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Health effects caused by environmental factors in the Netherlands

The RIVM estimates that the environment causes approximately 2 to 5% of the total disease burden in the Netherlands. The main causes are air pollution, UV radiation, noise, an unhealthy indoor environment, and microbial contamination of food. In the Environmental Health Action Plan (VROM/VWS, 2002) the government describes its proposals for reducing the risks of the environment for health.

Developments in public health in the Netherlands


Health in the Netherlands has improved considerably in the last 150 years. For example, life expectancy has more than doubled during that time from 35 years to approximately 77 years. This development is explained to a large extent by an improvement in the quality of the infrastructure (drinking water supply, sewage, waste disposal) and housing (indoor environment). Other important factors include greater prosperity, developments in health care (compulsory vaccination, technology) and the increasingly advanced system of health protection (environment, nutrition, work).
In terms of life expectancy, therefore, a lot has already been achieved. Consequently attention is now shifting from 'longer life' to 'quality of life'. The same applies in the domain of public environmental health (Health Council, 1999).

Loss of health as a result of environmental factors


On the basis of current knowledge about health risks from environmental pollution, it is estimated that the loss of health attributable to the physical environment is around 2 to 5% of the total disease burden in the Netherlands (De Hollander, 1999; RIVM, 2000). Air pollution (particulate matter, ozone), UV radiation, noise, an unhealthy indoor environment, and microbial contamination of food and water all make relatively major contributions to environment-related loss of health.

The long list of possible harmful environmental factors from 'Zorgen voor morgen' (RIVM, 1988) has been considerably reduced. This can be accounted for, on the one hand, by improvements in our understanding of the -harmfullness (ik ben het met de eens dat gebruik van "onschadelijkheid" in dit verband niet duidelijk is) of environmental factors and, on the other, by the fact that the levels of exposure have been reduced considerably by successful environment policy.

In recent years, the public has been asking more and more questions about environmental factors that are potential threats to public health but about which not enough is yet known. Examples are mobile phone masts, mobile phones, exogenous oestrogens (endocrine-disruptive substances) and genetically modified organisms.

Policy


The government wishes to strengthen the policy in the area of environment and health. To that end, it submitted the memorandum 'Gezondheid en Milieu, opmaat voor een beleidsversterking' ('Health and the Environment, an overture to more powerful policy) to the Lower House in November 2001 (Ministries of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment/Health, Welfare and Sport, 2001). The ministers in question elaborated this memorandum in the Environmental Health Action Plan (idem). The action programme was submitted to the House in April 2002 by the ministries.

The twin focus of the government is on reducing health effects due to environmental factors and removing, where possible, causes for concern arising from environmental risks. In the action programme, this results in three strategies:
  • the establishment of an integrated government policy;
  • the improvement of communications between the government and the general public;
  • a new impulse for research into environmental health.

References


  • Health Council of the Netherlands (1999). Public health impact of large airports. Report number 1999/14E, The Hague.
  • Health Council of the Netherlands (2002). Gezondheidsraadadviezen over de invloed van milieufactoren op de gezondheid 1975 - 2000. The Hague: Health Council of the Netherlands, publication no. 2000/23.
  • Amsterdam City Health Service (1996). Handboek binnenmilieu. Amsterdam City Health Service.
  • Hollander, A.E.M. de., J.M. Melse, E. Lebret and P.G.N. Kramers (1999). An aggregate public health indicator to represent the impact of multiple environmental exposures. Epidemiology, vol. 10, 606-617.RIVM (1988). Zorgen voor Morgen. National Environmental Outlook 1985-2010. Bilthoven.
  • Landelijke Vereniging voor GGD'en (1996). Handboek buitenmilieu.
  • Pauli, A., L. Hakkinen, and L. Virrankoski, (1997). Coordination through cooperation in Environment and health research. Programme Committee for Environment and Climate Research Programme/COPEC.
  • RIVM (2000). National Environmental Outlook 5 2000-2030. Samsom bv, Alphen aan den Rijn.
  • TNO (2001). Milieu en gezondheid 2001-overzicht van risico's, doelen en beleid; TNO report 2001.95. TNO Prevention and Health, Leiden.
  • VROM/VWS (2001). Environment and Health, an overture to more powerful policy. Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment/Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, The Hague.
  • VROM/VWS (2002). Environmental Health Action Plan. Implementing more powerful policy. Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment/Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (report number: VROM 020396/05-02 21767/206), The Hague.
  • The ESF Scientific Programme on Environment and Health, 1999.

Relevant sections and indicators in the Environmental Data Compendium


Relevant information outside of the Environmental Data Compendium
This page was last changed on November 25, 2005  (version 01).