The CIEH has called for high-level leadership to co-ordinate national public and environmental health efforts. Unlike for the games held in Atlanta, Sydney and Athens, there is no single government focus in the UK.
The CIEH was responding to a House of Lords debate on the progress being made towards the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In a briefing after the debate Strategic Projects Director Sharon Smith said as the largest international mass gathering, the Olympics inevitably had a ‘national footprint’. Work was still needed to manage risks from hazards such as communicable diseases, food poisoning and poor air quality.
She also called for a national pest minimisation strategy to reduce the number of mosquitoes and other biting insects around the Olympic venues.
The CIEH has been working to raise the profile of environmental health and how the profession can contribute to the planning and preparations for the Games in 2012.