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This project aims to develop environmental health indicators to monitor trends in local health impacts resulting from exposures to environmental risk factors related to the operations of large airports in Europe. The monitoring data can be instrumental to guide public health policies at the regional and national level. Health indicators are also suitable for deciding between alternative options for developments within an airport operations system. In addition this set of environmental health indicators can be used for European Union-wide comparison of health impacts of large airports.

This project’s goal is the development of environmental health indicators for:

  • Monitoring trends – The proposal specifies "trends in local health impacts" monitoring health data (mortality, morbidity) or proxies (hospital admissions, medicine use);
  • Deciding between alternatives for airport system development;
  • Comparing health impacts of large airports in Europe.

The output is a set of environmental health indicators for airport operation systems that look scientifically promising for implementation as part of regional, national and European level public health policies.
FEEM’s role is to identify the socio-economic key indicators (changes in income distribution, transport demand, house prices, etc.) for highlighting the reciprocal modifications between socio-economic aspects and human health in airports-related areas.

The project is co-ordinated by the Universiteit Maastricht, Dept. of Health Risk Analysis and Toxicology, The Netherlands.

A set of accepted indicators will be provided to give insight in the relative impacts on health may avoid some conflicts related to airport development and is a useful policy tool on a regional, national, and European level. The output is a set of environmental health indicators for airport operations systems that look scientifically promising for implementation as part of regional, national and European level public health policies. The set of indicators is accompanied with an implementation plan and communication plan, recommendations for further calibration and validation and a listing of gaps in knowledge.
Partners

The local and regional environment of airports has to cope with the impact of airport and airport-related activities. Aviation affects the environment both globally and locally in a negative sense and consequently has also negative impacts on human health.

The present project aims to develop environmental health indicators to monitor trends in local health impacts resulting from exposures to environmental risk factors related to the operations large airports in Europe. The monitoring data can be instrumental to guide public health policy at the regional and national level. The health indicators are also suitable for deciding between alternative options for developments within an airport operations system.

Five project stages are proposed with regard to methodology:

  • scoping;
  • desk studies;
  • pilot study;
  • international workshop;
  • evaluation of the project.