ARCAL: Efforts to reduce atmospheric pollution The challenge…Air pollution creates high costs for society: it affects health, the environment and agriculture, and it also has a negative impact on urban infrastructure, cultural heritage structures and tourism. In the Latin American and Caribbean region it causes 2.3 million cases of chronic respiratory disease in children each year. The region, however, has limited capacity to assess, monitor and manage air quality.

ARCAL projects in the environment …ARCAL projects help Member States to gather reliable and relevant information on air quality, using biomonitors and nuclear and related analytical techniques to monitor atmospheric pollution.Expert missions have been carried out to advise on the appropriate use of biomonitors for air pollution studies, on biomonitoring strategies and on sample preparation and analysis. Workshops and training courses have been held on the application of biomonitors, creation of distribution maps, data evaluation and data interpretation. Written protocols for sampling design, sample preparation and analysis have been developed and adopted by the participating countries.

June 2010

The impact…Laboratory facilities have been improved through the provision of equipment and software, reference materials, chemicals and lab supplies. Forty-four laboratory staff members have been trained and a collaborative exchange of experience in environmental contamination monitoring and assessment has been established between the countries. ARCAL Member States now have the capacity to carry out their own environmental studies. Through such projects, ARCAL has also contributed to strengthening cooperation within the institutions responsible for the environment, human health and information management at the national and regional level.