National Research on Environment and Health Linkages: Insights and Policy Implications

Irish Nationwide Health and Irish Nationwide Health and Air Quality Linkage Project Air Quality Linkage Project Workshop 22nd May 2019, UCC Environment and Health Statistics Environment and Health Statistics Gerry Brady Gerry Brady Environment and Climate Division Environment and Climate Division

Introduction Introduction CSO publishes separate statistics on health and on the environment Policy interest as a healthy environment can enrich human health while a polluted environment can damage human health No Eurostat reporting obligations for combined health/environment analyses Broad range of data sources and potential analyses with prioritisation needed Considerable added value could be gained by combining survey and administrative microdata relating to health and the environment Statistics Act, 1993 provides a legal basis for CSO to obtain access to and to combine microdata collected for other purposes A CSO Word document accompanies this presentation 2

National Research on Environment and Health National Research on Environment and Health HSE is active in this area on an ongoing basis (PHMEHG) EPA and HSE held annual conferences (2016-2018) ESRI Environment and Health conference (April 2019) EPA funded research projects Energy Action fuel poverty conferences Institute of Public Health 3

Example Pollutants Example Policy Issues Lead water supply pipes, Sewage sludge, Hazardous waste, Landfills, Leaded petrol, Waste incineration, Asbestos, Smoking in public places, Bathing water quality, Low sulphur marked gas oil, Solid fuels, Septic tanks, Drinking water quality, Coal powered electricity, Plant protection products Airborne biological pollutants, Asbestos, Carbon dioxide, Carbon monoxide, Formaldehyde, Ground-level ozone, Lead, Malaria, Mercury, Nitrogen dioxide, Nitrous oxide, Particulate matter, Radon, Sulphur dioxide, Volatile organic compounds

Many Previous Success Stories Many Previous Success Stories Removal of leaded petrol Reduction in waste to landfill Smoky coal bans Ban on smoking in public places Bathing water quality compliance standards Movement away from coal powered electricity generation Amendments to building regulations (stricter insulation standards) Better Energy Warmer Homes retrofit scheme 5

Sustainable Development Goals Sustainable Development Goals New data needs New data needs (examples) 3.4.1 3.4.1 Mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory disease 7.1.2 7.1.2 Proportion of population with primary reliance on clean fuels and technology 12.c.1 12.c.1 Amount of fossil-fuel subsidies per unit of GDP (production and consumption) and as a proportion of total national expenditure on fossil fuels Goal Indicators relating to Health 3 3.4.1, 3.9.1, 3.9.2 6 6.1.1, 6.2.1, 6.3.1, 6.3.2 7 7.1.2 9 9.4.1 11 11.1.1, 11.5.1, 11.5.2, 11.6.1, 11.6.2, 11.7.1 12 12.4.2, 12.c.1 13 13.1.1 14 14.1.1, 14.2.1, 14.3.1, 14.4.1 15 15.1.2, 15.3.1 6

Adding Value through Data Matching Adding Value through Data Matching Statistics Act, 1993 allows CSO to obtain access to confidential microdata collected for other purposes CSO can only use such microdata for statistical purposes More value added if microdata can be matched with other microdata More value can be added if microdata can be geocoded Researchers should influence prioritisation of projects Eircode, PPSN, MPRN, CRO, VAT number, Census of Population household reference number, GeoDirectory address and building ID 7

Health data Transport data Vehicle engine types Vehicle odometers Commuting routes Causes of death Excess mortality Illnesses Hospital admissions Housing conditions data Pollution measurement data Energy ratings Central heating fuels Use of solid fuels Damp, ventilation Over-crowding Income and employment Air quality Emissions inventory Water quality Radon Waste management

Draft CSO Environment and Health Statistical Framework Draft CSO Environment and Health Statistical Framework Draft domains Draft domains Energy poverty Outdoor air quality Water quality Housing conditions Hazardous chemical use Climate Waste and Sanitation Energy Transport Ecosystem services Work conditions Fiscal measures 9

