Environmental measures to improve children's health - Health and ...

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Air Quality3Country: BelgiumProject: Educational project for primary schoolOrganisation: The Flemish Institute for HealthPromotion and Disease Prevention, the Flemish Agencyfor Care and Health, and Flemish Local Health NetworksRepresentative: Sara ReekmansEmail: sreekmans@limburg.beschools helped in the pilot testing of the project guide andeducational materials. Once refined, these materials weremade widely available.Children in a Belgian kindergarten watch the indoorair quality indicator.Keeping "refreshingly cool"in the classroomFor several years, environmental health workers from theFlemish Local Health Networks had been receiving questionsfrom teachers about how to improve air quality in theclassroom. Meanwhile, evidence was emerging thatventilation in schools was often poor. The Flemish Institutefor Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and theFlemish Agency for Care and Health decided that it wastime to act. Together with the Flemish Local HealthNetworks, they initiated a project called Lekker Fris, or"refreshingly cool" (www.lekkerfris.be).The first step was to distribute a poster and a flyer about theproject to every primary school in Flanders, the Flemishspeaking part of Belgium. It provided five simple steps toimproving indoor air quality. After a collaborative process todevelop the project and its materials, teachers in 15 primarySince January 2008, schools have been able to join the project.Teachers receive materials for 3-4 lessons, includingcrosswords, a song, drawings, a game, and a play, which theysay are fun and easy to use. The school borrows a hand-heldCO 2 indicator, which children can understand and learn to usethemselves. When the air is bad and urgent action is needed,a red light shows; a yellow light indicates poor air qualityin the classroom, and a green light indicates that all is well.The project organisers found that once a few schools hadstarted activities, media coverage in newspapers and onchildren‘s television attracted other schools to join.Evidence that the project is a success comes from severalsources. First, a recent evaluation by the Flanders governmentincluded a small number of primary schools that are takingpart in the project. The government report findings suggestedthat indoor air quality in these schools had improved.At the same time, the teachers have rated the project highly.They say that the children benefit from learning about theimportance of ventilation as well as from fresher air in theclassroom.Following requests from secondary schools, the FlemishInstitute, the Flemish Agency for Care and Health andthe Local Health Networks are now working on a similarinitiative for older children.8 CEHAPE Awards, March 2010
Hazardous chemicals &radiation4Country: RussiaProject: Reducing the risks of lead to childrenOrganisation: Far Eastern EnvironmentalHealth FundRepresentative: Petr SharovEmail: psharov@fehealthfund.orgChanging the earthto prevent lead poisoningEight years ago, Petr Sharov at the Far EasternEnvironmental Health Fund looked at research from BunkerHill in Idaho, USA where action had been taken to reducelead contamination in the gardens of family homes. BunkerHill is an area contaminated by lead mining and smeltingplants. Knowing that the same problem existed in the miningareas of Dalnegorsk District, he decided to copy thesuccessful US model.He began work before he had managed to secure fullfunding for the project. Early activities included mapping themining areas for lead and cadmium, which were consideredto be the two main and most toxic pollutants. In 2007,when full funding became available, medical teamsmonitored local children for lead levels in their blood andprovided information to parents on how to reduce theirchildren‘s exposure.educational advice to parents took place. By 2009, only 11%of children had lead levels above the safety limit.The challenge now is to reach families in the town of RudnayaPristan – the most contaminated part of the valley.During the first round of activities, the project activities didnot reach this area. About 60% of the 500 children living inthis community have blood lead levels above 10 ug/dl.Lead poisoning of children exists in many parts of Russia,Central Asia countries of Eastern Europe. The project wasexpensive (US$500,000 over two years) but the findingsshow that it works. The project would not have been possiblewithout the partnership of Blacksmith Institute and GreenCross Switzerland. The organisers say that it is already beingcopied by a non-governmental organisation in Kazakhstan.They hope it can also be used as a model in other areas ofRussia where there is lead contamination.However, the biggest task, as in the Bunker Hill clean-upproject, was to remove lead-contaminated soil wherechildren play. Priority was given to playgrounds of youngchildren where lead in the soil was measured at over 500parts per million. Thanks to the efforts of the Far EasternEnvironmental Health Fund, the contaminated top-layer soiland sand in seven kindergartens has now been replaced withclean earth. This represents a total area 16,400 square meters.The benefits for children‘s health have been encouraging.In 2007, 22% of children in the Dalnegorsk District had bloodlead levels over 10 ug/dl (international safety standard). Overthe next two years the playground soil replacements andChildren are tested for lead levels in their blood.Fifth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, WHO European Region9
Page 4 and 5: Environmental measuresto improvechi
Page 6 and 7: Water & Sanitation1Country: Lithuan
Page 10 and 11: Mobility5Country: AustriaProject: '
Page 12 and 13: Youth participation7Country: Russia
Page 14 and 15: The award judgesHere is a brief int
Page 16 and 17: HEAL in actionProtecting children i
Page 18 and 19: WECF in actionProtecting children t
Page 20: Helping children‘s health in Euro

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