Air Pollution

Assessing the effects of air pollutants

General issues and recommendations

1. Addressing uncertainties
2. Vulnerable population groups
3. General Conclusions
   

See also:
Sections on PM, O₃, NO₂

1. What are the uncertainties regarding this study?

1.1 There are uncertainties linked to gaps in our knowledge about air pollution and the related health effects. In this study, uncertainties were taken into account but could not be quantified for all answers. It was stressed that, in accordance with the precautionary principle, uncertainties should not be taken as a cause for not acting if the potential risks are high and measures to reduce the risks are available at reasonable cost. More...

Examples of uncertainties related to this study:

• 1.2 A publication bias can occur when only certain types of results have been published. For example, results that show large effects that are statistically significant are more easily accepted for publication. More...
  
  
• 1.3 Uncertainties may arise when experimental studies and studies on human populations do not point in the same direction. For instance they may disagree whether thresholds exist below which ozone or PM have no effects. More...
  
  
• 1.4 For particulate matter, uncertainties remain regarding the precise contribution of different pollution sources to health effects, as well as regarding the precise contribution of the different components of particulate matter. More...
  
  
• 1.5 Some uncertainties arise in this study when analyzing results with different statistical methods. However, the links between air pollution and health remain, no matter which method of analysis is used. More...
  
  
• 1.6 There are uncertainties regarding regional differences in the effects of air pollution, due to variations in characteristics of populations, environments, and pollution mixes. More...

2. Are certain population groups particularly vulnerable?

Population groups that have potentially increased vulnerability to effects of exposure to air pollutants are:

• those who are inherently more sensitive to air pollutants, for instance people with a genetic predisposition and unborn or very young children,
  
  
• those who develop increased sensitivity because of old age, certain diseases, or environmental and socio-economical factors, and
  
  
• those who are exposed to unusually large amounts of air pollutants. More...

3. General Conclusions

3.1 In setting standards to protect public health from the effects of air pollutants, the concept of thresholds may not be useful, because certain population groups are very sensitive, and effects are detected even at low levels.To enable the development of effective risk reduction strategies based on qualitative and quantitative knowledge, further data analysis and more comprehensive monitoring is recommended. More...

3.2 In addition to the pollutants discussed in this study, other aspects of air pollution should also be addressed in the development of air pollution policy in Europe. These include air pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO₂), persistent organic pollutants (POP), certain metals, certain volatile organic compounds, and nitrogen trichloride. The combined effects of the urban air pollution mix is also an important issue that remains unresolved. More...

3.3 Evidence of the health effects of air pollution at levels currently common in Europe has grown stronger over the past few years, and is sufficient to recommend further policy action to reduce emissions of particulate matter, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide. More...