who european centre for environment and health joint who/eceh - convention task force on health...

WHO European Centre for Environment and HealthWHO European Centre for Environment and Health

Joint WHO/ECEH - Convention Task Force on Health Aspects of Air Pollution

(TFH)

Health Risks Health Risks

of Persistent Organic Pollutants of Persistent Organic Pollutants from Long-Range Transboundary from Long-Range Transboundary

Air PollutionAir Pollution


Health Risks of POPs from LRTAPHealth Risks of POPs from LRTAP

The Joint WHO / Convention Task Force on Health:

Supports the Working Group on Effects and the Executive Body in preparing/substantiating new and/or updating existing protocols;

Evaluates and assesses the health effects of long-range transboundary air pollution;

Reports on the subject.

Source: EB.Air.2003/4



1) Plan of work (WHO/ECEH + WGE, accepted by EB)2) TFH meeting – distribution of tasks3) Experts prepare background material4) External review (national experts + additional reviewers)5) TFH meeting: formulation of conclusions WGE EB

Task Force on Health: way of working



Health risk of particulate matter from LRTAP –preliminary assessment (1999)

Health risk of heavy metals from LRTAP (2000)

Health risk of POPs from LRTAP (2002) (book printed in 2003)

Modelling and assessment of health risks of PM and ozone from LRTAP (2003)

Task Force on Health: products 1999-2003



• Analyse the health impacts of particulate matter and ozone using newly developed models for the long range transport of air pollutants and applying the most recent concentration-response functions;

• Continue updating the review of the health effects of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants from long-range transboundary air pollution.

Task Force on Health: Medium term work plan 2004-5

EB.AIR/WG.1/2003/4



Key question:

To what extend LRTAP contributes to the health risk of the POPs ???

Format:

“Not a full risk assessment of the pollutants, but a more easily accessible comprehensive health overview”

Health Risks of Persistent Organic Pollutants Health Risks of Persistent Organic Pollutants from Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollutionfrom Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution©© WHO 2003 WHO 2003


Health Risks of POPs from LRTAP

Substances reviewed

1. PENTACHLOROPHENOL2. DDT3. HEXACHLOROCYCLOHEXANES 4. HEXACHLOROBENZENE5. HEPTACHLOR 6. DIOXINS AND DIOXIN-LIKE PCBs 7. POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS 8. POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS 9. POLYCHLORINATED TERPHENYLS 10. POLYBROMINATED DIPHENYL ETHERS11. PBDD/Fs12. SHORT-CHAIN CHLORINATED PARAFFINS13. UGILEC



Project Milestones

Dec. 1999 Request from 17th Session of EB

10 May 2000 TFH Planning Meeting

2001 Preparation of 1st Draft

3-4 Dec. 2001 4th TFH Meeting - review 1st Draft

26 April 2002 Drafting Group (format of ExSum)

13-14 May 2002 5th TFH Meeting - Conclusions

3 June 2002 Executive Summary in UNECE

10 July 2002 Background document completed

Spring 2003 Background document printed



Structure of the review

1. Introduction

2. Characteristic of the substance as the compound with LRTAP potential

4. Health hazard characterization

3. Patways of human exposure and its relation to LRTAP

5. Human health implications of LRTAP



SUMMARY OF EVALUATION

1. PENTACHLOROPHENOL

(+/-)

2. DDT (+)

3. HEXACHLOROCYCLOHEXANES +

4. HEXACHLOROBENZENE +

5. HEPTACHLOR ( -

)

6. DIOXINS AND DIOXIN-LIKE PCBs +

7. POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS +

8. POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS ( - )+ LRTAP poses (possible) health risk (+) Potential risk from LRTAP (+/-) Potential risk, more info needed(?) Insufficient info to evaluate health risks(-) Risk from LRTAP unlikely or low at present



SUMMARY OF EVALUATION, cont.

9. POLYCHLORINATED TERPHENYLS (?)10. POLYBROMINATED DIPHENYL ETHERS (+)11. PBDD/Fs (+/-)12. SHORT-CHAIN CHLORINATED PARAFFINS (+)13. UGILEC no

eval.

+ LRTAP poses (possible) health risk (+) Potential risk from LRTAP (+/-) Potential risk, more info needed(?) Insufficient info to evaluate health risks(-) Risk from LRTAP unlikely or low at present



Temporal trends in the levels of PCDD/Fs in human milk in countries participating in the WHO exposure study

0

10

20

30

40

WH

O T

EQ

(p

g/g

fat

)

1988

1993

2002

(van Leeuwen et al, 2002)



WG Members by countryCountry Authors WG members Reviewers

1 Canada 4 1 12 Croatia 13 Czech Rep. 14 France 2 15 Germany 2 16 Hungary 17 Italy 18 Kazakhstan 19 Moldova 210 Norway 1 1 111 Poland 112 Russian Fed. 1 113 Spain 114 Sweden 2 115 Switzerland 116 The Netherlands 117 Ukraine 118 United Kingdom 119 United States 1

17 12 4UNECE 1WHO 4



Proposed contribution of TFH to TF/POPs

Harmonization of the TFH Work Plan to reflect the future TF/POPs health assessment needs (based on EB /WGS decisions)

Possible topics: 1. Efficiency review:

• Update of scientific evidence on NOT banned POPs• Assessment of health risk related to banned POPs (based

on available exposure data)2. Sufficiency review: Survey of Public Health institutions regarding

CONCERNS related to human health effects of POPs not covered by the Protocol

who european centre for environment and health joint who/eceh - convention task force on health...

Documents