EPA Perspective Shane Colgan, 25 th September 2013 Environment & - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Environment & Health EPA Perspective

Shane Colgan, 25th September 2013

Environment & Health

Or… Environment & Health

Environment for Health

2,000 people die prematurely in Ireland from obesity each year – exercise (environment) has an important role in addressing this. Engaging with the natural environment has real benefits for mental health.

Further Benefits

• [US] Environmental Protection Agency Ranked Most Effective
• f All Federal Agencies - Office of Management and Budget

annual report to Congress (May 2013)

• For every dollar invested, Americans get $10 worth of benefits.
• “One of the driving forces behind this conclusion is the Mercury

and Air Toxics Standards, an extraordinary achievement for clean air and public health.”

• Mercury pollution: benefits are based on EPA's estimates of

increased wages of (higher IQ) children (Mercury is a potent neurotoxin.)

Environment, Health & Europe

• Parma Declaration (WHO-Europe, 2010)
• Key environment and health challenges of our time include:
• health risks from poor environmental, working and living

conditions (lack of water and sanitation);

• concerns raised by persistent, endocrine-disrupting and

bioaccumulating harmful chemicals and (nano)particles; and by novel and emerging issues;

• health and environmental impacts of climate change

Environment, Health & Europe

• European Environment Agency & JRC Report (May 2013)

“Environmental issues with a direct influence on people's health and well-being…”

• Chemicals
• Outdoor Air
• Indoor Air
• Radon
• Water
• Noise
• Electromagnetic Fields
• Ultraviolet Radiation
• Nanotechnology
• Green Spaces & the Natural Environment
• Climate Change

Environment, Health & Ireland

• Protecting the Irish environment plays an essential role in

protecting the health of the population. Determinants

• f Health >>>>>

Environment, Health & Ireland

• Protecting the Irish environment plays an essential role in

protecting the health of the population. Determinants

• f Health >>>>>

Environment, Health & the EPA

• ‘environmental protection’ includes

(a) the prevention, limitation, elimination, and abatement or reduction of environmental pollution, and (b) the preservation of the quality of the environment as a whole.

• ‘environmental pollution’ means the direct or indirect

introduction to an environmental medium, as a result of human activity, of substances, heat or noise which may be harmful to human health or the quality of the environment…

• Protection of the Environment Act (2003)

Environment, Health & the EPA

• Ecosystem Services and Health
• Green Spaces and Health
• Clean Water and Health
• Drinking Water
• Waste Water
• Bathing Water
• Shellfish
• Sea Lettuce

Environment, Health & the EPA

• Clean Air and Health
• Outdoor Air Quality
• Indoor Air Quality
• Radon
• Ozone and Health
• Odour
• Bioaerosols
• Noise

Environment, Health & the EPA

• Chemicals and Other Threats to Health in the Environment
• Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
• Heavy Metals
• Endocrine Disruptors & Pharmaceuticals
• Pharmaceutical & Personal Care Products
• Nanomaterials
• Electromagnetic Radiation
• Waste
• Environmental Regulation and Public Health

Monitoring for Environ-Health…

• National Ambient Air Quality
• Water Quality
• Emissions from IPPC facilities (Air, Noise, Water)
• Bathing Water
• Dioxins

Also, Water Quality, Air Quality, REACH etc.. reports

Regulating for Environ-Health…

• International Standards
• EU Directives & Regulations
• WHO
• Best Available Techniques Reference Documents
• Ambient monitoring
• Modelling
• Advice / input from Statutory Consultees

(Health Authorities, etc)

Networking for Environ-Health…

• EPA Health Advisory Committee (Est 2012)
• Health Service Executive
• VTEC, Crypto, Human Biomonitoring
• Health & Safety Authority
• Chemicals
• RPII
• Monitoring, Waste Mgmt, Enforcement, Research…
• Local Authorities
• Air, Drinking Water, Bathing Water, Noise
• Health Research Board, ERA-ENVHEALTH
• Research Planning
• Dept Agriculture
• Pesticides, Land-spreading

also DECLG, FSAI, Enterprise Ireland, UK Drinking Water Regulators…

STRIVE: Environment & Health

• Water:
• Impacts on Ecosystem & Human Health
• Sustainable Environment:
• Environment and Human Health
• Recent / Ongoing projects
• Cryptosporidium Reference Facility
• Heat Waves & Increased Mortality
• Health Impact Assessment
• Indoor Air Quality >>>>

STRIVE: Environment & Health

STRIVE 2013 Call …

• National Pollution Mass-balance Model
• Effect of lead Pipe Removal on Lead Concentrations in

Drinking water

• Natural Organic Matter in Waters
• Impact on health of air quality in Ireland
• Composition of Particulate Matter in Rural and Urban Sites

with a focus on residential emissions.

• Building a bottom-up air emission inventory
• Impact of air emissions (ammonia) from intensive agriculture

installations (pig and poultry) on Natura 2000 sites

STRIVE: Environment & Health

Ecosystem Benefits for Health Safe Water for Drinking & Recreation Assessing the health benefits of a high quality environment Creating health-promoting environments and using green prescriptions Benefit to health of environmental improvements (eg creation and management of green space) Assessment of environmental exposure and human health risk from endocrine disruptors Disinfection by-products in drinking waters Methods & tools for the protection of recreational waters Clean Air & Noise Chemicals and Other Threats Effects of airborne pollutants on human health - in particular ambient air particulates Indoor air quality and health Climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, and human health Health impacts from Radon exposure Assessment of human health effects of immunotoxic agents Chemical risk assessment and related toxicological issues

Health effects of nanoparticles & other novel substances in the environment

Interdisciplinary research addressing relationships between environmental pollutants & human health