Newsletter February 2004

**Updated** Sweden obtains annulment of Directive authorising paraquat

In 2004, the Swedish government brought a case before the Court of First Instance over the Commission’s decision to permit the use of paraquat, a hazardous pesticide, in the EU. The Court of First Instance annulled Directive 2003/112 authorising the use of paraquat in July 2007.
This article has been updated with the results of the Court case.
Background
Paraquat has been banned in Sweden since 1983 and is used in herbicides for olive, wine grape and hazelnut farming in the EU.
The European (...)

Last negotiations on children’s environment and health agenda

The fourth intergovernmental preparatory meeting on the health and environment process will take place in Malta on 25-26 March, 2004.
On the agenda will be discussions around the Children’s Environment and Health Action Plan (also known as CEHAPE) and whether or not a Table of Actions should be annexed to the ministerial document.
The CEHAPE contains four Regional Priority Goals that address four areas in which the highest burden of disease for children exists. This includes:
Access to (...)

EU Environment and Health Action Plan in the making

Consultative Forum meets to discuss next steps.
The Consultative Forum will meet on March 3 and 4, 2004 to discuss what type of actions and recommendations should be considered in the EU Action Plan on Environment and Health (2004-2010).
The agenda and papers for the meeting (available only 8 days before the meeting) include approximately 800 pages of recommendations put forward by the nine Technical Working Groups.
The recommendations cover primarily the actions needed to set up a (...)

EU industrial pollution register published

Europe’s first pollutant emission register, EPER, has been published.
The register was launched on 24 February 2004 in Copenhagen, and it will be translated into all 11 official EU languages following initial feedback. Satellite images showing the location of industrial facilities would be upgraded.
Eper contains a wealth of data on emissions of key pollutants, accessible to all via the internet.
Based on reports from EU-15 governments plus Norway, the first edition reports releases of 50 (...)

Air pollution: Commission takes further legal action against 9 Member States

The European Commission is taking wide-ranging legal action to ensure that Member States comply with EU legislation aimed at improving air quality in the European Union.
Its action is aimed at Belgium, Italy, Greece, Portugal, the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, Austria and Spain. Cases relate to separate EU laws on air quality, each of which is aimed at preventing or reducing the harmful effects of air pollution on public health and the environment.
Primarily, the proceedings relate to (...)

New WWF report - "Causes for Concern: Chemicals and Wildlife"

WWF has recently released a new report, "Causes for Concern: Chemicals and Wildlife". The paper examines scientific findings concerning exposure and effects of various chemicals on wildlife, as well as research on related human health impacts.
This review of recent science illustrates the magnitude of the problem, the ongoing threat some chemicals pose to wildlife and people, and the need for improved regulation of chemicals.
You can find a PDF copy of the paper and a WWF leaflet below. For (...)

England’s poor areas ’have more pollution’

From BBC News, January 14, 2004
People living in England’s most deprived neighbourhoods are most likely to suffer from the effects of pollution, according to two studies.
Environment Agency research suggests they bear the burden of air pollution, factory emissions and flooding risk.
And a Friends of the Earth study indicates one out of every two municipal waste incinerators in England are in the poorest 10% of the country.
BBC News (...)

The Green Week Conference 2004

The Green Week, which takes place in Brussels from 1-4 June, is an annual event organised by the European Commission’s Directorate General for the Environment.
Its objective is to encourage people to "think aloud" about how citizens, businesses, policy makers, NGOs, authorities, teachers, scientists and young people can really change their environmental behaviour.
The Commission brings stakeholders and experts together to provide the knowledge and input to help develop its policies. Green (...)

Stakeholder consultation launched on urban environment

On 11 February 2004, DG Environment launched a consultation process on urban environment which invites comments on a draft strategy on improving the quality of life for citizens.
80 % of Europeans live in towns and cities but in many places, poor air quality, noise, heavy traffic, neglect of the built environment, poor environmental management and a lack of strategic planning have led to a lower quality of life, health problems and even premature deaths.
The Commission document identifies (...)

Leaded petrol linked to schizophrenia

US scientists say they have found a link between exposure to lead in the womb and schizophrenia in adulthood writes the BBC News, UK edition, February 14, 2004.
The discovery is based on a study of blood samples taken from pregnant American women in the 1960s when lead was still widely used in vehicle fuel.
People whose mothers were exposed to high levels of the metal in exhaust fumes were more than twice as likely to develop schizophrenia as adults.
Dr Ezra Susser, from Columbia (...)

Health concerns stop incinerator plans in Scotland

Controversial plans to build Scotland’s biggest waste incinerator on the outskirts of Aberdeen appear certain to be rejected.
The reason is the continuing concerns about the potential risks to public health according to the daily newspaper Edinburgh Scotsmen on February 12, 2004
One concern revolves around the full environmental impact of the proposal - particularly in regard to air quality and public health - which is deemed to have several "shortcomings and deficiencies" in the air (...)

