Hidrológiai Közlöny 1977 (57. évfolyam)

1. szám - Murawski Tadeusz: A magyar vízminőség-szabályozási UNDP/WHO Project és a WHO Európai Regionális Hivatalának főbb tevékenysége a környezeti szennyezések ellenőrzése terén

12 Hidrológiai Közlöny 1977. 1. sz Murawski Tadeusz: A magyar vízminöségszabályozási UN DP /WHO — To promote collaboration in environmental control between countries sharing frontiers and having related pollution problems. — To organize training courses and provide, for instance, individual fellowships, consultants and lecturers to strengthen manpower resources. Relation to the overall WHO programme The Regional long-term programme in environmental pollution control is closely integrated with the global World Health Organization (WHO) programme on environmental health. The Regional Office maintains contact with other intergovernmental and international agencies on all matters relating to this field. Collaboration is already under way with UNDP and UNEP, the Economic Commission for Europe, FAO, WMO, IAEA, HAS A, the Commission of the European Communities and the Council of Europe, while further discussions with CMEA and OECD are in progress. Within the WHO Regional Office for Europe the units of Chronic Lung Diseases and Epidemiology contribute to the air pollution sector of the programme ; the Officer responsible for Health Laboratory Services co-operates in the field of harmful residues in food ; the unit of Health Information deals with environmental pollution information systems ; and the Health Manpower Development Service is concerned with the training component. Control of environmental pollution and hazards It is deemed necessary to present here more detailed information on one of the regional programme-sections entitled

: Control of Environmental Pollution and Hazards. Under this section are executed by WHO the so-called

: comprehensive environmental projects in several European countries, including the Hungarian UNDP/WHO project : Pilot Zones in Water Quality Management. The programme objectives for this section of the regional programme are as follows

: The long-term objective is to assist Member States to establish and strengthen their services and programmes for the prevention and control of environmental pollution and hazards to health. The short-term objectives are to promote epidemiological studies on the health effects of environmental pollutants and hazards, and to apply the research results to preventive and control programmes and to develop methodologies for the establishment, monitoring and effective control of public health-oriented environmental protection programmes, both at national and at international level. A review of the programme was made in 1974 during the twenty-fourth session of the WHO Regional Committee of Europe. Activities in ecology concentrate on the influence of man on ecosystems and the effect on man of changes in these systems ; they are, in the main, concerned with health factors. Studies also continue in the area of ecological aspects of water pollution. In the fields of water- and air pollution control, solid wastes management and radiation protection, a common element is the continuing production of a series of manuals which will provide information and recommend criteria and standards for pollution and health protection programmes. Efforts have also been directed at the protection of international waters and at evolving work plans for 1 countries bordering the River Danube, to contro industrial pollutants in the North Sea and the Mediterranean. Tourism and the quality of recreational water remain an area of concern. In the field of air pollution control there is a growing realization of the need for international collaboration. Epidemiological studies have taken place in five countries on the correlation between air pollution and nonspecific chronic respiratory diseases in children. With regard to solid wastes, the major difficulties occur at the disposal stage, owing to insufficiently developed technology or to disregard of available disposal methods. Industrial solid wastes, especially the toxic ones, create an additional danger. Increasing attention is being paid to the public hazard of noise and effort will be directed towards noise control management. Although the energy crisis resulted in a slight reduction in air pollution, an increase in ionizing radiation and in the thermal pollution of rivers is envisaged, particularly in view of the ever-growing number of nuclear power stations. This area was classified as one of priority when the long-term programme was reviewed. A directory of European institutions active in this field is being compiled and a study of existing laws on the subject is in progress. The problem areas of this section of the long-term programme have been defined as follows

: — Chemical pollution of the environment and its adverse effects on health; pollution which reaches human beings through air, water, soil, food and in their places of work. — Stress resulting from physical factors, for example, noise and radiation. — Lack of decision aids, management tools and standards for health services in implementing environmental control programmes at national and international level. The lines of approach in „attacking" the several problems areas, are

: — To assist governments directly, when requested, with scientific and technical support with a view to developing comprehensive environmental protection programmes. — To study the risks to health from water-polluting substances, particularly in relation to recreational water quality, and from persistent organic substances ; and the long-term effects on health of air pollution. — To promote studies on the healt h risks of exposure to various nonionizing radiation (NIR) and to provide guidelines for the prevention and control of such exposure. — To develop and test international standards and procedures for facilitating en vi n ron mental health control programmes, specifically: for fresh water and marine quality control ; for the management or urban and industrial air pollutants; for solid wastes management and for the safe use of nuclear energy. — To prepare preliminary guidelines for noise control management. — To collect, and disseminate information on water pollution problems in the Region, specifically on those of international waters such as the River Danube, the North Sea and the Mediterranean. — To assist in the training of national personnel, particularly for the management of solid wastes and for the surveillance and control of nonionizing radiation. 4. Final remarks Several other international bodies are involved directly or indirectly in environmental protection. Close co-operation and regular contacts are neces-