Improving air filter efficiency as a strategy to reduce children’s exposure to traffic related air pollutants in energy-efficient classrooms

This study was organised to quantify the effect of upgrading the filter efficiency in balance ventilation systems on indoor exposure to traffic-related air pollution, in 4 primary school classrooms. The standard air filters (EU F7) were compared with more efficient EU F9, and with F7+active carbon filters. Particulate matter (PM), ultrafine particles (UFP), black carbon (BC), PM2.5, organic/elemental carbon in PM2.5 (EC/OC), and NO2 were quantified, air tightness and air supply rates were assessed and pupils’ indoor comfort was surveyed. Analysis of indoor air as function of outdoor air and filter type indicated a significant but small reduction of indoor levels when upgrading the filter, except for PM10, TSP and UFP. The indoor comfort survey indicated a small but significant and positive effect as well

Consultation on a sustainable HBM initiative in Europe - Deliverable Report D6.3 WP6 Sustainability and Capacity building.

This deliverable was produced under Task 6.3 of Work Package 6 on “Longer-term needs and expectations of stakeholders (2021-2030)”. The aim of this task was to gather information on the needs and expectations of both the National Hubs (NH) and a broad range of stakeholders regarding a long-term Human Biomonitoring (HBM) programme for Europe, to be establish in follow up to the current project, HBM4EU. Firstly and with a focus on options for financing a future initiative, information was collected on a range of available funding mechanisms at national, regional and international level. In terms of national funding, the results presented rely on responses to a survey with the NH. Unfortunately, the response from NHs was very limited, and as such the report only captures funding mechanisms from a limited number of countries, including Portugal, Spain, France, Germany and Cyprus. In order to gain insight into the status of the National Hubs and their capacities for HBM, a survey was conducted. The results provide an overview of the current situation across the NHs with regards to a range of aspects, including the level of activity of the NH, status of political support, availability of funding, ongoing HBM studies and willingness to align studies with HBM4EU. The results suggest that HBM4EU has raised the political profile of HBM in partner countries. Regarding ongoing HBM studies, only six countries have national HBM programmes, with most countries having only hot spot studies. Despite this, there was support for the alignment of studies to achieve European geographical coverage. Regarding funding, access to European funding is seen as important to leverage funds at national level. A second survey was targeted at a wide range of stakeholders, aiming to better understand their expectations for a long-term sustainable HBM initiative. The survey was followed by a workshop, where a more limited number of stakeholders had the opportunity to discuss the survey results and address such aspects as the scope of a future initiative, how to achieve financial sustainability, how to involve and how a future initiative might contribute to chemical policies. Concerning the needs and expectations of stakeholders, there is a strong interest in and support for a future HBM initiative at European level. The involvement of a European Union (EU) institution as part of a future steering committee was seen as crucial. According to this stakeholders’ consultation, the initiative should focus on protecting human health and the environment in Europe from hazardous chemical exposures by producing harmonised, high quality, transparent and inclusive data for effective risk assessment and management.HBM4EU - Grant agreement 733032 HORIZON 2020 Programmeinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Living and Working in a Healthy Environment: How Sensor Research in Flanders can Help Measure and Monitor Exposure to Certain Environmental Factors

People's daily living environment has an important influence on their physical and mental health. That living environment consists of many different components, as it is both a spatial or physical environment, and the result of many other processes (socio-cultural, economic context and individual characteristics and lifestyles). Overall, the pressure on the physical environment is very high, especially in densely populated and highly urbanised area’s such as Flanders, the northern part of Belgium. In urban environments, for instance, many spatial demands come together (space for housing, economy, mobility, green and blue infrastructures, etc.). The spatial layout of our cities can influence our health (e.g. whether or not we live nearby green spaces or in an environment that promotes active mobility, social contacts, if there are sources that impact the air quality, etc.), and of course our behaviour. The relation between health, living and working environment and spatial planning is complex. Therefore, the Flemish Department of Environment & Spatial Development has prepared a framework in 2019 to better capture that complex relationship, which we will briefly discuss in this paper. Broadly speaking, a policy committed to healthy environments may choose to make interventions that protect people's health from certain external factors (e.g. air pollution or environmental noise) or that enable and promote healthy lifestyles (e.g. physical activity, food,…). Next to that, providing citizens with up to date information is an important task of the government. In this paper, we discuss the research that the Environment and Health research team at the Flemish Department of Environment & Spatial Development conducts in order to measure human exposure to certain factors via sensors. Those particular factors were chosen mainly because they are part of themes around which the Flemish Department can make policy. We will consider three ongoing cases: measuring the quality of the indoor environment in different types of semi-public locations (such as schools, residential care centres, cultural centres,…), measuring radiofrequency radiation from fixed transmitting antennas in urban environments and measuring noise pollution. Partnering with international research & development organizations such as IMEC (Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre) and VITO (Flemish Institute for Technological Research), they supplied us with innovative and high-quality sensor technology. The sensors can transmit their measurement data in real time and participating parties can track the data on dashboards allowing immediate feedback and action when necessary. The results are intended to feed further research. Although not all case studies are equally advanced, we will conclude each one with possible policy actions