European chemicals policy reform — from emotions to facts

The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) will be holding a conference to bring together stakeholders during the ongoing debate on the EU Chemicals reform, REACH, in the European Parliament and shortly before the European elections.
The conference, organised by EEB and ChemicalReaction, will provide a platform for members of civil society organisations, industry and governments to discuss and present their views to the Members of the EP. It aims to increase informed policy debate and to (...)

4th annual report on CO2 emissions from new cars

CO2 emissions from new passenger cars sold in the EU decreased by 10.8% between 1995 and 2002.
The 4th Annual Report on CO2 Emissions from New Cars was adopted by the European Commission on 12 February 2004.
The EU’s goal is to reach a 35% reduction by 2010 at the latest.
Commission press release.
EU strategy on CO2 emissions from passenger cars

Consultation on children’s environmental health in Africa

On 4-6 February 2004 a technical consultation reviewed the national profiles on the status of children’s environmental health in six African countries.
This consultation took place in Cape Town, South Africa, and was hosted by the Medical Research Council of South Africa on behalf of the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Africa (AFRO).
WHO also launched a new publication on children’s environmental health indicators: "Making a difference: indicators to improve children’s (...)

Effects of mercury contamination of seafood in children’s health

Scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health announced on 3 February that methyl mercury contamination of seafood can cause heart and brain damage in children.
The study, published in the February 2004 issue of the Journal of Pediatrics, found that brain signals controlling heart rates were significantly slower in children whose mothers had the most mercury in their systems during their (...)

Reducing heavy metals for better air quality

The European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment , Public Health and Consumer Policy considered a draft legislative proposal to regulate heavy metals in ambient air, called the 4th Daughter Directive on January 21, 2004, and adopted stricter binding limits than those proposed by the European Commission. These pollutants can have serious consequences on human health.
The rapporteur is Mr Hans Kronberger (Kronberger report, (COD030164 - COM(03)0423 - C5-0331/03). His report (...)

Conference: "How to exchange air pollution and health information"

AIRNET, a thematic network on air pollution and health, organises a network day on 16 February 2004 in Brussels.
The aim of this workshop is to bring together the different stakeholders in order to enter into a dialogue aimed at optimising the use of knowledge and establishing mutual relations.

MEPs to decide which Committee should manage chemicals

The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy of the European Parliament was due to hear an initial report drafted by the Committee’s vice-chairman, Guido Sacconi (PES, Italy) on 20 January 2004 on the proposed review of the EU chemicals legislation entitled ’REACH ’, but the hearing has been taken off the agenda by the chairperson of the Committee, Caroline Jackson (EPP-ED, UK)..
Some members of the EPP-ED group have called for the proposed legislation to be dealt (...)

Irish Environment Minister talks to EP

Mr Martin Cullen, Minister for Environment and Local Government of Ireland, exchanged views with the MEPs of the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy on 20 January 2004.
The three environmental areas where the Irish presidency will be working are policy and legislation, input of Environmental Council and the effective participation of the EU in international environmental fora.
The legislative agenda of the Irish presidency will focus on combating the climate change, (...)

Seminar on the role of health professionals in environmental health

A seminar titled "The diseases of the environment: a challenge for the health professionals" is due to take place on 13 March 2004 in Habay, Arlon (Belgium).
Organised by Stop Poisons Santé, a member of Inter Environnement Wallonie, seeks to integrate Belgium into the international dinamics of environmental medicine and to promote a debate on a European environmental health policy.
Inter Environnement Wallonie is a member of EEN.
For more information, please contact Stop Poisons Santé, Fax (...)

Fourth European conference on sustainable cities and towns

"Inspiring futures" is the title of the fourth edition of the european conference on sustainable cities and towns, which will take place on 9-11 June 2004 in Aalborg, Denmark.
The central outcome of this conference will be to approve the final declaration, the Aalborg Commitments, a set of shared commitments to be jointly implemented by local governments across Europe.
This conference is organised within the framework of the European Sustainable Cities and Towns campaign
Conference (...)

New code of conduct on tobacco for health professionals

Healthcare professional associations agreed on 30 January 2004 to promote a new code of conduct, which asks health professionals to lead by example, and reduce smoking themselves.
A WHO informal meeting of health professional organizations and tobacco control brought together professional associations representing pharmacists, dentists, nurses, midwifes, chiropractors and physicians.
The participants agreed that another important role of health professionals is to introduce tobacco control (...)

New book on the G8, globalization, and health

The University of Cape Town Press has recently released a book by Ronald Labonte, Ted Schrecker, David Sanders and Wilma Meeus: ’Fatal Indifference: the G8, Africa and Global Health’.
According to the foreword, the book is ’the first attempt to bring together an analysis of G8 policies, commitments and actions related to the South in the major domains known to influence health’.
Ronald Labonte, PhD is Director, Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit, Professor, (...)