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Environmental
Health - FAQ's
I own my own
home and would like to have my water tested – what
do I do?
How do I get the air inside my home tested?
What do I do if I think I have mold in my house?
Do I need a Special Event Food Stand license?
I want to provide food service/catering/making wedding cakes out of
my home. How can I do this?
I have
a complaint about a food establishment – who do I contact?
I’m purchasing new equipment for my licensed kitchen – does
it have to be NSF approved?
What is the difference between a Certified Food Manager certificate
and a Food Handler permit?
Do I have to wear a hair restraint?
Do I need mechanical refrigeration for my special event food stand?
I’m selling my establishment – does
the license transfer to the new owner?
I have
a complaint about a septic/sewer issue – who do I contact?
There’s an excessive amount of junk and debris in my neighbor’s
yard – is there anything I can do?
FAQ’S
I
own my own home and would like to have my water tested – what
do I do?
Douglas & Pope Counties Environmental Health does NOT provide water
testing services to homeowners, you will need to find your own water
testing services – look in the yellow pages under “water
analysis” for local labs or try contacting a well driller.
How do I get the air inside my home tested?
The Minnesota Department of Health has a list of all area indoor air
quality contractors that conduct air tests – click
here for the
firm contact list.
What do I do if I think I have mold in my house?
Click
here for information on mold in your home.
Do I need a Special Event Food Stand permit?
Anytime a person, organization, business, club, etc. serves potentially
hazardous food(s) to the general public, a special event food stand permit
is required (ie, customer appreciation at a business, food stand at a
community celebration, church group serving food at an auction, boy scouts
serving food at fishing contest); the only exception to this is if a
currently licensed food vendor with a mobile food unit takes care of
the whole food operation from inside their mobile food unit, or if a
licensed food service establishment caters the event. If a licensed food
service establishment is serving food outside of their licensed kitchen
in connection with a special event (ie, rib cook-off in the parking lot),
they also need to get a special event food stand permit.
I want to provide food service/catering/making wedding cakes out of
my home. How can I do this?
No food service is allowed in the kitchen of a private home. You must
contract with a licensed establishment and conduct all activities from
the licensed kitchen.
I
have a complaint about a food establishment – who do I contact?
Contact us – click
here to make a complaint.
I’m purchasing new equipment for my licensed kitchen – does
it have to be NSF approved?
Yes, all equipment used in a licensed kitchen must be NSF approved.
What is the difference between a Certified Food Manager certificate
and a Food Handler permit?
A Certified Food Manager certificate is a certificate you receive from
the Minnesota Department of Health after completion of your Certified
Food Manager training and submission of the proper application and
payment. Most establishments are required to employ a full time Certified
Food
Manager (click
here for more information). A Food Handler’s permit
is a totally separate license that you would receive from the Minnesota
Department of Agriculture, intended for people in the retail food business
(production, processing, packing, distribution, sale, etc.). Please
contact the Minnesota Department of Agriculture here for
more information.
Do I have to wear a hair restraint?
All employees engaged in food preparation are required to wear hair restraints.
Do I need mechanical refrigeration for my special event food stand?
If the event is longer than four hours, mechanical refrigeration is required.
I’m selling my licensed establishment – does
the license transfer to the new owner?
No – licenses are nontransferable. A new license application
must be completed and submitted along with the proper payment to
our office
prior to opening for business.
I
have a complaint about a septic/sewer issue – who do I contact?
In Douglas County contact Douglas County Land & Resource Management
at 320-762-3863; in Pope County contact Pope County Land & Resource
Management at 320-634-5715.
There’s an excessive amount of junk and debris in my neighbor’s
yard – is there anything I can do?
In Douglas County contact Douglas County Land & Resource Management
at 320-762-3863; in Pope County contact Pope County Land & Resource
Management at 320-634-5715.
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