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Indicator Report

6. Environment and health

Chemicals, environmental pollution, food, physical working environment and physical indoor conditions

Objectives

In the strategy, the goal is that Denmark should be a country where pollution from products, food, working environment, traffic and physical indoor conditions affecting the population's quality of life and health is constantly falling. Harm to animals and plants from pollution should also be limited. The level of protection must take account of especially sensitive groups of people - such as children, pregnant women, people who suffer from allergies or from chronic illness - and of particularly vulnerable ecosystems.

By 2020, no products on the market may contain chemicals with particularly problematic effects on health and the environment.

Contaminated soil must not threaten drinking water or human health. By 2020, there must be no emissions to air, soil, or water which are harmful to human health or the environment. By 2020, pathogenic micro-organisms must be reduced to a level that does not pose a threat to human health.

Consumers must have access to food which is safe and healthy and of high quality. Food safety must be absolute and the presence of chemical pollutants must be minimised.

In 2020, no one will be exposed to harmful impacts from chemical substances at work, especially carcinogenic compounds, organic solvents, and heavy metals.

Developments - a summary

During the period 1987 to 2000, the incidence of adults with self-reported asthma and non-seasonal allergic colds has almost doubled. There has been a similar development in the incidence of hay fever, which is to say that in 2000, 12.5 per cent of all adults had reported a case of hay fever within the last year. The same period also saw an increase in the incidence of self-reported allergic eczema, which 8.2 per cent of all adults had in 2000. From 1994 to 2000, the percentage of children with asthma or asthmatic bronchitis reported by their parents rose, but this increase was not significant. In 2000, asthma and asthmatic bronchitis affected approximately 7.6 per cent of all children. These complaints entail varying degrees of limitations in everyday lives and reduce the patient's quality of life. In addition to the hereditary aspect, environmental factors and lifestyle issues are regarded as important causes behind these ailments.

For chemicals, the number of common EU classifications of substances and substance groups has doubled since 1993. The substances and substance groups classified at the end of 2001 comprise 7,000 substances of the total of 100,000 substances available on the European market, either now or in the past. Common EU classification creates a basis for common risk management, including bans on the sale of substances and products which are carcinogenic, mutagenic, or hazardous to embryos, and for regulations and bans in relation to sales of substances and products which are carcinogenic.

The annual sales of pesticides which are suspected of being carcinogenic have varied since 1994. This is due to variations in the products used in the agricultural sector. From 1998-2000, there has been a pronounced drop in sales of pesticide active substances from approximately 500,000 kg to less than 50,000. This is primarily due to the phase-out of the substance isoproturone, which was used as an herbicide. This means that the level of protection has increased considerably when assessing the impact on health and the environment of plant protection products and biocides.

As regards environmental quality and other environmental factors, many threats against health and the environment have been reduced. Emissions of acidifying substances have been reduced, as have emissions of ozone-depleting substances. A total of approximately 1000 remediations of contaminated soil are carried out each year. These remediation efforts are funded by a range of schemes. The activities aimed against the spreading of pathogenic microorganisms have been successful, which means that bathing bans are now down to 33 per cent of 1990 levels.

Emissions of the acidifying substances SO₂ and NO_X have dropped since 1980. SO₂ emissions mainly come from combustion of fossil fuels, and the reduced emissions are the result of a switch to cleaner and more renewable energy sources. The drop in total NO_X emissions is partly due to the use of catalytic converters on cars and cleaning plants at power plants. Emissions of NH3, which contributes to eutrophication in Denmark, have also dropped. This is due to reduced leaching from agriculture.

Emissions of ozone-depleting compounds, particularly the so-called CFCs, have degraded the atmosphere's ozone layer. The ozone layer over Denmark has been depleted by approximately 0.4 per cent per year on average throughout the last 20 years. Since 1979, consumption of ozone-depleting compounds has fallen considerably - by approximately 60-80 per cent when calculated in terms of the ozonedepleting effect. It will be several years before there are discernible signs of the ozone layer being restored, and the ozone layer will possibly not be fully restored until the middle of this century.

