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| In this issue |
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| Editorial |
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Autumn is here and with it the new parliamentary season. While we follow the development of key health and environmental issues in European law we are also gathering information which you may find interesting. Given the diverse readership of our newsletter we may not always get it right, but you can help by letting us know what you want to read about. Please submit a story, share an event or contact us (see top of the page) to make the coming newsletters more relevant to your needs.
Right now we are pleased to present you with our latest report: Acting NOW for better health: A 30% reduction target for EU climate policy. This report sets out new evidence showing how higher targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (if adopted as part of EU policy to mitigate climate change) would bring about significant health gains for Member States and European citizens. If you want to be added to our list of national spokespersons, please contact Dr. Maro.
We are also happy to share with you three invitations: a high level expert conference in Brussels at the end of the first Environment and Health Action Plan period, a seminar on procurement of DEHP (di(2–ethylhexyl)phthalate) - free blood bags in Sweden and a scientific conference in Italy celebrating the 20th anniversary of the International Society of Doctors for the Environment.
To find out how to attend please read on and we hope to see you at one of these events in Europe.
Best wishes,
Anja Leetz
Executive Director – HCWH Europe
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| Conferences |
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High Level Expert Conference to Take Place in Brussels
The European Environment and Public Health Platform, in collaboration with the European Commission, is organising a high level expert conference now that we approach the end of the first European Environment and Health Action Plan (2004-2010). The meeting takes place in Brussels, 8-10 November 2010, in the Commission’s Jacques Delors building.
The meeting will look at research and prevention, while bringing together health and environment network communities and identifying future directions. Priority issues are genetics and epi-genetics, indoor air quality, particles and health (including nanoparticles), social and economic determinants, climate change and local/urban/regional strategies and experiences. The deadline for abstracts for posters and presentations in parallel seminars is 27th October 2010.
For more information, the full programme and registration visit Environment and Public Health in Modern Society website. FYI, the EPH Platform includes 320 institutes from around Europe and the Commission in its membership. |
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Seminar on Procurement for DEHP–free Blood Bags
The Jegrelius Institute for Applied Green Chemistry is organising a seminar on procurement for DEHP–free blood bags on the 19th November, 2010, in Stockholm, Sweden.
This seminar will make the case for why DEHP–free blood bags are desirable and how their use can safeguard the health of patients. The seminar is free to attend, but space is limited. To register, visit Jegrelius Institute for Applied Green Chemistry website.
Institutions and organisations are also encouraged to sign a petition calling for the use of DEHP-free blood bags. |
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ISDE Conference in Italy
The International Society of Doctors for the Environment (ISDE) celebrates its 20th anniversary with a scientific conference in the Italian town of Arezzo in Tuscany. The conference is scheduled from the morning of Friday, November 19th, until Saturday evening, November 20th.
The topics to be covered are: Global Health, Children's Environmental Health, Environmental Cancerogenesis, and Policy/Advocacy issues related to environmental health. For more information send an e–mail to ISDE Italy or Hanns Moshammer. |
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| EU Policy Development |
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Nanomaterials: Public Consultation For a Definition of the Term Nanomaterial
10thSeptember 2010
HCWH Europe took part in a public consultation held by the EU Commission on the definition of the term nanomaterial. We believe that the definition needs to be wide enough to provide legislators with the necessary flexibility to regulate complex and evolving issues. Read the position paper |
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Biocides: European Parliament’s Vote is Disappointing
22ndSeptember 2010
The Parliament failed to require enough data from manufacturers with respect to the authorisation of biocides. If this is maintained, it will mean that a biocide may be regarded as harmless even though certain risks and harmful effects on vulnerable groups and water ecosystems will not have been examined. In addition a Member State will not have the flexibility in future to refuse authorisation of problematic products in its own territory.
