Author: Sarah Groom

World leaders have reached a new agreement to tackle climate change with the proposed plan to reach net zero by 2050 at COP28 in Dubai.

Now known as the UAE Consensus, the document ‘calls on parties to contribute’ to efforts at bringing down emissions, and in turn air pollution. This includes ‘transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems’ in a ‘just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science.’

However, the deal doesn’t compel countries to take action, and no timescale is specified.

The agreement includes global targets to triple the capacity of renewable energy like wind and solar power, and to double the rate of energy efficiency improvements, both by 2030.

It also calls on countries to accelerate low- and zero-emission technologies like carbon capture and storage.

COP28 was the 28th annual United Nations (UN) climate meeting, where governments discuss how to limit and prepare for future climate change. The summit took place in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It was scheduled to last from 30 November to 12 December 2023, but overran by a day.

200 nations were represented in talks, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among the world leaders to attend the beginning of the summit.

US President Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping did not go, but both countries were heavily represented.

King Charles gave the opening address, warning that humans were carrying out a “vast, frightening experiment” on the planet.

Nearly 100,000 politicians, diplomats, journalists and campaigners registered for the meeting, making it the biggest climate conference ever held. This included around 2,400 people connected to the coal, oil and gas industries, which underlined concern about the influence of fossil fuel groups.

The French parliament has voted unanimously to ban single-use diposable e-cigarettes. The move is an attempt to protect young people drawn to their flavours, and to mitigate the environmental impact of the disposable products, known in France as “puffs”.

It still needs backing from France’s Senate and clearance from the EU Commission before it becomes law. If both approve the bill, the government said it hopes the ban will be effective by September 2024.

Legislators adopted the bill in a late-night vote on Monday with 104 in favour, zero against. The bill, supported by the government, will then move to the senate where it is expected to be adopted as well. It could go into effect by September 2024.

Disposable e-cigarettes differ from reusable vaping devices in that they are not designed to be refilled or recharged. Their small, non-rechargeable lithium batteries often end up in landfills. In the UK, a study last year by the environmental organisation Material Focus found that more than one million devices were being thrown out every week.

New Zealand and Australia have already implemented restrictions, with the former mandating lower nicotine levels and restrictions on vape shop locations near schools. Three years ago, the US food and drug administration cracked down on flavoured reusable e-cigarettes like Juul.

The UK, Ireland, and Germany are considering similar measure

Imported American confectionary containing ingredients that aren’t authorised to be used in UK have been seized from shops in England.

Large quantities of American candy and drinks aimed at children that are not compliant, including those containing ingredients banned in this country, have been discovered in shops in England.

Trading Standards officers at Staffordshire County Council uncovered the items as part of a two-week-long operation to tackle the sales of unsafe imported foods, where food labelling is not in English and allergen ingredients have not been declared.

Over 50 shops and stores were inspected during the operation, with many unaware the products on sale contained ingredients banned in the UK. 3,378 items were seized with a street value of £8,500

The pilot project followed a number of incidents and intelligence received by the Food Standards Agency, who funded the operation.

Meanwhile, in Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards Officers have seized banned American candy from a store in Nuneaton. The products seized included Jolly Rancher and Swedish Fish sweet confectionery and Mountain Dew canned drinks. All contained unauthorised additive ingredients. Sixty-six packets of sweets and 57 cans of drink were removed from shelves.

Illegal imported products, not manufactured for the UK market and already identified and seized as they contain unauthorised ingredients  include:

• Mountain Dew canned and bottled drinks of many varieties
• Marinda
• Sunny D
• Swedish Fish
• Dubble Bubble
• Jolly Rancher gummies and hard candy
• Hot Tamales
• Twizzlers
• Lemonhead

The American imported items that have been seized contained the following unauthorised additives not manufactured for the UK market:

• Brominated Vegetable oil (BVO)
• E127, Erythrosine (shown on US products as Red 3) – this is allowed in cocktail cherries, but not in sweets
• Mineral Oil
• Bleached Flour

And the following, which are allowed in food but not in drinks:

• Calcium disodium EDTA (E385)
• Erythorbic acid (E315)

There is evidence that E127 or Erythrosine, which is shown on American products as Red 3 can contribute to triggering hyperactive behaviour especially in children and while it’s still allowed in cocktail cherries, it shouldn’t be in sweets.

