Pollutant monitoring project gets underway
On 22 October 130 volunteers in Brussels and Lisbon wore pollution detectors for 12 hours for the first time as the EU funded PEOPLE (Population exposure to air pollutants in Europe) was launched. Researchers know that between 70 and 80 per cent of pollution originates from road traffic. Under this project, researchers will measure exactly how much benzene, a substance produced mainly by traffic and tobacco smoking, there is in the air we breathe. 'Despite tough EU emissions standards, benzene still represents a high risk pollution factor in our cities,' said EU Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin. 'That is why research has to check the situation on the ground and help enforce legislation. Projects like PEOPLE provide decision-makers, environmental and health professionals and the general public with a comprehensive snapshot of air pollution in EU cities and the impact on public health.' Volunteers are monitoring 50 outdoor sites, including streets, parks and metro stations, and 50 indoor sites, including schools, shops, offices and bars. The final results will be presented in February 2003 and similar experiments will be conducted shortly afterwards in Bucharest, Budapest and Madrid. Later in 2003, benzene levels will also be monitored in Belgrade, Berlin, Dublin, Ljubljana, Paris, Roma and Vienna.