title: Key aspects of a Flemish system to safeguard public health interests in case of chemical release incidents.
abstract: Although well-established protocols are available for emergency services and first-responders in case of chemical release incidents, a well-developed system to monitor and safeguard public health was, until recently, lacking in Flanders. We therefore developed a decision support system (DSS) to aid public health officials in identifying the appropriate actions in case of incidents. Although the DSS includes human biomonitoring as one of its key instruments, it also goes well beyond this instrument alone. Also other, complementary, approaches that focus more on effect assessment using in vitro toxicity testing, indirect exposures through the food chain, and parallel means of data collection (e.g. through ecosurveillance or public consultation), are integrated in the Flemish approach. Even though the DSS is set up to provide a flexible and structured decision tree, the value of expert opinion is deemed essential to account for the many uncertainties associated with the early phases of technological incidents. When the DSS and the associated instruments will be fully operational, it will provide a valuable addition to the already available protocols, and will specifically safeguard public health interests.
authors.affiliation: Flemish Institute of Technological Research (VITO), Environmental Risks and Health Unit, Mol, Belgium. Electronic address: roel.smolders@vito.be.
authors.forename: Roel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Smolders
authors.affiliation: Flemish Institute of Technological Research (VITO), Environmental Risks and Health Unit, Mol, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colles
authors.affiliation: Flemish Institute of Technological Research (VITO), Environmental Risks and Health Unit, Mol, Belgium.
authors.forename: Christa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cornelis
authors.affiliation: Flemish Institute of Technological Research (VITO), Environmental Risks and Health Unit, Mol, Belgium.
authors.forename: Mirja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Holderbeke
authors.affiliation: Flemish Agency for Care and Health, Division of Public Health Surveillance, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chovanova
authors.affiliation: Flemish Agency for Care and Health, Division of Public Health Surveillance, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wildemeersch
authors.affiliation: Flemish Government, Department of Environment and Health, Flemish Government, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mampaey
authors.affiliation: Flemish Government, Department of Environment and Health, Flemish Government, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van Campenhout
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium; D055884:Chemical Hazard Release; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D015386:Hazardous Substances
keywords: Chemical release incidents; Decision support system; Disaster management; Human biomonitoring; Public health