designed to improve the public’s economic conditions and living standards, they often have unintended effects on human health. DPP can cause or aggravate poverty as well as the health problems of industrialization.