Joint Research Centre: Contributions to the implementation of the E&H Action Plan in FP7

2 E&H Consultative Forum … to provide customer-driven scientific and technical support for the conception, development, implementation and monitoring of EU policies … …the JRC functions as a centre of science and technology reference for the EU, independent of private and national interests... The JRC today... and tomorrow: its mission.

3 E&H Consultative Forum For the first time, in the legal text of the 7 th Framework Programme, the JRC is requested to provide support to … …the implementation of the European Environment & Health Action Plan. E&H in the text of the 7 th FP

4 E&H Consultative Forum The JRC non-nuclear Specific Programme Policy Theme 1 - Prosperity in a knowledge intensive society 1.1 Competitiveness and innovation 1.2 European Research Area 1.3 Energy and Transport 1.4 Knowledge Society Policy Theme 2 - Solidarity & the responsible management of resources 2.1 Rural Development, Agriculture & Fisheries 2.2 Natural Resources 2.3 Environment and Health 2.4 Climate Change Policy Theme 3 - Security & Freedom 3.1 Internal Security 3.2 Disasters and Response 3.3 Food and Feed Safety 3.4 Biotechnology Policy Theme 4 Europe as a world partner 4.1 Global security 4.2 Development cooperation

5 E&H Consultative Forum Solidarity and the responsible Management of resources 2. Solidarity and the responsible Management of resources Agenda 2.1: Rural development, agriculture and fisheries Agenda 2.2: Natural resources Agenda 2.3: Environment & health Agenda 2.4: Climate change

6 E&H Consultative Forum The JRC E&H agenda will grow significantly during the 7th FP as focus shifts from thematic analyses to a more integrated assessment of environmental impacts. This work will be done in partnership with the EEA. The JRC will contribute with: Research on exposure to a range of environmental agents Research into novel methodologies for assessing the effect of stressors on health Setting up foundations of a Community Integrated Information System at the core of the E&H policy Agenda 2.3: Environment & health

7 E&H Consultative Forum Current examples of JRC expertise in E&H

8 E&H Consultative Forum Tackling outdoor air pollution The JRC contributes to the in-depth understanding of outdoor air pollution and the chemical/physical processes which determine the health impact of pollutants by harmonising assessment strategies, organising ad- hoc measurement campaigns, using dispersion models and assessing the impact of air pollutants on human health (PEOPLE, APHEIS). Fusion of satellite data with measurements and models to tackle the spatial dimension. Human Exposure to Indoor Air Pollution Study on human exposure to indoor pollution: analysis of indoor environment threats to health (INDEX, AIRMEX, NOMIRACLE) and the impact of air exchange rates on the levels of environmental tobacco smoke components Air pollution

9 E&H Consultative Forum Prevention of natural and man-made disasters World-wide partnership of over 30 research organisations,co-ordinated by JRC to help forecast and prevent natural and man-made disasters, and study ecosystems, biodiversity, climate change and weather forecasting. Prevention of disasters

10 E&H Consultative Forum Example: Weather driven natural hazards: Floods LISFLOOD Meteo data Reading… JRC European Data -Soil, Surface, river catchments system, … Member States data -River dimensions, Alert levels Flood simulation & forecasting River basin management Land remediation … * Two early flood warnings in 2005: Northern England & Scotland, Rhine tributaries (4 days +)

11 E&H Consultative Forum Human exposure assessment toolbox The JRC is developing, in co-operation with the “EU Exposure Assessment Network”, methodologies to enable harmonised exposure assessment procedures in the EU. The European Assessment Toolbox will support the development of a structured stakeholder dialogue, initially in the frame of the General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) (2001/95/EC) and progressively in the frame of the New Chemicals Policy (REACH). Methods to determine inhalation, dermal and oral exposure A key focus of the JRC is to improve our understanding of release and migration mechanisms from consumer products and the quality of chemical-specific data used in exposure assessment. This is complemented by toxicogenomic assessments of human exposure to chemicals and contributions to the setting of indoor exposure limits. Exposure

12 E&H Consultative Forum European exposure assessment tool box

13 E&H Consultative Forum Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships (QSAR) The JRC is working to ensure that reliable QSARs are available for use by industry and regulatory bodies in accordance with the needs of the future chemicals legislation and the Cosmetics Directive. Chemical risk assessment (ECB, REACH) The JRC acts as a focal point for classification, labelling, notification, the hazard assessment and risk assessment process of new and existing substances and the evaluation of biocidal substances in collaboration with the Member States. Chemical risk assessment

14 E&H Consultative Forum Exposure to physical environmental factors The JRC uses UV climatology for population exposure estimation, and has developed a human exposure model (personal exposure). It operates the European Reference Centre for UV Radiation Measurements in collaboration with the Word Radiation Centre at Davos (PMOD/WRC). It contributes to the harmonisation of methods and models for mapping the spatial distribution of noise and is developing the "European Information System on Electromagnetic Fields (EIS-EMF)" Physical factors

15 E&H Consultative Forum Contaminants and Persistent Organic Contaminants in Food The JRC is studying the feasibility of using methods based on real-time PCR to detect dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in food and is investigating the possibility to use an alternative extraction procedure for the analysis of persistent organic compounds in food matrices. Microbiological Hazards in Water The JRC is developing and harmonising methodologies (in particular molecular-based) for the rapid detection of pathogens and microbiological hazards in drinking and surface water. It is also studying the role of materials in contact with drinking water in the occurrence and growth of biofilms and associated pathogens. Fate and effects of contaminants in water and soils The JRC contributes to the development of measurements of trace metals in drinking and surface waters as well as in soils at high sensitivity and ultra low detection limits. It also participates in field campaigns. Contaminants in food and water

16 E&H Consultative Forum Community Reference Laboratory on Feed Additives Authorisation Work is carried out in close collaboration with EFSA and DG SANCO Assisted by a network of National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) CRL is responsible for Reception and storage of reference samples Evaluation of test methods given by feed additive producers (applicants for authorisation) Submission of evaluation report to EFSA

17 E&H Consultative Forum Metabonomics for biomonitoring and to investigate health effects The JRC uses NMR techniques to analyse biological fluids to obtain a direct picture of the total metabolic expression (biochemical endpoints) in a holistic and quantitative way. Example: CARDIUM project Environment burden of disease analysis Methodology for decision support in E&H – development of a European consensus model Health effects

18 E&H Consultative Forum Cardiovascular disease diagnosis using metabonomics screening by NMR Severe atherosclerosis Normal coronary arteries J.K. Nicholson et al. Nature Medicine, vol. 8 (12), 2002.