The need for remediation of soil contamination has been calculated from 1998 onwards. There is an estimated need for remediation of 14,000 sites. The number of remediations per year has remained relatively stable throughout the period, with a slight drop in 2000. The purpose of these remediations is to ensure that soil contamination in residential areas and contamination which may threaten present or future water supply does not cause any health problems.

The number of bans against bathing is an indicator for the efforts aimed against dispersion of pathogenic micro-organisms. The number of bans against bathing has fallen steadily since the beginning of the 1990s, to a point were the level of bans corresponds to just 33 per cent of 1990 levels. This reflects a general improvement in water quality, and is a sign that the municipal efforts to eliminate the causes of pollution have worked.

As regards food safety, the contents of lead and mercury in food have diminished during the last 15 years. The contents of PCBs in fish have also fallen considerably since 1988. The variations in the frequency of samples where chemical pollution has been found in food do not, however, show any significant increases or reductions during the period 1990 to 2000.

The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration takes samples of food in order to examine their content of chemical pollutants. During the period 1990 to 2000, positive results were yielded from between 0.01 per cent and 0.05 per cent of the samples taken. The variations in frequency show no significant increase or reduction.

The trend regarding PCB contents in cod liver from Danish waters is an indicator of PCB contents in fish in general. Restrictions on the use of PCBs were introduced in Europe in the 1980s, and this has brought about a significant reduction in marine pollution. As regards Denmark, the drop in PCB concentrations in cod liver is most clearly apparent in the Baltic and in Danish waters.

Contents in food of the hazardous heavy metals lead, cadmium, mercury, and nickel and consumption hereof have been monitored since 1984. The monitoring process has involved all food categories. Lead and mercury exhibit a downward trend over 15 years, which corresponds to the environmental efforts made against emissions of these two substances during the same period. Despite the fact that intense environmental work against cadmium was carried out during the same period, consumption of cadmium fell only slightly. This also applies to nickel. The reason for this may be that cadmium and nickel both appear naturally in soil in considerable quantities.

The number of injuries caused by organic solvents and reported to the National Working Environment Authority has fallen constantly from approximately 475 reports in 1993 to approximately 150 reports in 1999. During the period 1993 to 1999, there were approximately 50 reports each year of brain damage due to heavy metals, and no significant changes are discernible.

At present, carcinogenic compounds are used commercially in quantities greater than 100 tonnes per year. In 1999, the total calculated consumption of such compounds was approximately 17,000 tonnes. Substitution and changed working processes should be used to significantly reduce this consumption. As the year 2000 must be regarded as the base year for monitoring of the use of carcinogenic compounds, it is not yet possible to establish any trends.

Perspectives for development of indicators

An interdisciplinary group will be established with a view to elucidating the opportunities for developing a wider set of indicators. The aim is for the proposed indicator for asthma and allergies to be developed as the data basis comes to comprise significantly wider records. In addition to this, the WHO's development of indicators for health and the environment will be carefully monitored with a view to using relevant new indicators to elucidate the objectives.

There will be a need to carry out further development of an indicator in order to include all chemicals on the market. Similarly, it would be relevant to investigate the opportunities for developing an indicator for the number of biocides which give cause for concern, have been phased out, or which have been denied access to the Danish market as a result of the approval scheme. The objective would be to elucidate the level of protection when assessing the impact on health and the environment of plant protection products and biocides.

More and better indicators will be developed on an ongoing basis. For example, there will be a need for an indicator for the atmosphere's content of fine particles (PM2.5).

In addition to this, work will be carried out to assess opportunities for developing an indicator which can elucidate discharges into the aquatic environment of heavy metals and xenobiotic substances that accumulate in the food chain.

Furthermore, work will be carried out to develop an indicator for incidences of illness caused by pathogenic micro-organisms in the environment. Work will be carried out to develop more and better indicators for the efforts regarding the working environment.