WP6 - Sustainability and Capacity building

This report aims to provide a revision on the national needs (T6.1), the funding mechanisms (T6.2) and the long-term sustainability of HBM4EU (T6.3). Therefore, this report is divided in the three above-mentioned sections, for which the different tasks within work package 6 (WP 6) provided input. Concerning national needs, a survey is conducted annually by the national hub (NH) coordinator to monitor and evaluate the progress and development of all National Hubs involved in HBM4EU. With 2020 being the fourth year of the HBM4EU project, the survey followed many of the questions of previous years. Most NHs are satisfied with their current HBM4EU involvement, but have expressed their concerns regarding the communication, funding and lack of direct involvement. The follow-up to HBM4EU, PARC, was mentioned and the necessary involvement of all countries as well as the importance of communication between NHs and National Hub Contact Points (NHCPs) was highlighted. Inclusivity of smaller countries seems to be a problem through both lack of funding and adequate tasks. Regarding funding mechanisms, the initial list of financing mechanisms in the HBM and environmental health area at national and international level was updated and is available on the HBM4EU website under the “Funding Opportunities” tab. This intends to be an inventory that can be used not only by the HBM4EU consortium but by the entire scientific community to provide an overview of existing funding sources. It comprises of a set of targeted strategies for identification and dissemination of funding which are explained in further detail in section 6 Funding mechanisms. A systematic literature review was also undertaken to understand what the primary funding source of projects in HBM was. The results are not available yet. As part of T6.3 on the long-term sustainability, a citizen survey was developed together with T4.1 – mapping of needs. This survey was initially used for focus groups to better understand their awareness and concerns of chemical exposure and Human Biomonitoring. It was updated to harvest more EU-wide results including chemical exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey took place between September 2020 and February 2021 and the results were organised to cover the same regions as the aligned studies to allow for the organisation of results in a similar way for coherence. In order to produce a short report summarising the outcome of the survey, the questions were grouped for quicker analysis. The majority of the respondents considers HBM a tool that produces important results on human exposure to chemicals and that it should be performed more often and in a more coordinated way. This was a non-representative survey and future work should focus on wider dissemination in other population groups and on understanding how perceptions change over time. The survey’s answers were also distributed to the NHs, so they can produce internal communication briefs on their own data for further dissemination.HORIZON2020 Programme Contract No. 733032 HBM4EU.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Opening the research agenda for selection of hot spots for human biomonitoring research in Belgium: a participatory research project

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In order to select priority hotspots for environment and health research in Flanders (Belgium), an open procedure was organized. Environment and health hotspots are strong polluting point sources with possible health effects for residents living in the vicinity of the hot spot. The selection procedure was part of the work of the Flemish Centre of Expertise for Environment and Health, which investigates the relation between environmental pollution and human health. The project is funded and steered by the Flemish government.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The involvement of other actors than merely experts is inspired by the 'analytical-deliberative' approach of the National Research Council in the United States and the extended peer community approach. These approaches stress the importance of involving different expert- and social perspectives in order to increase the knowledge base on complex issues. In the procedure used in the project a combination of expert and stakeholder input was essential. The final decision was supported by a multi-criteria analysis of expert assessment and stakeholder advice.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The endeavour was challenging from the start because of the complicated ambition of including a diversity of actors, potential hotspots, concerns and assessment criteria, but nevertheless the procedure proved its value in both structuring and informing the decision-making process. Moreover the process gained the support of most actors participating in the process, even though the final selection could not satisfy all preferences.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Opening the research agenda exemplifies the value of inter- and transdisciplinary cooperation as well as the need for a well-structured and negotiated procedure that combines relevant factors and actors with pragmatism. The value of such a process also needs to prove itself in practice after the procedure has been completed: the tension between an ambition of openness on the one hand and a more closed attitude amongst experts on the other will continue to play a role even after closure.</p