Energy Poverty Example Data Sources Energy Poverty Example Data Sources Building Energy Ratings (rating, fuel type, period of construction) Better Energy Warmer Homes (very relevant households) Hospital admissions (environment related conditions) Excess mortality (seasonal death rates daily death rates, daily temperatures) Household Budget Survey (fuel costs and disposable income) Survey of Income and Living Conditions (subjective experience of cold) Census of Population (weighting, socio-economic data, main heating fuel, disability) Metered electricity consumption (actual consumption) and hardship meters Metered gas consumption (actual consumption) and hardship meters Households with fuel allowances (type of fuel) 1 0

Matching Energy Poverty Data Sources Matching Energy Poverty Data Sources Building Energy Ratings (50% unique addresses Eircode and 100% MPRN) Better Energy Warmer Homes (100% MPRN, around 5,000 households annually) Hospital admissions (Eircode? PPSN?) Excess mortality (Eircode? PPSN?)) Household Budget Survey (link to Census of Population but small sample) Survey of Income and Living Conditions (link to Census of Population but small sample) Census of Population (Eircode) Metered electricity consumption (MPRN and unique address Eircodes) Metered gas consumption (Eircode via link to GeoDirectory) Households with fuel allowances (Eircode?) 1 1

Matching BER and Census Data in Practice Matching BER and Census Data in Practice BER data has around 800,000 dwellings of which around 55% have an Eircode assigned BER data identifies E/F/G dwellings An Eircode gives a direct link to Census of Population and hence socio-economic characteristics BER file has full address and the MPRN (electricity meter number) Around 55% of ESB customer file has an Eircode assigned The nature of a BER is that once audit is completed there is no ongoing contact There is ongoing contact with ESB customers If ESB collected Eircodes from non-unique addresses (mainly rural) then the MPRN could be used to link them to BER records during a statistical data matching analysis Knowing whether a hardship meter was installed would further enhance the analysis Analysis of actual gas and electricity consumption may indicate if need for heating is less seasonal and high in coldest months 1 2

Outdoor Air Quality Example Data Sources Outdoor Air Quality Example Data Sources EPA ambient air measurements Census small area data (place of residence and employment) School locations and pupil numbers Census commuting times and routes RSA traffic counter data Road fuel sales at forecourt level Daily weather conditions (inversion, wind speed and direction) 13

Daily Temperature Data for Excess Mortality Indicator CSO / Met Eireann data rescue project Station Scanned Keyed Checked Years Phoenix Park No No No 1829-1866 Phoenix Park Yes Yes Yes 1867-1959 Blacksod Bay Yes Yes Yes 1884-1892 Blacksod Bay Yes Yes No 1893-1956 Roches Point Yes Yes No 1873-1956 Malin Head Yes No No 1885-1928 Malin Head Yes No No 1929-1955 Birr Castle Yes No No 1872-1951 Valentia Yes No No 1873-1914 Fitzwilliam Square Yes No No 1911-1930

Emerging and Future Success Stories? Emerging and Future Success Stories? Switch to electric and to hybrid vehicles Banning of older diesel and petrol cars from urban centres? Retrofit of dwellings with E/F/G energy ratings? Reduction in potentially environmentally damaging subsidies? Increased application of polluter pays principle? Increase in environmental subsidy payments? Nationwide ban on smoky coal? Enhanced tertiary treatment of all waste water? Increased planting of vegetation to improve air quality? 15

Next Steps for CSO Environment Next Steps for CSO Environment CSO, SEAI, and DCCAE looking at energy poverty indicators 2021/2022 repeat household environment module (Q2/2014) Strategy to progress environment and health analyses Compile ecosystem accounts to measure contribution of nature Data gathering for SDGs (SDG Division) Obtaining access to microdata (Administrative Data Division) 16