Indicator 6.1:
Incidences of asthmatic bronchitis and asthma, allergic coryza (hay fever and non-seasonal colds), and allergic eczema in 1987, 1994 and 2000
Source: DIKE 1997 and the National Institute of Public Health 2002

This indicator illustrates developments in relation to the objective of reducing harmful impacts on human health and on the environment to the greatest possible extent, no matter what the source. The indicator comprises the percentage of Danish children (aged 0 to 15 years) who had asthma or asthmatic bronchitis within the last twelve months in 1994 or 2000 (reported by their parents), and adults (aged 16 and above) who in 1987, 1994, or 2000 reported that they had suffered from asthma, hay fever, an allergic cold or allergic eczema within the last twelve months.

During the period 1987 to 2000, the percentage of adult Danes with self-reported non-seasonal asthma and allergic colds within the last twelve months almost doubled. During the same period, the number of adults reporting allergic eczema rose by 33 per cent. There has been a similar development in the incidence of hay fever, which is to say that in 2000, 12.5 per cent of all adults had reported a case of hay fever within the last twelve months. The same period also saw an increase in the incidence of selfreported allergic eczema, which 8.2 per cent of all adults had in 2000. From 1994 to 2000, the percentage of children with asthma or asthmatic bronchitis reported by their parents rose. This increase is, however, not statistically significant. From 1994 to 2000, the percentage of children with asthma or asthmatic bronchitis (reported by their parents) rose, but this increase was also not statistically significant. In 2000, asthma and asthmatic bronchitis affected approximately 7.6 per cent of all children.

In addition to the hereditary aspect, environmental factors and lifestyle issues are regarded as important causes behind these ailments. The Government is currently preparing a strategy for the correlations between environmental factors and health. Among other things, this will serve to make efforts aimed at limiting harmful impacts on human health more target-specific. Indicators for this area will be developed on an ongoing basis in connection with the Government's work and efforts within the asthma and allergy area.

6.1 Chemicals

Indicator 6.1.1.:
Number of chemicals classified
Source: The Danish Environmental Protection Agency

The figure illustrates developments in common EU classifications of substances and substance groups. Classification is an integral part of the overall work undertaken to assess and regulate chemical substances. Common EU classification creates a basis for common risk management, including bans on the sale of substances and products which are carcinogenic, mutagenic, or hazardous to embryos. The figure does not include substances which have been self-classified by manufacturers.

The figure shows that the number of classified substances and related substances has doubled since 1993. The substances and substance groups classified at the end of 2001 comprise 7,000 substances of the total of 100,000 substances available on the European market, either now or in the past. The number of completed classifications is subject to sudden increases, as a large number of classifications are completed at the same time. The work is still in progress.

The increased number of common EU classifications establishes a basis for common risk management and supports the objective of how the use of chemicals must be limited, and whenever relevant, any chemicals with harmful effects on human and animal health and on nature must be prohibited.

Indicator 6.1.2:
The volume of sales of pesticide active substances classified as being particularly hazardous
Source: The Danish Pesticide Statistics

This indicator is an inventory of the annual sales of pesticides (active substances) which are classified as being suspected of carcinogenic effects. The inventory comprises only substances which are used in agriculture. The indicator illustrates developments in the level of protection by assessing the impact on health and the environment of plant protection products and biocides.

The variation in the sales of pesticides suspected of being carcinogenic is caused by farmers switching between products. In some cases, hoarding is involved. The significant drop in sales from 1998 to 1999 was primarily due to the phase-out of the substance isoproturone, which was used as herbicide.

Pesticides which cause unacceptable effects from normal usage cannot be approved. This is to say that pesticides which are suspected of being carcinogenic can only be approved if their use does not entail unacceptable effects. A drop in the sales of pesticides suspected of being carcinogenic increases the level of protection. The considerable drop in sales also contributes to development in the right direction as regards the objective that by 2020, no products or goods on the market may contain chemicals which have highly problematic effects on health or the environment.

