Author: Sarah Groom

Welcome to the June newsletter.  
 
The Institute was pleased to welcome members from the European Federation of Environmental Health, which is a geographical group reporting to the International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH), to the office on 14 and 15 May for a series of meetings and networking.  The meetings, chaired by Mr Henning Hansen, Denmark and secretary, Louise Manson (REHIS), were held in the Forteath Room, with Bernard Forteath in attendance who is a Past President of the IFEH. Also in attendance was the very recently appointed IFEH President Dr Bruno Cvetkovic (Croatia). 

The King’s Birthday Honours List, 2024
 
The Institute was delighted to see John M Beveridge, REHIS Fellow and Past President, recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours List.  He has been awarded an MBE for his efforts in paddle steamer preservation.  John is the founder of the Loch Lomond Steamship Company and without John, the Maid of the Loch would have been scrapped and not where she is today on Loch Lomond.

(Taken from Facebook, Paddle Steamer Preservation Society)

REHIS Council Meeting
 
The Institute’s elected Council met on Saturday 1 June, where along with their standard Institute business, the President chaired a useful discussion on how to attract more people to the Environmental Profession, and how to attract more Environmental Health Officers in Scotland to be part of their professional Institute. A healthy and growing REHIS membership allows the work of the Institute to continue to thrive and each Council member agreed that this should be communicated to their fellow colleagues and through as many Environmental Health channels as possible.
 
The Institute is continuing to speak with the University of West of Scotland in the hope that first-year entrants can be accepted to the BSc Hons in Environmental Health with Professional Practice course from 2025.  The Institute is also in positive discussions with Abertay University about a possible Master’s Degree in Environmental Health.  We will continue to keep members updated on this.
 
Professional Examinations
 
Plans are well underway for the next diet of professional interviews which are being held from 1 October 2024 at the Carnegie Conference Centre, Dunfermline. Candidates intending to present for interviews in relation to the REHIS Diploma in Environmental Health at this diet must have their portfolio submitted by 9 July 2024. Candidates intending to present for qualifications awarded by the SFSORB must have the required case study and/or reports submitted by 20 August 2024.
 
The Institute is always happy to welcome volunteers coming forward for the position of examiner or assessor at the Professional Exams to support the next generation of Environmental Health Officers, and Food Safety Officers.  For anyone interested please contact the Institute.
 
Maintaining Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
 
Members are reminded that CPD needn’t involve attending an event ‘in person’ and can be online learning (with many courses available free of charge), ‘on the job’ learning, researching a particular piece of work or reading appropriate journals/reports. 
 
There are many interesting online forums and participation at the forums can also be useful CPD, such as the Highfield Food Safety Forum on LinkedIn. Highfield Food Safety Forum | Groups | LinkedIn .  This Forum also provides monthly lunchtime webinars for current food related topics and panel discussions

Three medical groups in Scotland marked Clean Air Day by calling on the Scottish Government to reduce the recommended limits for air pollution in an effort to align them with those of the World Health Organisation.

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE), Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) in Scotland and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) in Scotland are asking that yearly average levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) be reduced  from 40µg/m³ to 20 µg/m³, over the next five years, and to the WHO-recommended level of 10µg/m³ by 2035.

They are also asking that the Scottish Government focuses on reducing peak levels of traffic-related air pollution.

Commenting, Professor Jill Belch, Co-Chair of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh’s short-life working group on air pollution, said: ‘The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh has consistently called for urgent action on air pollution. Clean Air Day is the perfect time to remind political leaders that there’s much more to do in reducing the preventable ill health caused by air pollution.

‘We recently proposed to the Scottish Government a pilot scheme to place air quality monitors near a number of urban primary schools in our largest cities. By doing so, we could collect better data on air pollution “hotspots” near schools, which could make Scotland better informed to create policy to reduce child ill health linked to air pollution.’

Professor Andrew Elder, President, The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh said: ‘Prevention of illness and disease must be central to the Scottish Government’s plans for public health. Air pollution must be a continued focus of preventative efforts – particularly to avoid exposing children to harmful air in the early stages of their lives. We ask all politicians in Scotland to take this matter seriously – and meet the levels recommended by the World Health Organization.’

