Who is TIFO?

We are a interdisciplinary team of scientists who apply environmental cleanup and health intervention methodologies developed in US mining districts to hazardous sites in low and middle-income countries. These include artisanal mining and recycling sites, industrial operations, and legacy sites. 

Our work addresses environmental health issues in low-income countries who have inherited environmental disease exported from high-income nations. The struggles to achieve healthy communities are real; our cleanup model includes community engagement; training and employing local workers; adapting proven interventions to local socio-economic realities; securing diverse funding for activities; and including responsible government and industry contributions that are sustainable and attentive to the underlying poverty that facilitated the original polluting activities.

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TIFO's Goals

• Build local capacity in communities and governments to improve environmental health

• Engage leadership to facilitate solutions that grow from the bottom up

• Adapt scientifically-rigorous methods to meet local socio-economic and cultural needs