Stephen G. Whittaker, PhD
Affiliate Associate Professor
Email: steve.whittaker@kingcounty.gov
Expertise:
Clean Air, Safe Workplaces, Sustainable Communities, Chemical hazards, Environmental Health, Occupational Health, Risk Assessment, Toxicology
About
Research Services Program Manager/Toxicologist employed by the Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County (Haz Waste Program) at Public Health -- Seattle & King County. Responsibilities include setting the research agenda for the Haz Waste Program and supporting the research needs of both internal and external stakeholders.
Education
- PhD, University College London
Affiliations
Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County (Haz Waste Program) at Public Health-Seattle & King County.
Mentorship
Not available to mentor new students.
Research
Special interests include:
- Using an equity and social justice lens to mitigate impacts of chemical exposures on traditionally underserved and vulnerable populations,
- Characterizing emerging environmental contaminants.
- Evaluating the health, safety and environmental needs of small businesses.
- Preventing lead poisoning in workers and residents.
- Identifying and implementing safer alternative products and processes in homes and businesses.
Recent projects include:
- Helping the dry cleaning industry move away from organic solvents to water-based cleaning.
- Promoting the use of waterborne paint products in automotive collision repair.
- Identifying lead exposures in refugee/immigrant populations, and recommending safer, lead-free alternatives.
- Promoting green chemistry and safer alternative chemicals/products.
Publications
Selected publications
- Investigating aluminum cookpots as a source of lead exposure in Afghan refugee children resettled in the United States
- Automotive painting: Promoting waterborne paints
- Dry cleaning: Characterizing the industry and processes and promoting professional wet cleaning
- Using an alternatives assessment framework to evaluate waterborne versus solvent-borne basecoats used in automotive refinishing
- Perchloroethylene and Dry Cleaning: It's Time to Move the Industry to Safer Alternatives
- Occupational exposures to new dry cleaning solvents: High-flashpoint hydrocarbons and butylal
- Characterization of "Hydrocarbon" Dry Cleaning in King County, Washington
- A health and environmental profile of the dry cleaning industry in King County, Washington