President:
Peter van den Hazel
Environment and Health Physician, Public Health Services Gelderland Midden
P/O Box 5364
6802 EJ Arnhem
Netherlands
Email: peter.van.den.hazel@hvdgm.nl

Secretary:
Ella Benedictus-Zoutman
Netherlands Association for Community Health Services
Email: EBenedictus@ggd.nl

This initiative was established in 2006 and currently has 38 members. The section's objectives are

• To promote and strengthen research in the field of environment related diseases
• To intensify the spreading of existing information in the field of environment related diseases
• To provide a platform for the exchange of information between policymakers, practitioners and researchers in the field of environment related diseases control
• To encourage joint activities in the field of environment related diseases control
• To respond proactively to public health related aspects in the field of environment and health
• To promote and strengthen education and capacity building in the field of environment and health.

Background information
In recent years, many European initiatives in the field of environment related diseases have been developed. In June 2004, the EU Commission produced a Communication on the European Environment and Health Action Plan for 2004-2010. At the same time the World Health Organisation developed the Children's Environment and Health Action Plan for Europe (CEHAPE). In several countries environmental health specialists have been trained.

These initiatives not only strengthen research to understand the link between sources of pollution and health effect, but also stimulate the development of policies, improve communication and build capacity by training health care providers.

Several Non Governmental Organisations (NGO's) have been working in the field of health and environment, such as the International Society of Doctors for the Environment (ISDE), the European Public Health Alliance Environment Network (EPHA-EN) and the International Network on Children's Health, Environment and Safety (INCHES). In line with the recommendations of these NGO's and of the EU Environment and Health Action Plan for 2004-2010, it is necessary to increase the capacity in the field of health and environment. The public health sector has the best equipped group of professionals to increase the capacity in the health and environment field.

The following definition was adopted by the participants of the Graz meeting in November 2005.
Environmental health includes both the direct pathological effects of chemicals, radiation and some biological agents, and the effects (often indirect) on health and wellbeing of the broad physical, psychological, social and aesthetic environment which includes housing, urban development, land use and transport.