According to statistics from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), around 13 million adults in the UK are smokers - which equates to 28 per cent of all men and 26 per cent of all women. This leaves non-smokers in the majority - a fact that often seems to be ignored by industry and the Government alike. Over three million non-smokers in the UK are regularly exposed to tobacco smoke in their workplace - yet almost everyone agrees that people should have the right not to have to work in smoky conditions. While the law requires employers to look after the health, safety and welfare of their employees, this has not yet been properly applied to passive smoking. In October, the CIEH renewed its call for an outright ban on smoking in all workplaces, including pubs and restaurants, following newly released research by Maurice Mulcahy, senior environmental health officer at the Western Health Board, Eire. Mr Mulcahy reveals that passive smoking poses a greater risk to health than previously thought, with pub workers "smoking" the equivalent of half a cigarette a day. Not so much a nuisance then, as a deadly risk.

On a different note, at a time when it is clear that Afghanistan faces a humanitarian crisis, following three years of drought and two decades of war, it would be easy to forget the millions of other people globally in desperate need of adequate food, shelter, drinking water and sanitation. We look at the work of the "Water for kids" charity in the hope of showing how environmental health officers can make a real difference in improving the health of communities in the developing world. With approximately one sixth of the world's population lacking access to safe drinking water, the work that this small charity is doing to provide aid, education and assistance in setting up local professional associations in the field of environmental health is inspirational. Get involved if you can.

Finally, Charles Bradfield and Joanne Ellis look at the enforcement action taken by Wokingham District Council when it was discovered that a metal plating works had, over the years, contaminated a number of local residents' gardens with heavy metals.

Tracey Khanna, Editor