6.2. Environmental quality and other environmental factors

Indicator 6.2.1:
Emissions of SO₂, NO_X, VOC, and NH₃
Source: The National Environmental Research Institute, Denmark

SO₂, NO_x and NH₃ all contribute to acidification, and SO₂ and NO_X in particular are typically transferred over long distances. NH₃ and NO_x contribute to eutrophication in Denmark. By far the greater part of all SO₂ emissions come from combustion of fossil fuels, mainly coal and oil. Approximately half of all Danish NO_X emissions come from road transport and other mobile sources. Power plants are another major source. In recent years, the total NO_x emissions have fallen. This is partly due to the use of catalytic converters on cars and remediation systems at power plants. Emissions of VOC can be divided into two main types: incomplete combustion and evaporation. Denmark has reduced its NMVOC emissions by approximately 30 per cent during the period 1985 to 1999. As regards NH₃ emissions, the agricultural sector accounts for approximately 98 per cent of total emissions.

The figure elucidates the emissions of NMVOC caused by humans. Besides there are several other NMVOC sources, thus the total impact on the environment is larger than the impact illustrated in the figure.

Denmark expects to be able to fulfil its international obligations in 2010 as regards limiting emissions (ECE and the EU). These limits are (tonnes per year): SO₂: 55,000; NO_X: 127,000; NH₃: 69,000; and VOC: 85,000. As SO₂ and NO_x are typically transferred over long distances, emissions must be limited by means of international collaboration. SO₂, NO_x and O₃ also affect health and are subject to air-quality regulations in new EU directives.

Indicator 6.2.2:
Ozone layer thickness
Source: The Danish Meteorological Institute

This indicator elucidates developments in relation to the objective of stopping ozone depletion high in the atmosphere. Anthropogenic emissions of ozone-depleting compounds, particularly the so-called CFCs, have degraded the atmosphere's ozone layer. When the ozone layer is depleted, more of the harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun will reach the Earth. Greater levels of ultraviolet radiation over a longer period of time would be harmful to human beings, and marine plant plankton and the growth of agricultural crops may also be affected.

The figure shows that the ozone layer over Denmark has been depleted by approximately 0.4 per cent per year on average throughout the last 20 years. The greenhouse effect is expected to entail a cooling of the ozone layer, which could lead to further depletion in future. It will be several years before there are discernible signs of the ozone layer being restored, and the ozone layer will possibly not be fully restored until the middle of this century.

Efforts to protect the ozone layer are coordinated internationally by the Montreal Protocol under the UN Environment Programme. So far, the results of these endeavours have been successful. Use of ozone-depleting compounds has fallen considerably - by approximately 60-80 per cent when calculated in terms of the ozone-depleting effect. It has been decided that use of these substances must be phased out altogether. Since 1986, Danish consumption has been reduced by almost 98 per cent.

Indicator 6.2.3:
Number of sites where remediation of soil contamination has been carried out in order to enable housing and/or drinking water supply (number of remediations per year and analysed by types of financing)
Source: The Danish Environmental Protection Agency

This indicator illustrates trends regarding the efforts against soil contamination. The indicator shows the number of remediations carried out from 1998 to 2000, analysed by different types of financing. The need for remediation of soil contamination has been calculated from 1998 onwards and is estimated to extend to 14,000 sites. Funding for the remediation projects comes from the counties, the Land Depreciation Programme for Homeowners, the Oil Industry's Environmental Pool, private remediation projects, DSB (Danish State Railways), and the armed forces.

The indicator shows that the number of remediations has remained relatively stable since 1998, with a slight fall in 2000.

The efforts aimed against soil contamination have given rise to a quite stable development as regards the number of remediations. It is important to maintain the effort against soil contamination. Steps must be taken to ensure that soil contamination in residential areas and contamination which may threaten present or future drinking water supply do not cause any health problems.