Mineral oil carries the risk of contamination with other compounds, which in turn are capable of forming cancers.

Calcium disodium EDTA is allowed in food but not in drinks. In animal studies it’s caused adverse reproductive and developmental effects and in mice has been shown to contribute to cancer of the colon.

Additives are only authorised for use in the UK if they have been tested and proved to be safe for its intended use, in that particular type of food or drink; there is a justifiable technological need to use it; and its use does not mislead the consumer.

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has also issued a serious warning to parents in the run up to Christmas.  Chief Executive John Herriman said: “The UK has high food standards but this very much relies on Trading Standards to help ensure what is on sale complies with the law.

It’s extremely worrying to learn that confectionary with child appeal is on sale in UK high streets, which could be linked to hyperactivity in kids, and even cancer. Trading Standards work extremely hard to remove dangerous products from sale, but the popularity of these items is being increased by videos on social media platforms, such as TikTok. The increase in demand means importers are sending these through our ports and borders in the millions, and these are then being widely distributed and ending up in retail stores and in the hands of children.

“We ask that all persons placing these products on the market, including the suppliers and retailers, take their responsibilities seriously in this matter and urgently remove items from sale that contain unauthorised ingredients.  If shop owners are unsure of what items are safe to sell, they should contact their local Trading Standards service for support and advice.”

When consumers are checking whether the goods for sale are American imports or not, the easiest way is to look at how the weight is recorded.  In the UK we use grams and millilitres and in America it is fluid ounce and ounce.  If the labelling shows American weights, it is an import and the food labelling needs to be compliant with UK laws, with no unauthorised ingredients in the produce.

Foodborne outbreaks and related deaths in Europe went up in 2022, according to EFSA and ECDC.

The 2022 One Health zoonoses report, published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), revealed the number of foodborne outbreaks and cases, hospitalizations and deaths was higher than in 2021. Deaths from outbreaks was the most in the EU in the past 10 years, with 28 caused by Listeria monocytogenes.

In 2022, 27 European Union member states and Northern Ireland reported 5,763 outbreaks, 48,605 illnesses, 2,783 hospitalizations and 64 deaths. A total of 108 outbreaks, 2,166 cases, 186 hospitalizations and one death were recorded in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Montenegro, Norway, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Switzerland.

EU outbreaks increased by 43.9 percent from 4,005 in 2021. Cases and hospitalizations also rose by 49.4 percent and 11.5 percent. Deaths jumped by 106.5 percent compared to 31 in 2021.

Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Spain accounted for three-quarters of the outbreaks. France had 1,861, followed by the Netherlands with 1,162, Belgium at 830 and Spain with 591.

In 2022, the highest number of outbreaks with unknown agents was reported to EFSA. Most of these were notified by Belgium and the Netherlands. Nine incidents had more than 100 cases.

Salmonella and Campylobacter

A causative agent was identified in 3,104 outbreaks. Salmonella remained the most frequent. Norovirus (and other calicivirus) was associated with the most cases at more than 7,300.

Salmonella was behind 1,014 outbreaks with 6,632 cases. Despite outbreaks jumping from 773 in 2021 the number of people sick in them declined from 6,755.

France, Spain, Poland, and Slovakia had the most while Bulgaria and Latvia didn’t report any. Belgium, France, Slovenia, and Sweden had large outbreaks with more than 100 cases. Salmonella Enteritidis was the main serovar reported, followed by Typhimurium and monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium.

In Spain, 34 Salmonella outbreaks were linked to egg products while it was 26 in Poland. One incident in Spain sickened 265 people.

Campylobacter caused 255 outbreaks and 1,097 cases – both up slightly from 2021. In Germany and Malta, it was the leading agent in outbreaks.

Listeria and E. coli

Listeria outbreaks rose from 23 to 35 and patients went up from 104 to 296. Italy had the two largest listeriosis outbreaks. The first involved 97 cases, all hospitalized, and five people died. The second had 43 hospitalized cases with one death. Implicated vehicles were broiler meat products and pig meat products, respectively. Finland reported two outbreaks in vegetables. The first involved eight cases with six hospitalizations and three deaths. The second continued from 2021 and was linked to pre-cut vegetables. In 2022, there were seven cases and two deaths.

STEC outbreaks jumped from 31 to 71 and cases numbers from 275 to 408. It was the most common causative agent in Ireland and Northern Ireland but France had 37 outbreaks.