It is now up to EU Environment Ministers to address the loopholes. Read our press release and contact Anja Leetz if you want to be involved on the biocide legislation for the second reading. |
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Pharmaceuticals: The Parliament Voted on the New European Directive on Pharmacovigilance in the First Reading
22ndSeptember 2010
The following key sentences are included in the legislative text: "The pollution of waters and soils with pharmaceutical residues is an emerging environmental problem and an emerging public health concern. Measures should be taken to monitor and evaluate adverse environmental effects of medicinal products, including those which impact on public health. The Commission should, based on data received from the European Medicines Agency, the Environment Agency, and Member States, produce a report on the scale of the problem, along with an assessment on whether amendments to EU legislation on medicinal products or to other relevant EU legislation are required."
We will continue to follow the development of the issue closely and if necessary lobby for better protection of the environment and the health of EU citizens at national and European level. more |
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BPA: European Food Safety Authority Fails to Protect European Citizen’s Health
30thSeptember 2010
The EFSA has reached the conclusion that stronger protection for the public on bisphenol A is not needed. This decision is contrary to actions already taken by some Member States such as Denmark and France to reduce the public’s exposure to BPA. For example, the German authorities advise manufacturers, importers and users of BPA to use alternative substances that pose less risk to human health and the environment.
Since BPA is also used in medical devices we encourage hospital purchasers to identify BPA in the products they buy and to search for safer alternatives. more |
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Mercury: Content in Lamps Going Down
1st October 2010
The EU Commission set a new mercury standard of 2.5 mg Hg/lamp for commonly used compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). But since there is already a ban on incandescent lamps in place, there is an increased use of energy efficient lamps (mainly in households) in Europe.
We encourage the use of LED lamps rather than mercury-containing lamps. more |
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| News From Our HCWH Europe Members |
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Sweden: Sustainable Healthcare
Sustainable Healthcare (SHC) is a joint venture between Swedish clean-tech companies and the healthcare sector, both ranking among the best in the world. SHC perform in close collaboration with both the public and private sectors.
The concept of Sustainable Healthcare covers the entire area of sustainability: economy, social and environmental concerns. Solutions presented within the concept yield considerable profits for both the hospital, its staff and, most importantly, the patient. more |
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Austria: Climate Action Programme
The Styrian Hospital Association, KAGes, a group of 20 hospitals and 16 000 employees, has recently published its climate action program. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption by 16% by 2020 (compared to 2005) and to increase the share of renewable energy from 23% to 34%. A broad variety of measures in four areas – buildings, transport, procurement and communication – will be implemented. The 20–page programme is currently available in German only. For more information contact Birgit Nipitsch and visit KAGes website. |
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Sweden: ISDE Position Paper on Pharmaceuticals and the Environment
The Swedish Doctors for the Environment have developed a paper on pharmaceuticals and the environment, which has recently been adopted by the whole ISDE network. more |
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UK: Vegetarian Food in Hospitals
The UK Vegetarian Society has won a government award to educate hospital caterers. This is initially taking place in the North West of the country. more |
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Sweden: New System for Nitrous Oxide Treatment to Reduce GHG Emissions in Sweden
Childbirth throughout the Region Skåne in Sweden has become more environmentally friendly. Region Skåne is the first Swedish region to introduce a new nitrous oxide treatment to all obstetric clinics. Nitrous oxide is used in most of the births in Region Skåne annually – approximately 15 000. With the improved system it is estimated that about 90% of the associated emissions will be eliminated.
This means that Region Skåne's total emissions of greenhouse gases will be reduced by around six percent. In spring, the Central Hospital in Kristianstad was the first in Region Skåne with the new system for nitrous oxide treatment, and at the end of August the final installations were commissioned and installed in obstetric clinics in Helsingborg, Malmö, Lund and Ystad. more (in Swedish) |
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Sweden: National Nitrous Oxide Consortium Set Up
A Swedish national nitrous oxide consortium has been set up to work jointly to reduce emissions of nitrous oxide from operations and suppliers. The consortium is also a forum where members can share their experience, initiative and knowledge. All counties and regions in Sweden are members of the consortium. more |
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Europe: HCWH Europe Annual Report
We are pleased to announce the publication of our Annual Report 2009. Despite financial cuts and staff changes we are most pleased that we have been able to keep up our work in 2009. Our membership has even grown to 67 organisations in 23 countries. Read full report |
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Notice: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for research and educational purposes. As all these articles are public, some links might expire after some days after their release date.
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