Gibraltar Government announces plans for an Epidemiological Study
Bay of Gibraltar Air Pollution • Gibraltar Government announces Epidemiological Study plans
Following years of pressure by the Environmental Safety Group (ESG), La Plataforma por el Estudio Epidemiológico and other local Gibraltar and Spanish ecologist groups, the Government of Gibraltar, in a surprise move, today finally announced plans to conduct an epidemiological study of Gibraltar and the Campo de Gibraltar area.
The surprise announcement comes in a statement issued by the Government Press Office today, in which they state that the Government has, for some time, been exploring the possibility of undertaking a comprehensive and independent epidemiological study of cancer prevalence and cancer risk in Gibraltar and the surrounding region.
The Government statement adds that they had intended to undertake this study jointly with the Spanish Authorities for the Andalucian region. However, the Government says that due to a lack of response from some of the relevant Spanish Authorities and continuing public concern, they have been compelled to undertake the study alone.
The statement added that they will “not necessarily restrict the study to Gibraltar, but would take full account of the available information for the region”.
The Government said that they initiated the process of “seeking proposals for a research project from credible institutions with a track record in environmental cancer epidemiology” some time ago.
The two main aims of the study that the Government announcement today proposes are:
- To establish whether Gibraltar and its region are a high-risk community for cancer, due to its location within the vicinity of potential sources of environmental exposure or health hazards, resulting in unacceptable levels of exposure to contaminants or pollutants.
- To establish whether there actually exists an incidence of cancer greater than is normal.
The Government statement added that “although the aims have been tightly specified, researchers are being briefed that they underline the need to paint a broader picture of the health and environmental safety of the area, with wider related questions needing to be addressed”, such as:
- Is there evidence to suggest a greater incidence of diseases other than cancer but known to be related to an excessively prevalent environmental pollutant(s)?
- Is there an increased incidence of a type of cancer not knowingly linked to environmental pollutants?
- If an environmental cancer risk is found, can it be related to a particular industry or activity?
The Governemtn also said they expect that “any such discoveries will be highlighted and followed up as far as possible within the scope of the intended study”.
A spokesperson for the Government Press Office added:
“Some of the world’s best research institutions with simultaneous expertise in cancer causation, environmental risk assessment and geographical epidemiology have been selected and invited to submit proposals to carry out the study independently of the Government.”
The Government statement concluded with the hope that the Junta de Andalucia and the Mancomunidad de Municipios, the Community of Municipalities of the Campo de Gibraltar “will join it (the Government of Gibraltar) in commissioning this epidemiological study”.
Source: Gibraltar Government Press Release - 28 May 2008 - No: 131/2008
Years of Campaigning for Epidemiological Study finally pays off
The announcement by the Gibraltar Government today follows a long campaign which has involved years of discussions and numerous activities and demonstrations organised by Gibraltar ecologists, the Environmental Safety Group (ESG) as part of the La Plataforma por el Estudio Epidemiológico and other local Gibraltar and Spanish ecologist groups, who have maintained constant pressure on the various local Governments and authorities, urging them to conduct just such an epidemiological study of Gibraltar and the Campo de Gibraltar area, as has been finally announced today.
In May 2007, following a cross-border demonstration in November 2006, Gibraltar ecologists the Environmental Safety Group (ESG), in conjunction with La Plataforma por el Estudio Epidemiológico organised a Petition, (including an Online Petition run by Gibraltar News Online), which called for Epidemiological Studies to be carried out in Gibraltar and the Campo de Gibraltar area. Over 13,000 signatures were submitted to the Gibraltar Government and the Comision Mixta de Colaboracion, asking them to fulfill their pledge to jointly fund a rigorous, independent epidemiological study in the area.
Last year, in the run up to the Gibraltar General Elections in October, the ESG published a ‘Greening Agenda’ stating their recommendations for the parties disputing the Election. It reminded whichever party was elected to Government to support the ESG’s complaint with the European Commission regarding the dangerous operational standards of the CEPSA Oil Refinery and associated petrochemical installations. They added that MEP’s and MP’s from the UK, were also lending support to “what is clearly a regional environmental problem”.
A report from Bay Bucket Brigade and veteran environment campaigner Denny Larson, on the CEPSA Oil Refinery, which was produced after a visit to the site with Neil Parish MEP, was submitted to the EU Environment Commission a few weeks ago.
In his report, Denny Larson said the European Union “needs to consider urgent action with regard to threats to public health and environment in the region”, as a result of the Cepsa Refinery. The report’s introduction says:
“Given the detailed information supplied in this document which confirms the steady expansion undertaken by the CEPSA oil refinery over the last decade and a half nullifying its ‘Grandfather Clause Status’ additional information is provided here which underlines the need for an independent inspection by the European Commission for compliance to highest European environmental standards by CEPSA in order to safeguard the health of populations and surrounding environment.”
Denny Larson’s report can be viewed/downloaded here: Report on CEPSA visit by Denny Larson
Related Articles and Links:
Environmental Safety Group (ESG)
La Plataforma por el Estudio Epidemiológico
La Comision Mixta de Colaboracion
Mancomunidad de Municipios, the Community of Municipalities of the Campo de Gibraltar
View Atlas of Mortality Study - pdf downloadable document
Gibraltar Government Air Quality Monitoring
Junta de Andalucia - ConsejerÃa de Medio Ambiente > Calidad del Aire
Gas flaring at Refineries - Information from Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
28 May 2008 - Gibraltar Government announces plans for an Epidemiological Study
21 September 2007 - ESG publish ‘Greening Agenda’ recommendations for Gibraltar Election parties
14 May 2007 - ESG submits 13,000 strong petition for Epidemiological Studies
05 May 2007 - ESG report on cross border Demonstration protest against CEPSA Refinery pollution
02 May 2007 - ESG join in Campo Demonstration protest against CEPSA Refinery emmissions
03 April 2007 - ESG express concerns over new ‘flaring’ at CEPSA Refinery
08 November 2005 - Parish MEP set to challenge refinery
24 June 2005 - Denny Larson returns to the Bay announce ESG
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