E. coli O157 was associated with seven outbreaks, with others caused by O26, O104, O111, O113, O145, and O178. Poland reported a STEC O104 outbreak, involving 16 cases, five hospitalizations and one death. It is the first time this serogroup has been linked to an outbreak in Europe since 2011, when a large multi-country incident caused more than 3,000 cases, 50 deaths and 800 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome. The outbreak occurred in a school or kindergarten but the implicated food was not identified.

Toxins, viruses and parasites

A Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus outbreak was reported to EFSA for the first time by Italy. It caused 37 cases with 23 hospitalizations and five deaths. A cheese made from unpasteurized milk was identified as the source.

A total of 27 Shigella and 14 Yersinia outbreaks were recorded. Other bacterial agents included Aeromonas caviae, Enterococcus spp., non-toxigenic Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

With 1,020, France contributed almost 90 percent of all outbreaks caused by bacterial toxins in the EU. Bacillus cereus toxins ranked first and was the causative agent in five outbreaks with more than 100 cases, reported by Spain and France. The largest had 383 sick people.

The largest outbreak caused by Clostridium perfringens had 950 cases and was in Portugal. It was linked to cooked RTE meat in temporary mass catering.

A dozen norovirus outbreaks in seven member states involved more than 100 patients each, totaling 1,606 cases. Three tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBE) outbreaks were reported by Slovakia from raw sheep’s milk and cheese made from sheep milk.

The two largest Cryptosporidium outbreaks occurred in Sweden and had 107 and 75 cases, linked to a RTE salad and buffet meals. Seven Trichinella outbreaks were reported by Croatia, France, Italy, Romania, and Spain with 68 sick.

France had 55 histamine and scombrotoxin outbreaks in 2022 while Spain had 19. Ciguatoxin was identified in 11 outbreaks and mushroom toxins in seven epidemics. Denmark reported two lectin outbreaks, involving 99 cases.

For the first time since collection of data began, the number of strong-evidence outbreaks in restaurants, pubs, street vendors, and takeaway exceeded those in a domestic setting.

In terms of contributing factors, an unprocessed contaminated ingredient was reported in 41 outbreaks. Other issues included inadequate chilling or heat treatment, time storage or temperature abuse, cross-contamination, and infected food handlers.

Did you know that lighting fires in our homes is the largest source of harmful small particle air pollution in the UK? This type of air pollution can cause life-threatening illnesses, including heart and lung disease, making it crucial that we raise awareness about this growing issue.

Wood burning not only harms your health, but also your wallet and the planet. Pressures on household finances or desires to be more eco-friendly may tempt people to burn wood, but research actually shows that wood burning produces more CO₂ than oil or gas and is almost always more expensive than other forms of heating. 

That’s why the first-ever Clean Air Night is taking place on 24 January 2024, to shine a light on the uncomfortable truth about wood burning. 

This Clean Air Night, learn the truth about wood burning and help protect yourself, your family and your community by sharing what you’ve learned.  

Visit the Clean Air Hub to find out more or check out #CleanAirNight. 

Over the course of three years (from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2022), researchers analysed 58,625 articles from 460 unverified sources – sources that were indicated by fact checkers and other mis/disinformation experts as frequently spreading mis/disinformation – in order to identify the main narratives of COVID-19 mis/disinformation and analyse their spread over time and across countries.

Their findings has been published on PLOS ONE – Trend analysis of COVID-19 mis/disinformation narratives – A 3-year study

The analysis shows that: 

• There are often real events behind mis/disinformation trends, which unverified sources misrepresent or take out of context.
• Vaccine-related mis/disinformation was overall the most widespread type of mis/disinformation and it started to surge in the autumn of 2020 as preliminary data on the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines became available.
• Russian unverified sources pushed ambivalent messages around COVID-19 vaccines. On the one hand, they spread anti-vax messages to foreign audiences. On the other hand, they promoted the Sputnik V vaccine both at home and abroad, portraying it as an instrument for the Kremlin to demonstrate international solidarity and assert itself as the global leader that would save the world from the pandemic. 

The Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) has published a policy cautioning policy-makers and the public of the serious public health concern of cannabis.

The policy highlights evidence of substantial health harms related to cannabis use across Europe. Adopting the core principle of medicine, of ‘first do no harm’, European doctors oppose further legalisation of cannabis and urge policy-makers to make efforts to reduce cannabis use by citizens.

