Environmental Factors and Health
Preface
These years we witness an increased focus on environment and health issues. We have always known that the quality of the environment has an impact on human health. In Denmark this became evident already in mid 1800 where the cholera epidemic put focus on, among other things, the design and location of dwellings and sewers in cities. Today we experience several and more severe threats to human health than these "old" contaminants: the use and spread of chemicals, heavy metals and micro-organisms. Environment and health was the primary aim for the Environment for Europe process and it was made substantial at the WHO London Conference on Environment and Health in 1999.
Especially from the Eastern and Central European countries there have been several enquiries on the Danish experience on health based environmental policy. This status report should oblige these enquiries. The report presents a comprehensive overview of the protection of human health in Danish environmental and chemical legislation and administration covered by the Ministry of Environment and Energy.
I hope the report will help create new emphasis on health aspects of environ-mental legislation. It is also my hope that the report can establish a foundation for further integration of environment and health policies in the Eastern European countries and a basis for greater understanding of the close connection and interaction between regulatory measures concerning environment and health. It is my personal hope that the report can give inspiration to managing similar problems in the Eastern European countries.
The report describes environmental factors in central media, the ways they influence health and the regulation applied to the subjects. The report focuses on exposure from soil, air, wastewater, drinking water, swimming pools, waste, noise, and chemical substances and a variety of different chemical products. In addition the report gives an overview of Danish environmental regulation in relation to health and a brief description of the historical development of environmental policies in Denmark.
The descriptions of factors vary in content, reflecting the different media’s complexity and to some extent their weight of influence on human health. Since the report covers the resort of the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, other topics in relation to environmental factors and human health are not included, e.g. exposure via food and the working environment and lifestyle exposures such as tobacco smoke and alcohol.
It is obvious, based on the historical flashback, that most environmental legislation is founded on health considerations. The report shows that efforts to protect both the environment and human health in Denmark are integrated to a large extent.
Svend Auken
Minister for Environment and Energy