Chartered Institute of Environmental Health

“Grit, common sense and grace” - a call to action from 1932 that still feels strikingly relevant.

A recent addition to our digital archive offers a rich insight into environmental health in the 1930s, thanks to the relatives of a former CIEH member, Christopher Wood. The Official Handbook from Keighley’s Health Week gives a fascinating glimpse into the world of sanitary inspectors - and how public health was brought to life in communities nearly a century ago.

From school sessions and public lectures to campaigns on sanitation, housing and food safety, it highlights a coordinated, community-focused approach to improving health and wellbeing.

It’s a compelling snapshot of environmental health in action nearly 100 years ago – and a reminder that while much has changed, the core mission endures.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4uOpG4T

There’s still time to grab one of the last spots at next week’s Bitesize training: works in default!

Whether you’re a newly qualified environmental health officer, housing surveyor or housing manager, this session will prepare you to navigate and manage works in default (WID) more effectively.

What you’ll gain:
- A clear understanding of the relevant statutory and case law
- Insight into when and how to use WID powers
- Practical guidance on cost recovery
- Confidence to make robust, defensible decisions

💬 Described by a previous delegate as “extremely informative and detailed”

📅 Tuesday 2 June, 10.00-12.30 (online)

👉 Book now: https://cieh.pulse.ly/qlri3luwj4

Storm overflow spills in England were fewer and shorter in 2025, according to new monitoring data, but concerns remain over the continued scale of sewage discharges and the influence of weather conditions on the figures.

Data published by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Environment Agency (EA) shows a reduction in both the number and duration of storm overflow events compared with 2024. The figures are based on Event Duration Monitoring (EDM), now in place across the vast majority of overflows in England.

The government said the results indicate progress, while acknowledging that further improvements are needed.

Environmental organisations analysing the same dataset have highlighted the need for caution in interpreting year-on-year changes.

Read the article: https://bit.ly/4dIeFux

🚨 Nelson butcher fined nearly £20,000 for food hygiene breaches.

A Lancashire butchers has been fined £14,000 and ordered to pay almost £20,000 in total after being prosecuted for multiple food hygiene offences.

A & H Halal Meat Limited in Nelson faced seven offences at Burnley Magistrates’ Court following investigations by Pendle Borough Council’s Environmental Health team.

The breaches included failures to:

• Maintain staff hygiene and appropriate protective clothing
• Keep premises, equipment and surfaces clean and in good condition
• Properly clean and disinfect food contact items
• Implement and maintain food safety procedures (HACCP)
• Ensure full traceability and up-to-date documentation

Phillip Spurr, Pendle Borough Council’s Director of Place, said: “Businesses which do not operate within the food safety legislations will not be tolerated.

“It’s vitally important that we protect customers from businesses which put people’s health at risk.

“Our Environmental Health team works hard to ensure the public’s safety; and is on hand to give businesses the advice they need to ensure they are providing the best possible service.”

Our Public Health Protection Conference returns on 11 June! We’ll be examining emerging threats and preparing environmental health teams for delivering public health protection on the ground.

There will be sessions addressing health inequalities, with topics including supporting smoking cessation, and understanding medications in light of increasing demand for medical weight-loss treatments.

What’s on the agenda?

➡️ The Meningitis outbreak: implications for environmental health

➡️ From notification to control: managing disease outbreaks in environmental health

➡️ LGA Public Health Improvement Programme: environmental health aspects for local authorities

➡️ Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1): the role of environmental health

➡️ Case study: smoking cessation in recovery services

Find out more and book: https://cieh.pulse.ly/og9tn2gpm2

This year marks 40 years since the Chernobyl disaster, and 30 years since the reorganisation of local government in Wales — two moments that reshaped how we manage risk, governance and public protection.

In his latest bulletin, CIEH President Mark Elliott reflects on what these milestones tell us about the vital role of environmental health in times of uncertainty.

Mark said: “The lesson from both anniversaries is not simply that environmental health adapts. It is that, in moments of uncertainty, whether sudden or systemic, it is environmental health that quietly holds the boundary between risk and reassurance.

“And that boundary matters now as much as it ever has.”

📖 Read the full bulletin:
https://bit.ly/4tQExuu

Welsh Government regulations introduced in 2025 require anyone carrying out special procedures – including tattooing and body piercing – to hold a valid Special Procedures Licence, a scheme which CIEH was engaged in the development of.

This week highlights the importance of these protections, as a Merthyr Tydfil tattooist was fined after continuing to operate despite being issued with a Stop Notice and receiving repeated advice from Environmental Health Officers (read more here: https://bit.ly/4uoWCAX)

As practices evolve, so too must the standards that underpin them. That’s why we’re continuing to review CIEH’s guidance on tattooing, ensuring it remains fit for purpose in a modern, rapidly changing sector.

In our latest blog, Ian Andrews, CIEH Head of Environmental Health, and Martha Prudence, University of Derby student, explore the key challenges facing the industry, highlight areas for improvement, and invite views from professionals working across the field.

👉 Read the blog: https://bit.ly/49beNRU

🚨Cockroach infestation leads to £30,000 penalty for London restaurant.

A London restaurant owner has been hit with nearly £30,000 in fines and costs after a cockroach infestation was discovered in food preparation areas.

Following a complaint, Environmental Health Officers from Waltham Forest Council inspected Shish Mahal Tandoori Restaurant in Leyton and found clear evidence of cockroach activity where open food and ingredients were being handled. The premises were immediately closed.

The restaurant’s parent company, Leyton Dining Club Ltd, pleaded guilty to offences including:

⚠️ Failing to implement adequate pest control
⚠️ Failing to keep the premises clean

The court ordered a £25,000 fine plus over £5,400 in costs.

A spokesperson for Waltham Forest Council, said: “This case clearly demonstrates the need for food business operators to address pest control before they present an imminent risk to public health.

“While owners often don’t see the benefit of preventative measures or feel it's worth the investment, basic pest control measures are an absolute necessity when it comes to protecting the public from health and safety hazards.

“Waltham Forest Council wants to work with food businesses to encourage best practice wherever possible, and we encourage members of the public to raise their concerns with the council – as they did in this case – in order for us to target enforcement action where it is most needed.”