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Consultation on ensuring a clean and healthy environment for children

17 March 2008

The Health Protection Agency has today published a consultation document on ways to improve the environment and health of children and young people in the UK.


The consultation document on Children's Environment and Health Strategy for the United Kingdom is being published on behalf of a UK intergovernmental group and the Agency seeks feedback from interested parties.

The main findings of the report are that while a range of activities have already led to a significant reduction in child death rates and ill health across the UK, there are still a number of areas which should be tackled. These include the impact of climate change on children, increasing concerns over obesity and air pollution.

The consultation document should be viewed alongside the Summary of Current Activities which Address Children's Environment and Health Issues within the UK (http://www.hpa.org.uk/cehape/ ).

Comments and feedback on the Strategy should be sent to the CEHAPE Consultation Officer at cehape@hpa.org.uk no later than 13 June 2008. Respondents are encouraged to provide evidence, where appropriate, to support their responses. Receipt of all responses will be acknowledged.

Prof Pat Troop, Chief Executive of the Agency, said: "I welcome this strategy to protect the health of UK children from environmental hazards. By building on current initiatives, ensuring better coordination across Government departments and tackling locations such as schools, we can drive forward change for the benefit of today's children and future generations."

Please contact the CRCE Press Office for general press enquiries on 01235 822744/ 822876/ 822745.


Notes to Editors
1. The Children's Environment and Health Strategy for the UK may make recommendations on the areas that need to be addressed to meet the UK's commitments to the Children's Environment and Health Action Plan for Europe (CEHAPE). The Strategy may be used for the development of specific initiatives to improve the children's environment for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

2. CEHAPE s an initiative led by the World Health Organisation Regional Office For Europe which was launched in June 2004 and has been signed up 53 member states. It aims to protect the health of children from environmental hazards.

3. The CEHAPE consists of four regional priority goals (RPGs), focussing on

  • water, sanitation and health
  • unintentional injuries, obesity and physical activity
  • indoor and outdoor air pollution
  • chemical, physical and biological hazards

The aim is to reduce the risks of environmental hazards causing health problems such as asthma, birth defects, gastrointestinal disease related to water and food, accidental injuries, and obesity.

4. The Children and Environment and Health Action Plan for the UK (CEHAP) is being co-ordinated by a cross-government Interdepartmental Steering Group. It is chaired by the Department of Health and made up of a range of government departments, agencies and the devolved administrations.

5. The final Children's Environment and Health Strategy for the UK and a summary of consultation responses will be published on the HPA website in the autumn of 2008.

6.  More information on CEHAPE can be found at:
http://www.euro.who.int/childhealthenv/policy/20020724_2

END

Last reviewed: 20 February 2009