Towards a tool for assessment of cumulative risks from indoor air pollutants in public settings for children: the second expert consultation Meeting report (2020)

Since 2017, the WHO Regional Office for Europe, supported by international experts, has been developing a screening tool for assessment of risks to human health from combined exposure to multiple chemical pollutants in indoor air in public settings for children. The first expert consultation, held on 3–4 December 2018 in Bonn, Germany, agreed on lists of priority chemicals and adverse effect endpoints to be considered in the tool. The second consultation took place in Bonn, Germany, on 23–24 September 2019 and was called to finalize the methodological approach and to agree on collection of the relevant toxicological information. Other topics included the selection of sampling sites; methods for sampling and analysis of chemicals of concern in indoor air in public settings for children; and, an educational course for health-care and public-health professionals on indoor air pollution and children’s health. Exposure assessment was discussed alongside the sampling strategy. The main outcomes of the consultation were approaches to the assessment of exposure and handling of toxicological information for the calculation of risks.