Adverse Effects On Our Health From Air Pollution

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, July 31 /Medianet International-AsiaNet/ --

Professor Bert Brunekreef from Utrecht University in the Netherlands will present epidemiological studies that show that community air pollution has adverse health effects even at very low concentrations. Ongoing research is trying to explain why this happens, which sources and components are most responsible, and whether thresholds of response can be identified

Professor Brunekreef is the keynote speaker at the Opening of the Clean Air Society's 20th International Conference on Sunday, 31 July, 2011 at the SkyCity Auckland Convention Centre in New Zealand.

Environmental regulators have been struggling with the non-to-very low threshold reality for the last fifteen years. Integrated assessments and cost benefit analyses have been called to the rescue, and debates have been initiated on how low air quality standards can realistically be set.

While this is happening in the few fortunate countries with clean to very clean air, the rest of the world suffers from much higher air pollution concentrations both indoors and outdoors, with not much improvement expected any time soon.

Professor Brunekreef is the Professor of Environmental Epidemiology in Veterinary Medicine and Medicine at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. Since 2005, he has also served as the Director of the Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences. Before moving to the Utrecht University in 2000, Bert was at Wageningen University. He has published over 300 journal articles and also been an advisor to WHO and the EPA in USA.

White at the Harvard School of Public Health in the USA, he studied the health effects of air pollution episodes and the consequences of living in damp houses.

The Clean Air Society is committed to the long-term improvement of the environment through the advancement of knowledge and practical experience of environmental and air quality management. The conference continues until Tuesday, 2 August, 2011.

WHEN: 31 July, 2011 at 1.30 pm
WHERE: SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre, Auckland

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