Setting air quality standards for carcinogens: an alternative to mathematical quantitative risk assessment-discussion paper.
It has been accepted in many countries that the regulation of ambient air quality should involve the use of health-based air quality standards. Setting standards for air pollutants which are genotoxic carcinogens presents difficult problems to the regulator, in that the prediction of the effects on health of low levels of exposure is suspected to be inaccurate, and is not currently amenable to either experimental or epidemiological verification. In some countries, techniques of mathematical quantitative risk assessment have been adopted to calculate acceptable levels of exposure to, or the unit risk factors for, genotoxic carcinogens. We regard these approaches as unsatisfactory. An alternative approach, based upon a number of argued premises, a strategy which identifies decision points and the cautious application of uncertainty factors, is described.
Maynard
R L
RL
Health Aspects of Environment and Food Division, Department of Health, Skipton House, Elephant and Castle, London, SE1 6LW, United Kingdom.
Cameron
K M
KM
Fielder
R
R
McDonald
A
A
Wadge
A
A
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D009153:Mutagens / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D018570:Risk Assessment
D000393:Air Pollutants; D002273:Carcinogens; D009153:Mutagens