University of Montana Conference Examines Health Effects of Biomass Smoke 8/21-22
| August 17, 2007 |  View for printing |
Leading experts will be at The University of Montana next week to share research that helps define the risks from exposure to biomass smoke and the public health implications.
The International Biomass Smoke Health Effects Conference will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 21-22, at UM. It will take place at the University’s Center for Environmental Health Sciences and is jointly sponsored by UM and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Biomass smoke, found in both indoor and outdoor environments, produces significant levels of pollutants, such as particulate matter and volatile organic compounds.
Because of the number and intensity of wildfires raging through the region this summer, residents of Western Montana are getting firsthand experience with biomass combustion’s effects on ambient air quality.
Besides serving as fuel for wildfires, biomass from a variety of sources also is used worldwide throughout the year for household heating and cooking.
This conference will highlight some of the latest research on the health effects from exposure to biomass smoke from wildfire events. It also will discuss the results of woodstove changeout programs in the United States and Canada and household exposure studies in the Third World.
Working sessions will be held to provide public health policy recommendations and to prioritize information gaps to guide future research.
Registration information and a conference schedule are online at http://www.umt.edu/cehs/ibshe_p3.html.
For more information, call CEHS director Andrij Holian at 406-243-4018 or e-mail andrij.holian@umontana.edu.
http://news.umt.edu/index.asp?sec=1& ... 07&npa=1751
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