Dr Mairi Stark, Scottish Officer, The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said: ‘As paediatricians, we see first-hand the detrimental impact air pollution has on children. Children are particularly vulnerable to air pollution, as they breathe faster and inhale more airborne toxicants in proportion to their weight, than adults exposed to the same air pollution. This can have a lasting impact on their health and development. Studies show that children and young people in deprived communities also bear the greatest burden of air pollution, exacerbating already rampant health inequalities.

‘The Scottish Government must act to address this and prevent further widening of child health disparities. Urgent action is required to meet WHO recommendations and ensure children in Scotland grow up in a healthy environment. RCPCH calls on the Scottish Government to make child health a focal point in all climate change policies and prioritise reducing air pollution.’

Dr Munro Stewart, Joint clinician representative for Climate and Sustainability at RCGP Scotland: ‘There is much to be gained from action on improving air quality. Air pollution impacts all the organs in our body and contributes to Scotland’s poor record of health inequity. The Scottish Government should take action and commit to this yearly average target for nitrogen dioxide, alongside a holistic approach to this multi-factorial challenge, as this will deliver healthier communities and reduce demand on an overstretched NHS.’

Healthier Housing Partnership are organising an international conference and have inviting people to register interest for the event and calling for people to submit papers.

More details can be found in the attached document below and here.

Why this conference?

Extreme events – including heatwaves, flooding, droughts, wild-fires, tsunamis, tornadoes and earthquakes – are occurring more frequently and with greater intensity. These events damage and destroy homes and communities causing physical, mental and financial suffering.

What will the conference cover?

This conference will look at the support victims and communities need post-event; how housing can be replaced; how existing housing can be adapted and new housing designed and constructed to build resilience into housing and neighbourhoods and protect mental, physical and social health.

What approach will we take?

Our approach focuses on housing as a prime protector of health, supporting feelings of safety and well-being and creating a sense of home. We want to exchange reactions to dealing with the aftermath of extreme events; extend the knowledge base linking people’s health and wellbeing. We want to provide a forum for sharing international experience, approaches and case studies which include preventive/protective solutions to avoid problems in the future. We want the conference to enable an international network of professionals, academics, organisations and bodies to develop.

Who should attend?

Individuals and bodies directly and indirectly involved in housing and health, and in predicting and responding to all forms of extreme events, including housing professionals; medical doctors; public health professionals; sociologists; meteorologists and first responders.

How will the conference be organised?

This will be a recorded on-line event leading to the production of a conference report. It will consist of a half day session setting out the conference ambitions; a full day of good practice presentations and thematic workshops and a final half day summarising what have we have learnt and still need to learn.

Conference organisers

The conference is being organised by the Healthier Housing Partnership, an independent partnership of academics, housing, environmental health and regeneration practitioners and housing and health researchers formed in 2015. Our aims are to promote healthier housing and raise the standard of existing and new housing to achieve wider social benefits. Further information is available here: https://www.healthierhousing.co.uk/

Invitation to submit abstracts

Submissions are invited for oral presentation at the conference. Papers will be selected on the basis of abstracts comprising a maximum of 500 words submitted by 1 October 2024. 

The focus of the conference is the housing and health aspects of extreme events and papers must reflect this, addressing one or more of the following themes:

Theme 1:

First Response
Physical and mental health and support; food and water; sanitation and disease

Theme 2:

Temporary Post Event Management
Provision of shelter, health care and support, sustaining culture and religion

Theme 3:

Short and Medium Term Stabilising
Intermediate accommodation and infrastructure; personal and social support; and public and environmental support

Theme 4:

Planning and Designing for the Future
Learning from the event and planning for construction of resilient and adapted housing, neighbourhoods and communities

Theme 5:

Building for the Future
Preparation for construction of adapted housing, neighbourhoods and communities; for health, medical , education, other support services; and for occupations, trades and businesses

The abstracts should include:

• The lead author’s name, institutional and departmental affiliations and contact details
• All co-authors’ names, institutional and departmental affiliations and contact details
• A summary defining the topic area, referring to specific issues that the intended paper will address, the evidence being marshalled, the scope of discussion and conclusions

Abstracts will be reviewed to ensure a varied, authoritative and integrated selection of papers around the topic. Author(s) of accepted abstracts will be invited to submit a full paper (approximately 3,000 words), which will be reviewed and, if accepted, the author(s) will be invited to present the paper within the conference.

