Every year the Health & Environment Alliance launches a call inviting its members and partners to submit project proposals in line with its annual priorities as set in the Alliance’s work programme.

Five projects will be completed this current year.

“ADVOCATING PESTICIDES REDUCTION FOR BETTER HUMAN HEALTH” TOGETHER WITH PESTICIDES ACTION NETWORK EUROPE

This project foresees a joint “Pesticides and Health” workshop to highlight pesticides and health related problems, particularly among vulnerable individuals such as pregnant women, children and the unborn, as well as opportunities to improve European legislation. It is planned to take place in Brussels in January 2007, to be followed by a reception at the European Parliament in the context of EU pesticides legislative revisions. Project materials will comprise a poster illustrating possible routes of exposure to pesticides and their associated health effects, and a briefing sheet featuring recent studies on the health effects of pesticides carried out in Europe, and the failure of current legislation to address these effects. Workshop proceedings such as the final report, the speakers’ presentations and recommendations for future action will also be available upon completion of the project.
 Members’ input: Send us studies of health experts related to pesticides.

“THE ENVIRONMENT AND LUNG DISEASE” TOGETHER WITH THE EUROPEAN LUNG FOUNDATION

The partners in this joint project hope to increase knowledge on the impact of the environment on lung health, and specifically on how it affects those who already have a lung condition. It foresees the elaboration of two fact sheets - one targeting the general public and a shorter version for children. They will provide information on the negative and positive effects of the environment on lung health and on how to interpret daily pollution levels; and describe how the environment affects the condition of patients with respiratory diseases. The fact sheets will be translated into French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Polish and Greek, and will be available on the websites of the ELF and of the Alliance. In addition, the adult fact sheet will be included in the back of an ERS publication, Breathe. This publication is distributed to over 15,000 respiratory healthcare professionals free of charge. The fact sheets will also be published separately for distribution in Brussels, to the Alliance’s and to the ELF mailing list.
 Members’ input: Help us to disseminate the fact sheets.

“CASE STUDIES OF ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE” TOGETHER WITH THE CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND LAW

This project will perform a survey of selected case studies in Central and Eastern Europe focusing on their imperatives of environmental justice and good governance. The results will be reproduced in a survey report accompanied by a summary brochure. The survey report will analyse case studies of environmental injustice in CEE countries suffered by economically disadvantaged people and ethnic minorities. The brochure will make the links between the main elements of environmental justice, public health and policy recommendations. A launch event (possibly in Brussels) is foreseen to report on the findings of the survey bringing together representatives of the groups engaged in the survey, decision-makers, representatives of NGOs, youth and ethnic minorities associations, local authorities, MEPs.
 Members’ input: Send us any case studies you might have to be considered.

WORKING TO STOP MERCURY TOGETHER WITH HYGIENE PUBLIQUE EN HAINAUT

The project will be implemented within the framework of the Alliance’s “Stop mercury, stay healthy” campaign. Its focus is on the carrying out of a hair testing survey of 10 women volunteers from different European countries to raise awareness of the risks to health, especially for children and women of reproductive age, and mobilise members, partners and constituency groups around the issue of mercury as a health risk. The partner will elaborate a consent form, a questionnaire, individual reports and a comprehensive report analysing and presenting the results, and interpreting them in relation to EU and US mercury blood level standards. Partners will also perform the laboratory analysis of the hair samples, indicating clearly the reference value in order to facilitate comparison of data and provide data in comparative tables. The Mercury & Health Report containing the results will be launched in December 2006.
 Members’ input: Help us disseminate the report.

“A NATIONAL INITIATIVE: PILOT PROJECT FOR MERCURY-FREE HEALTHCARE IN IRELAND” TOGETHER WITH THE IRISH DOCTORS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATION

The project aims at transforming existing healthcare and mercury toolkits in order to use them at national level in Irish hospitals. Partners will develop toolkits with steps on performing a mercury-free audit and conduct such audits in several hospitals in Ireland. The aim is to develop baseline data on the level of mercury and its use by healthcare professionals in Ireland. Healthcare professionals will be mobilised to advocate for mercury-free healthcare environments by introducing a mercury-free pledge at specific progressive hospitals. Finally, healthcare manufacturers and suppliers marketing mercury and mercury-free alternatives in the Irish market will be identified, as well as a few specific products used in cl*inical practice that have been approved by professional medical associations. A fact sheet with best practice examples of Irish hospitals going mercury-free will be elaborated.
 Members’ input: Consider starting a mercury-free audit in your local hospital or healthcare setting.