Indicator 6.2.4:
Number of occurrences of pesticides in groundwater used for drinking water Source: GEUS, Groundwater Monitoring 2001

This indicator illustrates trends regarding the efforts to ensure clean drinking water. The limit value for pesticides and their breakdown products is 0.1 micrograms per litre. This limit value was originally set in the EU Drinking Water Directive and corresponded to the detection limit of the method of analysis used at the time. The limit value has been retained on the basis of a desire to allow only very low pesticide contents in drinking water. This is to say that the limit value has not been set on the basis of a health assessment of the substances.

During the last four years, the relative share of water-supply borings contaminated by pesticides has been relatively constant. Pesticides are found in approximately one third of all borings - and the limit value for drinking water is exceeded in one in ten borings.

The objective is to retain a water supply system based on recovery of clean groundwater without any need for sophisticated water treatment. In this regard, it is worth noting that the pesticides and breakdown products most frequently found in extraction borings are substances which are already banned in Denmark, and which have not been commercially available for several years.

Indicator 6.2.5:
Bathing areas where water quality is so poor that bathing is not recommended Source: The Danish Environmental Protection Agency

This indicator elucidates developments in the efforts against dispersion of pathogenic micro-organisms in the environment. Bans on bathing are issued for sites where water is so polluted that there is a risk that bathers may become ill. Bans on bathing are lifted when the cause of the deterioration of the water has been removed, and when it has been documented that the water quality is acceptable. The bathing bans issued in any given year are based on the results from the year before.

The number of bans against bathing has fallen steadily since the beginning of the 1990s, to a point were the level of bans corresponds to just 33 per cent of 1990 levels. This reflects a general improvement in water quality, and is a sign that efforts by local authorities to eliminate the causes of pollution have worked.

The objective is that pathogenic micro-organisms may not be dispersed in the environment to such an extent that they cause illness. As a result, the efforts to improve beach-water quality even further are retained. One particular objective is to reduce the number of areas with poor water quality.

6.3. Food

Indicator 6.3.1:
Level of selected incidences of chemical pollution in food
Source: The Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries

This indicator illustrates developments in safety assessments, risk analyses and control of chemical pollutants and chemicals used in production. The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration takes samples of food in order to examine their content of chemical pollutants. This indicator shows the number of positive samples in per cent. The figures from 1999 and 2000 include only transgressions of limit values and unresolved cases. Previously, all finds were registered as positive.

During the period 1990 to 2000, a total of between 0.01 per cent and 0.05 per cent of the samples taken yielded positive results. The variations in frequency show no significant increase or reduction. Each year, a very small number of samples show traces of antibiotics and/or chemotherapeutics.

From 1990 to 1997, samples were taken as random samples. In 1998 the sampling process was rendered target-specific because the EU established requirements regarding substance groups and the number of analyses carried out, and the final sampling plan would be determined on the basis of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration's knowledge about the use of veterinary medicine, experience with veterinary practices, and on cases regarding violations of applicable rules. The control of chemical pollutants in production will be continued and strengthened.

Indicator 6.3.2a:
PCBs in cod liver from Danish waters 1988-2000
Source: The Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries

This indicator illustrates developments in relation to control of chemical pollutants. The figure illustrates the trend regarding PCB contents in cod liver from Danish waters and is an indicator of PCB contents in fish in general. PCBs appear as organic pollution and may be concentrated and accumulated in fat tissue in fish and animals via the food chain. Humans are mainly exposed to these substances via their diet, primarily when eating animal fats or fish.

PCB concentrations have fallen significantly. Restrictions on the use of PCBs were introduced in Europe in the 1980s, and this has brought about a significant reduction in pollution of the marine environment. As regards Denmark, the reduction in PCB concentrations is most clearly apparent in the Baltic and in Danish waters. Data from the years 1998 to 2000 correspond to the levels seen during the period 1993 to 1996, so it appears that the levels are stabilising.

