WHO CC for Environmental Health in Contaminated Sites

Since 2013 the Environmental and Social Epidemiology Unit, Department of Environment and Health at Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) has been designated as World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre (CC) for Environmental health in contaminated sites (ITA-97). 

The WHO CC ITA-97 has been redesignated, in 2017 and in 2021. The last designation (2021-2025) is linked to the following Terms of Reference (ToR):  

ToR 1. To support WHO’s work on environment and health in waste and contaminated sites, to identify methods and strategies for health risk and impact assessment, and to strengthen capacities and disseminate information.   

ToR 2. To contribute to WHO’s efforts towards assessing the health risks and impacts of contaminated sites, to conduct collaborative research and to provide technical support to WHO, in the context of the global sustainable development agenda and its equity goals.  

Among the principal activities coordinated by the WHO CC ITA-97, there is the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action on Industrially Contaminated Sites and Health Network (ICSHNet) IS1408 - Industrially Contaminated Sites and Health Network (ICSHNet), supported by the EU Framework Programme Horizon 2020.

The ICSHNet COST Action involved the World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe, the European Commission and EU Agencies, and 33 Countries, with more than 150 researchers and experts from about 50 environmental public health institutions and universities.

The main COST Action outputs are available at: https://www.iss.it/-/networking-guidance