18/12/2008 Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
In a draft recommendation adopted today, the Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs calls for a genuine policy to be devised in member states for preventing chronic diseases associated with environmental pollution – including pollution in the home – and for environmental medicine to be recognised as a new medical discipline.
In his report, Jean Huss (Luxembourg, SOC) emphasises the emergence of new health risks and pathologies (such as respiratory problems, allergies, disruption of the immune or hormonal system and certain neurodegenerative illnesses), brought about by the accumulation of pollutants in every area of life, whether outdoors or in our homes or the food we eat. "Chronic exposure to even a low dose of a variety of pollutants may have a serious effect on health", according to Mr Huss, whose report is due to be debated during the spring plenary session of the PACE (27-30 April 2009).