COLUMBIA – M.L. Tanner, an environmental health manager for the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, has received the National Environmental Health Association’s Sabbatical Exchange award, the agency announced today.
"As a recipient of this prestigious award, M.L. will take part in a sabbatical program with our environmental health partners in England," said Roger Scott, director of DHEC’s Bureau of Environmental Health. "Since there are no borders to environmental health, this is an important opportunity for M.L. to observe and share environmental health practices and information."
Scott said the NEHA awards two sabbaticals per year. Tanner will present a report to NEHA on her experiences and findings within three months of returning from her sabbatical. The report will be shared by NEHA with its partner organizations and co-sponsors.
"M.L. will study two aspects of environmental health including healthy housing and biosecurity measures on farms," Scott said.
According to Scott, Tanner will focus on children’s health and safety issues within the home and recent changes made on farms after outbreaks of foot and mouth disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease.
Tanner, a Mississippi native, has been with DHEC for more than eight years. She and her husband live in Swansea.