Submission process

• Abstract submission
  Deadline: 1 October 2024
• Notification of abstract review
  Deadline:1 November 2024
• Paper submission
  Deadline: 1 February 2025

All accepted papers will be published in the conference proceedings and indexed in the conference website digital library

Author(s) of accepted papers will be required to register for the conference.

You can register your interest in the conference and here.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) has been working with NHS Boards in Scotland, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and other public health agencies across the UK to investigate an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in the UK.

As of 18 June, the UKHSA reported 256 confirmed cases in the UK. All currently confirmed cases had symptom onset dates before 31 May. Although the rate of cases has now slowed, it is expect the figure to rise as NHS laboratories refer specimens to UKHSA for genomic sequencing which can link cases to this outbreak strain.

In total, 168 people are sick in England, 29 in Wales and 56 in Scotland. Northern Ireland has three cases, who likely acquired their infections in England. Patients have been recorded in most age groups, with the majority being young adults. Based on information from 227 cases to date, 38% were admitted to hospital.

Dr Colin Brown, Incident Director at UKHSA, said:

Symptoms of infections with STEC include severe and sometimes bloody diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever. While diarrhoea and vomiting can have a range of causes, there are simple steps you can take to reduce your risk and risk of infecting others.

Washing your hands with soap and warm water and using disinfectants to clean surfaces will help stop any further spread of infection. If you are unwell, you should not prepare food for others while unwell and avoid visiting people in hospitals or care homes to avoid passing on the infection in these settings. Do not return to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped. If you are concerned about your symptoms, follow NHS.UK guidance on when to seek help and the steps you can take to avoid further spread to family and friends.

Darren Whitby, Head of Incidents at the FSA said:

Several sandwich manufacturers have now taken precautionary action to withdraw and recall various sandwiches, wraps, subs and rolls, as food chain and epidemiological links have enabled us to narrow down a wide range of foods consumed to a small number of salad leaves that have been used in these in these products.

This follows extensive investigations into the cause of an ongoing outbreak caused by shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC) which is being carried out by the FSA, FSS and UKHSA, working closely with the relevant enforcing authorities across Local Authorities). A full list of products implicated in the product recalls can be found in the product recall notices (PRINs).

This remains a complex investigation and we continue to work at pace with the relevant businesses and local authorities to ensure necessary steps are being taken to protect consumers.

Although we are confident in the source of the outbreak being linked to a small number of salad leaves, which we identified early on through extensive food chain analysis, work continues to identify the root cause of the outbreak with the growers, suppliers and manufacturers so that actions can be taken to prevent a re-occurrence. We will remain vigilant until the root cause of the outbreak is confirmed and we are keeping an open mind about possible causes of the outbreak. Information is being gathered at pace and is under constant review to ensure we minimise any further risk to consumers.

Research from the University of Birmingham has shown that 93% of dinner meal deals exceed the UK Government’s suggested calorie limit for dinner of 600 calories per person.

The UK Government launched its ‘One You’ campaign back in 2016, to try and help tackle the obesity epidemic and make the public more aware of their health and diet. One of the key messages in this campaign was the 400-600-600 guidance. Recommending that adults consume 400 calories for breakfast, and 600 each for lunch and dinner, with two 200-calorie snacks.

A study of dinner meal deals across three national supermarket and grocery store chains, composed of 85 combinable items, has found that 93% of dinner meal deals exceed the government’s recommended dinner calorie limit of 600 kcal for adults. The study has been published in a book chapter featured in Responsible Marketing for Well-being and Society.

