Climate, environment and health

TOPIC

Climate, environment and health

Contaminated sites and waste

Contaminated sites and waste are one of the 7 priorities identified by the Ministers of Health and the Environment of the 53 countries of the European Region of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The health prevention and promotion activities conducted by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS, the National Institute of Health in Italy) in areas contaminated by production and industrial activities, or by the illegal disposal of hazardous waste, are conducted with multidisciplinary approaches, with attention to children and inequalities. The management of hazardous and non-hazardous waste is also studied and the risks for human health associated with soil contamination from natural and man-made sources in different contexts (urban, industrial, agricultural) are assessed.