CPME Vice-President Prof. Dr Ray Walley said “Evidence shows that cannabis is an addictive drug with many hazards. These risks are heightened for adolescents in particular. The weight of current evidence indicates that legalisation adds to health harms across the population.

“European doctors encourage local, national, and European public health agencies to improve surveillance efforts to ensure data is available on the short- and long-term health effects of cannabis.”

Cannabis is the most consumed illicit drug in Europe. Latest estimates from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) indicate that about 23 million adults used cannabis in 2022, and 1.7 million people have a cannabis use disorder.

Cannabis use has acute health risks, and it tops the list of drug-related attendances at hospital emergency departments in Europe. In addition, regular use is associated with a range of chronic harms, many of which relate to mental health, such as psychosis, mania, depression and anxiety disorders.

CPME President Dr Christiaan Keijzer said “We need stronger public health messaging to ensure that the people in Europe, especially youth, are fully aware of the many risks associated with cannabis use.

“There is a need to develop comprehensive addiction treatment response for the many Europeans who currently have a cannabis use disorder, including accessible, comprehensive and evidence based treatment.”

The policy does not focus on cannabis-based products in specific medical conditions.

An Order laid before Scottish parliament on 10th November will see the fixed penalty notice for flytipping increase from £200 to £500 from 1 January 2024.

The Fly-tipping (Fixed Penalty) (Scotland) Order 2023 exercises of the power conferred by section 33A(10) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 which provides for a fixed penalty notice procedure for an offence under section 33 in respect of a contravention of subsection 1(a) (for unauthorised deposit of controlled waste) or (1)(c) (for keeping or managing controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution of the environment or harm to human health). These offences are commonly referred to as fly-tipping.

The Chief Statistician has released the results of the 2022 Scottish Household Survey.

In 2022 most (95%) adults rated their neighbourhood as a good or very good place to live, and over half (57%) felt there were places to meet up and socialise. The proportion of adults experiencing feelings of loneliness in the last week increased from 21% in 2018 to 23% in 2022.

Half (50%) of households said they were managing well financially in 2022, a decrease since 2019 (56%).

Satisfaction with the three main public services (local health services, schools and public transport) decreased from 53% in 2019 to 40% in 2022. The largest drop was for satisfaction with local health services (from 80% in 2019 to 64% in 2022), although levels of satisfaction were lowest for public transport (58% in 2022).

In 2022, as in 2019, most (93%) families who used Scottish Government funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) were satisfied with it, and only 1% were dissatisfied.

Climate change was more likely to be perceived as an immediate and urgent problem in 2022 (74%) than in 2019 (68%). The largest increases were amongst those aged 25-34 (67% in 2019 to 78% in 2022) or aged 75+ (56% in 2019 to 65% in 2022).

More adults reported living within a five-minute walk of their nearest green or blue space in 2022 (70%) than in 2019 (66%). They were also more likely to visit the outdoors at least once a week in 2022 (70%) than in 2019 (56%).

More than eight in ten (82%) adults had taken part in physical activity in the previous four weeks, an increase from 2019 (80%). Taking part on more than 14 days in the previous 4 weeks also increased (from 51% in 2019 to 54% in 2022).

The proportion of adults participating in cultural activities was the same in 2019 and 2022 (75%), but there has been a decrease in adults attending cultural events or places of culture (from 81% in 2019 to 74% in 2022). Involvement in formal volunteering activities has also decreased (from 26% in 2019 to 22% in 2022).

Annual General Meeting 

The Institute’s Annual General Meeting was held on Friday 17 November at the Edinburgh Training and Conference Centre with many members attending, some in person and others via MS Teams.  Evonne Bauer gave her Presidential Report reflecting on the previous year in her role as President. Prior to the AGM was the Institute’s annual Environmental Health Update where we heard from an excellent line up of speakers including Food Standards Scotland and Falkirk Council, speaking on collaboration of authorities with regard to the “slimming pill case”; challenges surrounding LEZs from Transport Scotland; climate and health problems with intensive farming from the Compassion in World Farming and a view from Fife Council on commercial premises and Net Zero Waste. The presentations from the event can now be view on the REHIS Members area. 