Dr Sheena Leek, senior lecturer in marketing at the University of Birmingham who led the study said: “We are a very time-poor nation, and for those of us working long hours reaching for a dine-in or dinner meal deal can be an easy and cheap way to get a filling and hopefully tasty dinner or provide an economical alternative to a date night.

“But what is healthy for our wallets is not necessarily healthy for our bodies, and our study has found that these dinner meal deal combinations, more often than not, exceed the UK government guidance of dinner calorie content.”

The research shows that the number of dinner meal deals exceeding the 600 kcal limit varied wildly from shop to shop. At one store only 60.3% of dinner meal deal combinations exceeded the limit compared to nearly all (99.7%) at another.

The most calorific dinner deal reached 1526 kcal, which is 254% of the One You recommendation. The lowest meal deal had a calorie count of just 187 kcal, 31% of the suggested amount.

The average ‘main’ made up 51.2% of the guidance amount but ranged from 39.6%-78.3% across different shops. The calorie content of side dishes was all about the same (32.3%-33.2%) Desserts were also similar at 50.4%-54.2% and then drinks ranged from 13.9%-14.3%.

Dr Leek concluded: “The biggest difference in calorie content was caused by the inclusion of desserts and drinks. The dinner deals that had the smallest number of calories only included a main and side dish. But even then, our study shows that if you are depending on these deals for your dinner, the vast majority of them make it extremely difficult to stick to the 600 kcal suggestion.”

Cryptosporidium has been discovered in pre-washed vegetables from major supermarkets in Kent.

Cryptosporidium was found in 17% of samples of pre-washed vegetables analysed by researchers in the School of Biosciences at the University of Kent.

While pre-washed and ready-to-eat vegetables undergo more thorough washing with water containing chlorine disinfectants compared to unpackaged vegetables, Cryptosporidium particles (oocysts) are actually resistant to disinfection with chlorine and can only be reliably removed by boiling water or filtration. So, they are expected to be free from parasites and ready to eat straight from the packaging, but some oocysts remain and are likely to cause illness.

Dr Anastasios Tsaousis, Reader in Molecular and Evolutionary Parasitology and the research lead, said: ‘Whilst our 2023 study cannot distinguish between live and inert Cryptosporidium, it is nevertheless important in that the presence of Cryptosporidium in pre-washed vegetables could mean revisiting the sanitation methods employed by suppliers along the chain of production such as improved hygiene measures during harvesting, processing, packaging, transportation and storage.

‘There is also a need for increased awareness among consumers on the adequate storage of vegetables and handwashing before eating.’

The research paper titled ‘Presence of Cryptosporidium parvum in pre‑washed vegetables from different supermarkets in South East England: A pilot study’ is published by Parasitology Research.

Today (20th June) marks Clean Air Day, the UK’s largest campaign on air pollution.

Air pollution can harm every organ in your body, causing heart and lung disease, dementia, and strokes. 
You may be exposed to higher levels of air pollution because of where you live – for example, if you live in a town or city, or near a busy road – and certain people are more vulnerable to its affects (including children, the elderly, and people with health conditions).

 Campaigners want to use this year’s Clean Air Day to support the public to:

• Learn: visit the Clean Air Hub to learn more about how air pollution harms our health and the planet, and find out what you can do to protect yourself and your community
• Act: walk, wheel or use public transport to reduce your exposure and contribution to air pollution. If you drive, try leaving the car behind on Clean Air Day and one day every week.
• Ask: use your voice to call on our next government to make walking, wheeling and cycling safer and ensure that everyone can access public transport that is reliable, affordable, and efficient. Sign the Glocal Action Plan petition and share it with your friends, family, and community to show our next government that people want action on air pollution

Learn more by visiting the Clean Air Hub (www.cleanairhub.org.uk) or let the team know what you are up to by emailing cleanerair@globalactionplan.org.uk

The Sýlingarfell volcano in southwest Iceland began erupting last December but the most recent eruption, on May 29th, pushed sulphur dioxide in Scotland to levels not seen since the 1970s.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) national volcanic emissions network first detected an increase in SO2 on the Isle of Lewis on the evening of 30 May. During the early hours, the plume moved southward, peaking in Scotland’s Central Belt by 6 am on 31 May. St Leonard’s in Edinburgh reported a maximum concentration of 1,161 µg m³.

