ESTONIAN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW 2009

10. The environment
and health
The environment around us often has a greater health impact than we perceive. A number of risk
factors – including physical, biological and chemical factors – stemming from the environment affect
our health. The impact often emerges only years later, in the form of an allergy, central nerve system
impairment and damage or tumour. Thus the environmental impact on health can be complex and
depends on the nature of the environmental factors and the exposure time. Environmental factors
have the greatest impact on children — 40% of the negative environmental health impacts come at
the expense of those under 5 years of age. Besides children, pregnant women and the elderly A are
very susceptible to environmental impacts.
In Estonia, the natural environment has experienced fairly little change but it does not always
support human health. For example, due to the natural properties of groundwater, a number of Estonia’s
regions have problems with drinking water quality, above all due to high levels of radionuclides,
fluoride and iron in groundwater.
With regard to regional environmental health problems, the impact of air pollution on chronic
diseases of the respiratory system, such as allergic coughs and colds – above all in the larger cities –
has become increasingly significant.
It is not possible to repair human health only by treating the condition. Prevention of harm from
environmental pollution must also be ensured.
As a positive trend in recent years, the living environment (including infrastructure, cities, residential
districts) planning process in Estonia has begun to include evaluation of health risks in the
framework of environmental impact assessments and strategic environmental assessments.
10.1. Legal background
The political document approved by the UN World
Health Assembly (1998) – “Health for all in the 21st
century” – and the WHO Europe region’s Health 21
framework policy on the basis of the former both stress
that there should be significantly less human contact
with hazardous pollutants in water, air, waste and soil
and that a sufficient quantity of high-quality drinking
water must be made available to people. In Estonia, the
Public Health Act governs matters directly related to
public health.
Use of drinking water and drinking water requirements
are governed by the European Union’s Drinking Water
Directive 98/83/EC. The requirements of the Drinking
Water Directive are transposed to Estonia in the Public
Health Act, the Water Act and regulations established on
their basis. Estonia was obliged to comply with some of the
Drinking Water Directive’s requirements upon accession
with the European Union, i.e. from 1 May 2004; a transitional
period was granted for other indicators. Estonia
must be in full compliance with the requirements of the
Drinking Water Directive by 2013.
The requirements of noise in ambient air are stipulated
by the Ambient Air Protection Act and the Public Health
Act, on the basis of which limits for noise and requirements
for preparing a strategic noise map are established.
The allowable limits for noise are set forth in Minister of
Social Affairs regulation no. 42 of 4 March 2002, “Noise
levels in living and recreational areas, residences and
buildings in public use and methods for measuring the
noise level”.
Strategic objectives with regard to environmental
health are set forth primarily in two national development
plans: the Public Health Development Plan 2009–2020
and the Estonian Environmental Strategy 2030.
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A
Rahvastiku Tervise Arengukava 2009–2020. (Population Health Development Plan 2009–2020) (2008). Tallinn : Ministry of Social Affairs. [WWW] http://www.sm.ee/index.php?id=851
(21.05.2009).