Lynn Crothers has now been installed as the Institute’s President for the coming year. Congratulations to the Lynn and all the newly elected Members of the Council.  You can view the Council Members here. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL 

REHIS Annual Environmental Public Health and Housing Update, 29 November 2023 

The annual Public Health and Housing update event is being held on 29 November 2023. The online event will have presentations on the health risks associated with lead in drinking water, traditional buildings and retrofit, details on the use of the shared common repairs app; and more.  To book a place please click here 

Updated Scheme of Continuing Professional Development  

As a corporate member of the Institute, you are recognised as a professional through your commitment to the scheme of continuing professional development (CPD). 

The Royal Charter under which the Institute operates offers a unique opportunity for EHO members to achieve Chartered EHO status subject to complying with the CPD scheme.  This is the highest possible professional status and recognises an individual’s professional qualifications, training, experience within, and commitment to, environmental health practice. 

The Institute has recently updated the scheme of continuing professional development to one single flowing document for both EHO and non EHO members.  The updated scheme also includes alternative options to the written submission for EHOs with or working towards Chartered status. 

Read more about the updated CPD scheme here CPD – REHIS  

Special Investigators Course 

The Special Investigators Course is being held in Stirling from 11-15 December.  Although the course is full, depending on interest the Institute would be happy to organise another 5 day event or perhaps a shorter event on specific aspects of investigation, evidence gathering, witness interviewing and court room proceedings.  Happy to hear your thoughts! contact@ 

Water, Wastewater and Drainage Policy Consultation 

The Institute has been invited to comment on the consultation below and thought this may be of interest to our members.  The proposed changes will replace the Water (Scotland) Act 1980 and incorporates all water quality including PWS.  The consultation seeks views on developing policy for the future of the water industry in Scotland in response to the climate emergency and refers to the “climate crisis” that is happening now. You are invited to comment on risks and recommendations laid out by the Climate Change Committee (CCC). 

The closing date for responses is 21 February.  

https://consult.gov.scot/energy-and-climate-change-directorate/water-wastewater-and-drainage-policy-consultation/

UK Ministers have been told, that heat pumps are too loud to be installed in millions of homes under the UK Government’s noise guidelines.

The UK Government aims to install 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028 to hit net zero targets, but a report seen by The Daily Telegraph, sound specialists warn uptake could be limited.

The study reveals that most heat pumps are too loud for many homes in built-up areas, such a terraced houses and flats, because they would break noise limits set for home-owners who want to install one without planning permission and with a government grant.

Local Authorities are also braced for a rise in noise complaints as more of the green appliances installed in urban areas.

The findings, produced by a group of noise experts, have been sent to the UK Government to contribute to a review into heat pump noise being run by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (Desnz). Air source heat pumps, which are positioned outstand a home, can produce a low constant hum of between 40 and 60 decibels which is similar to the level of noise made by a fridge or dishwasher. They will typically run continuously throughout winter.

The UK Government is encouraging homeowners to install heat pumps by offering up to £7,500 towards the cost under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). The grant was last month increased from £5,000 after fewer than 10,000 of an available 30,000 vouchers were redeemed in the first year. But to qualify for the grant, heat pump installations must comply with regulations set out by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) – including a minimum level of noise disturbance to neighbours. It means a heat pump must not generate noise louder than 42 decibels within one metre of a neighbour’s door or window.

Yet, the report, which was presented to the Institute of Acoustics at a conference, found that the top heat pumps from the five main manufacturers, not one device would meet MCS standards on noise unless the unit was at least four metres away.

The authors warned: “Without the MCS there is no BUS grant and, therefore, a likely significant reudction in uptake of heat pumps across England and Wales”

Heat pumps installations also have to comply with MCS standards to be installed without planning permission as a permitted development.

Did you know that in the winter months (October – March), we are unable to get enough Vitamin D from sunlight? It is also really difficult to get enough vitamin D from food. Food Standards Scotland recommends taking a 10 microgram vitamin D supplement daily throughout the winter months. 

Why is this important? 

Vitamin D helps improve bone and muscle health. Some groups are at a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency and are recommended to take a supplement year-round. 

These include: 

•pregnant and breastfeeding women

•infants and children under 5 years old

•people who have low or no exposure to the sun, for example those who cover their skin forcultural reasons, are housebound, confined indoors for long periods or live in an institution

•people from minority ethnic groups with dark skin such as those of African, African-Caribbean and south Asian origin, who require more sun exposure to make as muchvitamin D

Support and guidance

Visit the Food Standards Scotland website for more information about the importance of vitamin D.