1. Health Impact Assessment of the Rye House ERF
Simon Aumônier
8 September 2016
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The business of sustainability

2. Aim Explain and describe Our definition of health
The Health Impact Assessment (HIA) process
ERM’s role
The approach to updating 2012 Fieldes Lock HIA
Discover your views on changes to and or new health concerns in relation to the new project
The findings of this meeting will be used to inform the Rye House Health Impact Assessment

3. Who Are We?
Environmental Resources Management Limited (ERM) is an independent sustainability consulting business
ERM was commissioned by Veolia in 2012 to undertake an HIA for the Fieldes Lock Power Station and now to prepare an updated HIA for the Rye House ERF

4. What Is HIA?
A tool to identify and manage the potential human health impacts resulting from a project
“HIA is a process designed to identify and consider the potential – or actual – health impacts of a proposal on a population. Its primary output is a set of evidence–based recommendations geared to informing the decision making process. These recommendations aim to highlight practical ways to enhance the positive aspects of a proposal, and to remove or minimise any negative impacts on health, wellbeing and health inequalities that may arise or exist.”

5. What Is Health?
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity - WHO 1948
may seem like an obvious question but in the case of HIA it is not – when doing HIA need to think wider broader.
This means need to think about wellbeing and how we live and interact with the community and consider the elusive social capital

6. The Socio-Economic Model Of Health

7. Approach To Updating The 2012 HIA
Update community profile with 2011 Census data
Update Evidence Base with new case studies and literature
Agree approach with Hertfordshire County Council Public Health
Speak to CLG to understand changes to or new health concerns
Revisit the assessment
Comm Profile- update with 2011 census data to understand how the baseline of the population in the area has changed and therefore how susceptible it will be to health impacts

8. 2012 Fieldes Lock HIA Key Findings (1)
Emissions to Air
Health impacts resulting from emission to atmosphere negligible due to emissions of pollutants constrained by legislation and regulatory control
The risk to health of long term exposure to pollutants shown to be extremely small and well below any level that should cause concern
Community concern, could affect wellbeing AQ
Project small contributor to local airborne concentrations of pollutants and the additional exposure to airborne pollution for local residents would be very small.
The risk to health of long term exposure to pollutants such as dioxins and metals that are persistent in the environment has been quantified for a hypothetical resident or farmer who consumes food grown and produced locally. Such risks to health have been shown to be extremely small and well below any level that should cause concern.
Exposure to pollutants such as NO2 and particulate matter at concentrations found in UK towns and cities is responsible for a range of health effects in a population, (hospital admissions and premature mortality). Additional exposure to emissions from Project = extremely small increase in such health outcomes.
Fears in some members of the host community in respect of emissions to atmosphere and their presumed effects on human health. The reasons for this are understandable, given the presence of a tall chimney stack, the use of waste derived fuel and the ready access to information sources that purport to identify health effects related to waste incineration.

9. 2012 Fieldes Lock HIA Key Findings (2)
Noise
Health impacts associated with noise minimal
However, community concern could affect wellbeing
Traffic and Transport
No health impacts resulting from road traffic due to use of rail
However, community concern over road safety
Noise
Literature suggests that at the noise levels predicted during construction and operation of the Project the potential for health impacts experienced by nearby residential receptors would be minimal. However, participants at the community workshops expressed concern that noise levels may cause stress and annoyance. Such concerns could themselves affect the wellbeing of the community.

10. 2012 Fieldes Lock HIA Key Findings (3)
Landscape and Visual
Significant visual impacts, reminder of perceived health impacts and reduced physical activity
Other Impacts
Employment unlikely to have benefits for health
Unlikely to effect house prices
Health and wellbeing impacts associated with peoples feelings about the area and lack of trust towards Veolia and EA
L+V
The change in the visual landscape will provide a physical focus and may act as a constant reminder of perceived health impacts associated with the project, including the perceived changes in air quality, traffic and impacts to green space in the area. In addition the lessened enjoyment of green space may reduce the levels of physical activity of users, if they cease to use the areas as frequently as at present or do not access alternative areas, with possible implications for their physical health.
House Prices
There is limited evidence in the literature that developments such as the Project can have a temporary effect on house prices. This evidence base is also contradictory and therefore it cannot be assumed that such an effect will occur. In the event that it does, any individuals who find that they incur a reduction in the price of a property they wish to sell could suffer some effects on their wellbeing.
Lack Trust
One of the most likely adverse effects on health and wellbeing identified are associated with peoples’ feelings about the area and lack of trust towards Veolia and the Environment Agency. Should such feelings about the local environment be widespread and become entrenched, then there will be some consequent adverse health effects, in the form of mental health and possibly stress.

11. The New Scheme
Do you see there being changes and/or new health concerns associated with the new Project?
Both positive and negative