Indoor air quality

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Indoor air quality

• Where we are

Giulio Gallo, European Commission
2
Action Plan on Environment and Health

• Action 12 on improving indoor air quality
• Technical Annexes
• ETS
• Developing networks and guidelines on other
  factors affecting indoor air quality.by using
  research and exchange of national best practice

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Parliament Resolution

• Calls research into the impact of new
  construction material on health
• Commission MS to introduce a system for
  labelling Env and health effects of construction
  products and material
• Commission to classify ETS as class 1 carcinogen
• Wide-ranging approach taking into account many
  sources of pollution combustion apparatus ,
  equipment and furniture and human activities
  calling Commission for a green paper dealing
  specially with domestic pollution

4
Egmond an Zee conference December 2004

• A European initiative to address indoor air
  pollution, starting with emphasis on the
  improvement of building products and ventilation
  systems.
• Smoking bans and other policies across Europe
• Further development and harmonisation of testing
  and labelling procedures for building
  construction products, to enable people to
  identify low-emitting products
• Adequate elimination of combustion products
  generated indoor .Promotion of measures to
  improve the design, maintenance and operation of
  ventilation systems.

5
Request to Scientific Committee on Health and
Environmental Risks (SCHER)

• To identify a risk assessment strategy to
  support policy (vulnerable groups, combined
  exposure and cumulative effects if possible
• Adequacy of current information on
  exposure-effect and exposure, and recommendations
  for improvement
• To identify potential areas of concern in
  relation to Chemicals, household, building
  dampness/moisture and microbial growth
• To give its opinion on the health risks of air
  fresheners

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Activities related to tobacco smoking and ETS

• Tobacco legislation
• Tobacco fund
• Networks
• International cooperation (FCTC)
• Non binding legislation on ETS

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Example of warning pictures related to ETS
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ETS achievements in MS

• Total ban Ireland, Italy, Malta, Sweden
• Restriction in public and working areas with some
  exceptions for hospitality Belgium, Cyprus,
  Estonia, Finland, Netherlands, Slovenia
• Planning total bans UK, FIN

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CO level in Irish bar workers
Source Agnew, M, Goodman, PG, Clancy, Luke
(2005) Evaluation of the lung function of
barworkers in Dublin, pre and post the
introduction of a workplace ban on smoking in
Ireland. Dublin Scientific symposium The Health
Impacts of Smoke-free Workplaces in Ireland,
March 2005
10
Some figures in Irish pubs
Source McCaffrey, M, Goodman, PG, Clancy, Luke
(2005) Particulate pollution levels in Dublin
pubs pre and post the introduction of the
workplace smoking ban. Dublin Scientific
symposium The Health Impacts of Smoke-free
Workplaces in Ireland, March 2005
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Public Health Programme
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Public health programme. Main contributions to
indoor air quality

• INDEX Critical appraisal of setting and
  implementation of indoor exposure limits in EU
• BUMA prioritization of building material as
  indoor pollution sources - new project
  2005-2008
• THADE - Towards Health air in dwelling in Europe

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Projects on air quality

• CRICTICAL APPRAISAL OF THE SETTING AND
  IMPLEMENTATION OF INDOOR EXPOSURE LIMITS IN THE
  EU INDEX-

• Status of project finished
• Funded 2002 2004
• Coordinated by JRC

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Index achievements

• High priority chemicals
• Formaldehyde ALARA (pending IARC revision
  of carcinogenicity)
• Carbon monoxide 10µg/m3 (8 hour),
• 30 µg/m3 (1 hour)
• Nitrogen dioxide 40µg/m3 (1 week),
• 200 µg/m3 (1 hour)
• Benzene ALARA
• Naphthalene 10µg/m3

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Index achievements - High priority chemicals and
main management options
Naphthalene
building design ventilation
discourage use restrict use in household products
Benzene
Formaldehyde
Carbon monoxide
combustion equipment Equipment standards and
inspections - ETS
Restrict emission from Building products
Nitrogen dioxide
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Projects on indoor air quality

• TOWARDS HEALTHY AIR IN DWELLINGS IN EUROPE
  (THADE)

• Status of project finished
• Funded 2001 2003
• Coordinated by European federation of Asthma and
  Allergy FI

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THADE main recommendations EU level

• Actions to prohibit smoking in public and work
  buildings
• Better building codes for new constructions
  especially as regards ventilation
• Develop product control and labelling for
  building material furniture and household
  products, including testing and labelling for air
  cleaners
• Promote research

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Indoor air quality strong relation to
Ambient air
Design and maintenance Of buildings
Urban planning
Lifestyle and habits
transport
Material and equipment In buildings
Combustion equipments Inappropriate energy
saving