In order to verify the source of the SO2, the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) used a combination of observations and modelling data, making it highly likely that the increased levels could be attributed to the Icelandic volcano

UKCEH used their EMEP4UK atmospheric chemistry transport computer model to confirm the sequence of events that led to the high-concentration episode. They explained that had the eruption happened differently, the SO2 emitted would have missed the UK entirely.

What distinguished this from previous events is that significantly higher concentrations of SO2 were recorded than previously reported in the UK, surpassing those of previous Icelandic eruptions in recent years. Alongside high SO2, the volcanic plume comprised a mixture of other gases, our researchers are now investigating the composition of the plume in more detail.

A blog on the UKCEH website refers to SO2 as ‘an air pollutant from the past’, indeed its prominent position in the air pollution rollcall of the past gave Edinburgh its ‘Auld Reekie’ nickname.

Famously, it was also a key cause of the acid rain of the 1980. A number of significant, global remedial measures were taken which have led to UK SO2 emissions falling by 98% since 1970.

The fall has been so dramatic that the lack of atmospheric sulphur deposition has led farmers to add sulphur to their fertiliser to achieve optimum nutrient balance.

The UKCEH blog goes on to explain that the whole episode is no cause for concern: ‘While this event, exceeded air quality objectives for 10 hours in Edinburgh, it did not breach workplace exposure limits. Nor did it pose a significant health risk. The current air quality objective for SO2 is 350 µg m³ (hourly average), and a maximum concentration of 1,161 µg m³ was reported from the AURN network at Leonard St.

‘Concentrations stayed well below the workplace exposure limit for an 8-hour shift average of 1,300 µg m³ and for 15-minute exposure of 2,700 µg m³. Our modelling effort helped predict that this plume would pass rapidly over the UK. Through chemical reactions, sulphur dioxide can contribute to the formation of small airborne particles (PM2.5) that are harmful to human health. Measurement and model results indicate that PM2.5 concentrations stayed well below levels of concern during this event.’

For further information please see the related blog.

Three more Scottish cities have launched their city centre Low Emission Zones (LEZ) in the last month. The new LEZs came into force in Dundee on 30 May, with Aberdeen and Edinburgh introducing them on 1 June, joining Glasgow which came into force last year on 1 June 2023.

The significant public health intervention restricts the access of the most polluting vehicles in order to protect health, improve air quality and support a shift towards more sustainable transport.

LEZs were introduced in all four of Scotland’s largest cities on 31 May 2022. In Glasgow, the LEZ has applied to buses since 2018. For other vehicle types, enforcement began on 1 June 2023. In Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh, a two-year grace period was in place, meaning no penalty charges were issued during this time.

The geographic extent, scope, timescales for implementation of Scotland’s LEZs were determined by each local authority.

The Scottish Government is also providing £5m across Scotland to reopen the LEZ Support Fund for 2024-25 where residents and businesses can apply for support to ease the transition through retrofitting, disposal and other grants. 

Read more about Scottish Low Emission Zones here – https://lowemissionzones.scot

The City of Edinburgh Council’s Environmental Health team has issued eight Prohibition Notices to businesses and practitioners over three locations planning to perform the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) procedure.

The Notices, issued last month, prohibit those involved from undertaking any BBL procedures within any premises or locations within the city of Edinburgh local authority area, until evidence can be provided that these procedures will be carried out by competent people and in hygienic environments.

There have been several serious incidents across the UK where clients have suffered from sepsis and tissue necrosis after receiving BBLs and it is for this reason that the Council has taken enforcement action.

Cllr Neil Ross, Convener of the City of Edinburgh Council’s Regulatory Committee, said:

“Our Environmental Health Officers continue to carry out inspections of aesthetic businesses in the city where BBLs may be carried out. If unsatisfactory standards are found, officers will not hesitate to take enforcement action to protect the public.