As a result of the international crises concerning contamination of foods and animal feed with PCB and other chlorine substances, e.g. dioxin, greater attention is now focused on food safety within the EU. Particular attention is paid to organic pollution and the importance of monitoring schemes, as well as on potential establishment of limit values. During the same period, stricter assessments have been applied on the issue of how much PCB humans can be exposed to without giving rise to health concerns.

Indicator 6.3.2b:
Consumption of 4 heavy metals in Danish diets (all foods) in three 5-year monitoring periods analysed in micrograms per day
Source: The Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries

This indicator elucidates developments pertaining to contents of heavy metals in food. Contents of the hazardous heavy metals cadmium, lead, mercury, and nickel and consumption hereof have been monitored since 1984 in the Danish Monitoring System for Food. The monitoring process has involved all food categories, and consumption levels have been calculated by combining the monitoring results with results from the Diet Survey. The figure above illustrates consumption levels during three monitoring periods.

The consumption statistics indicated for the four heavy metals reflect two different trends. Lead and mercury exhibit a downward trend over 15 years, which corresponds to the environmental efforts made against emissions of these two substances during the same period. Despite the fact that intense environmental efforts against cadmium were carried out during the same period, consumption of cadmium and nickel fell only slightly. The reason for this may be that cadmium and nickel both appear naturally in soil in considerable quantities, and are absorbed by plants. The substances are then subsequently consumed by animals and people as they eat the plants.

The observed reductions in consumption of certain heavy metals notwithstanding, it should be emphasised that the toxicologically determined limits for harmful effects (no safety factor) are also diminishing. As regards lead, the main cause for concern is children being exposed to lead via food, water, and environmental sources. With respect to cadmium, special attention is focused on the group of women suffering from iron deficiency, which leads to increased absorption of cadmium. Methyl mercury may cause reduced intelligence in children, and inorganic arsenic in food may increase the risk of e.g. skin cancer. International trends point towards more restrictive assessments of the potential health hazard presented by substances, as well as to studies of the chemical compounds of heavy metals relevant to the harmful effects.

6.4. Health and safety

Indicator 6.4.1:
Selected reported work-related disorders
Source: Danish Register of Industrial Injuries

This indicator illustrates developments in relation to the objective that work-related injuries caused by exposure to chemical substances, organic solvents or heavy metals must be avoided. The number of CNS injuries (brain damage incidents) reported to the National Working Environment Authority is an indicator for the level of exposure to solvents and/or heavy metals.

During the last ten years, the extent of work-related exposure to solvents has fallen. No trend can be observed as regards the number of reported cases of brain damage related to heavy metals. It is estimated that the increased focus on reducing consumption of solvents and on substituting less harmful substances are important reasons behind the overall reduction.

In order to sustain the decline in the number of brain damage cases caused by work-related exposure to solvents, it is important to maintain the dialogue with enterprises as regards substitution of solvent-based products with water-based. As regards heavy metals, there is also a need for phase-outs, and common work-hygiene initiatives are to prevent exposure and impacts.

Indicator 6.4.2:
Consumption of carcinogenic compounds by industries (total commercial consumption)
Source: The Product Register

This indicator illustrates developments in relation to the objective that work-related injuries caused by exposure to chemical substances, organic solvents or heavy metals must be avoided. Substances which are used commercially in quantities of 100 tonnes or more per year have been selected as markers of the use of carcinogenic substances in Denmark. This does not include petrol, quartz (sand), tar compounds, or crude oil etc. The 23 substances can be found within the following substance groups: chlorinated solvents, heavy metals, formaldehyde, and others. The consumption of these substances can serve as an indicator for exposure to carcinogenic substances.

In 1999, the total calculated consumption of such compounds was approximately 17,000 tonnes. As yet, no definite decline can be observed for the substances in general. A downward trend can, however, be observed for individual substances such as chlorinated solvents. This is to say that the year 1999 must be regarded as the base year for future monitoring of the selected working-environment indicators.

The objective is to avoid work-related injuries caused by exposure to carcinogenic compounds. Work will be carried out to develop more and better indicators for the working environment.

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