Results of the Environmental Health Monitoring System for 2004 are a standard
comprehensive data series that has been obtained in the eleventh year of
monitoring activities. They provide important background information for
both the national authorities involved in health risk management and the general
public interested in active health protection. These comprehensive data
indicative of environmental pollution levels and population health status
in the Czech Republic are also an information source for other countries
worldwide taking part in commercial and cultural contacts.
The most relevant findings of the Monitoring System are as follows:
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Ambient air quality in the monitored cities poses a significant health
risk due mainly to traffic related pollution. The major pollutants are PM10
(in 2004, 72 % of the monitored population were potentially exposed to PM10
levels exceeding the limits), nitrogen dioxide (long-term significant exposure), benzo[a]pyrene
(limits are exceeded in a long run for most of the measuring stations)
and benzene (at some measuring stations concentrations are close to the
limit). Ostrava and Karviná have been among the areas with the highest burden
of organic pollutants since the beginning of the monitoring.
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In ambient air, toxic metals are not found in quantities exceeding the
limits and are of low health significance.
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The estimate of population risk from ambient air in 2004 was 8 additional
cancer cases per 3.3 million population of the monitored cities. The most
significant contributor to the excess cancer risk is benzo[a]pyrene.
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Air (PM10) mutagenicity shows an upward trend.
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The most relevant exposure from drinking water to the population of the
Czech Republic supplied from the public water supplies is attributable
to nitrates and chloroform. Nitrate exposure is clearly predominant: its
mean level reaches 6 % of the recommended exposure limit. In 2004, altogether
102 thousand population were supplied with water where the annual limit
for nitrates is exceeded. The chloroform intake through drinking water
was slightly below 1 % of the exposure limit; however, about half a million
population were supplied with water where the chloroform limit is exceeded.
The intake of other health risk chemicals from drinking water remains below
1 % of the respective exposure limits.
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Drinking water consumption may theoretically result in an annual excess
cancer risk of 10-7, i.e. drinking water intake may cause 1–10 additional
cancer cases per 10 million population.
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Water supplied to 90 % of the population from the public distribution
system contains the beneficial element magnesium at lower concentrations
than recommended and about 80 % of the population are supplied with drinking
water with a suboptimal calcium content.
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No case of infectious disease or intoxication possibly associated with
drinking water consumption from the monitored water supply systems was reported.
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GMO food products (products containing Roundup Ready soybeans authorized
for use in the Czech Republic as a new type of food, respectively) are available
on the Czech market. GMOs are being detected with an increasing frequency
while the proportion of products needing to be labelled (with a GMO content
over 0.9 %) is decreasing. Investigation into GMO did not show any GMO-related
health risk to the population.
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The incidence of salmonellosis, the commonest food-borne bacterial infection,
has shown a slight downward trend since 1999. In contrast, the incidence
of campylobacterosis is rising; the same trend is observed in many EU countries.
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The contaminant levels in blood, urine, breast milk and tissues of the
Czech population are similar to those reported in developed European countries.
Blood lead levels are decreasing, cadmium levels are slightly reduced and
higher selenium levels are found in adults.
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Breast milk contamination with PCBs and chlorinated pesticides, the residues
of which are most frequently detected in foods of plant origin, i.e. DDT
and hexachlorobenzene, shows a downward trend.
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The cancer incidence continues to rise in the Czech Republic and is higher
than the mean reported in the EU 25 countries. The rates of breast cancer and
prostate cancer are more favourable in the Czech Republic while that of colorectal
cancer has remained the highest compared to other EU countries.
It is not possible to determine any safe concentration or exposure standard
for mutagenic and carcinogenic substances in view of their no-threshold
effects; only socially allowable health risks can be established. Although
justly suspected, negative health effects have not been either known or proved
for a number of chemicals. Therefore, it is crucial to reduce the population
exposure to these chemicals or keep it as low as reasonably possible.
To apply such a strategy where most needed, systematic monitoring of hazardous
environmental pollutants and their health effects and monitoring-based health
risk estimates are to be conducted. Monitoring of the environment and population
health will be helpful in reducing pollutant exposure levels and improving
health parameters so as to become comparable with those in other EU countries
and compatible with sustainability of life.