We are urging the public to be very careful when considering undergoing this type of cosmetic procedure as the risks to their health can be serious.  We are also warning local aesthetic practitioners who are considering undergoing training in how to administer BBLs to think very carefully before doing so. The training may not achieve the level of competence required to do such high-risk procedures.”

If anyone is concerned about a recent BBL procedure they have received, the Council is urging them to get in touch. Additionally, if anyone has had a recent BBL procedure carried out in premises specifically in the Gorgie/Dalry area of the city, the Council would like them to contact the Environmental Health team.  A Prohibition Notice has been issued to stop procedures at this location in this area of the city, but the Council understands that some people may already have undergone a procedure. 

Members of the public can contact Environmental Health by phone on 0131 200 2000 or by email environmentalhealth@edinburgh.gov.uk. If anyone is experiencing ill health linked to these procedures they should seek medical attention immediately.

The Scottish Government has published a further their responses to the consultation on ‘Implementing the prohibition of the sale and supply of single-use vapes in Scotland: your views’ and the draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (Scotland) Regulations 2024.

Providing an extra degree of clarity on the ban, the Scottish Government has set out its definition of a disposable vape as well as more information regarding how the rules will be enforced.

The Scottish Government acknowledged that enforcement was the biggest concern raised by those who submitted response and state that they continue to collaborate closely with Trading Standards and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) to understand the regulatory burdens associated with enforcement and any associated funding, as well as assessing the potential savings and benefits.

The response sets out additional powers to allow Trading Standards to identify sellers, enter premises and seize illegitimate products.

The response has defined the vaping products set to be banned as:
• Not refillable by an individual user in the normal course of their use.
• Not rechargeable
• Not refillable and not rechargeable
• Not able to be fitted with a replacement heating coil which is separately available and replaceable by an individual user in the normal course of their use.

Further to this, those found guilty of committing the offence could be subject to a level five fine – the equivalent to an amount of money between £5,000 and £10,000.

This is in contrast to that in England where a range of notices will be made to the businesses and an initial £200 fine, which could be reduced to £100 if paid within 28 days.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) is working with NHS Boards in Scotland, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and other public health agencies across the UK to investigate an increase in the number of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) cases across the UK in recent weeks.

There have been 113 confirmed cases in the Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O145 outbreak since May 25. Whole genome sequencing of samples in the current investigation indicates that most cases are part of a single outbreak.

Based on the wide geographic spread of cases, it is most likely that this outbreak is linked to a nationally distributed food item or multiple food items. The public health agencies are working with the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland to investigate further.

As of 4 June, there have been 113 confirmed cases associated with this outbreak of STEC O145 in the UK, all reported since 25 May 2024:

• 81 in England
• 18 in Wales
• 13 in Scotland
• 1 in Northern Ireland (for this case, evidence suggests that they acquired their infection while visiting England)

Typically, the UK sees around 1,500 cases of STEC over a full year. Numbers of confirmed cases associated with this outbreak are expected to rise as further samples undergo whole genome sequencing.

Cases range in age from 2 to 79 years old, with the majority being young adults. Of the 81 cases in England, 61 have provided information to UKHSA on food, travel, and potential exposures, and 37 people have been hospitalised.

While the source of this outbreak is currently unknown, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of gastrointestinal infections, as well as limiting the spread to others:

• regularly wash your hands with warm water and soap — alcohol gels do not kill all bugs that cause diarrhoeal illness
• follow food hygiene measures such as washing fruit and vegetables and cooking food properly
• if you have diarrhoea and vomiting, you should not prepare food for others and avoid visiting people in hospitals or care homes to avoid passing on the infection
• you should not return to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped

Jim McMenamin, Head of Health Protection (infection Services), Public Health Scotland, said:

To help stop infections like E. coli from spreading, we advise regular hand washing using soap and water, particularly after using the toilet and before preparing food. People should also use disinfectants to clean surfaces that may be contaminated. Anyone experiencing severe and sometimes bloody diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever should call their GP or 111 to seek advice. Anyone with diarrhoea or vomiting should avoid attending places such as schools, workplaces or social gatherings until at least 48 hours after their symptoms have ceased.