NEW Partnership for Environmental Health Project

We are thrilled to announce the Partnership for Environmental Health (PEH) project in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. We are launching fieldwork in two locations this summer in partnership with the TerraGraphics International Foundation (TIFO) and through a grant from the Sigrid Rausing Trust (SRT).

Shymkent, Kazakhstan, and Kutaisi, Georgia, face significant environmental contamination, mainly due to historic industrial activities. In Shymkent, the legacy of a now-abandoned smelter that processed lead and other metals has left the city with severe lead contamination. The now-closed smelter once produced 70% of the lead for the former Soviet Union. The legacy pollution poses serious health risks, particularly to children, who are most vulnerable to lead poisoning. Similarly, Kutaisi struggles with pollution from industrial factories, particularly those related to metallurgy and chemicals. The severity of the contamination in both cities is alarming, with high levels of heavy metals and other environmental chemicals that harm public health and local ecosystems.

EHPMI has completed preliminary soil testing in both locations. This year, we will travel to the sites to build on their groundwork and develop detailed site assessments in partnership with local government agencies. These assessments are essential for helping the government to develop intervention plans, including public health programs and environmental remediation.

The Sigrid Rausing Trust is a grant-making foundation established in 1995. They support the values and principles of human rights and the rule of law; promote cohesive, creative and open societies; and support the preservation of nature and the regulation of harmful chemicals. We are thrilled to work with TIFO to advance this Mission, which aligns with EHPMI’s vision and values.