Abstract
Health surveillance is presently not an integral part of air quality management in South Africa, although ambient air pollution standards are derived from health effects of personal exposure. In a survey to air quality officials and environmental health practitioners (n = 361 ), respondents were asked to comment on a discussion document regarding ways to put health onto the air quality management agenda. Less than 7% of the sample (n = 23) responded, the most likely reasons being: overloaded staff; lack of knowledge about air quality-related health; and apathy. All respondents acknowledged their support of the concepts, one suggested inclusion of PM25 and airspora over and above criteria pollutants, and one mentioned use of an indicator 'number of complaints of visual air pollution and odour'. In general, it would appear that the links between air quality and health risks are not well understood and, more importantly, assessing airrelated health outcomes with respect to air quality is not a part of Local Municipalities' Integrated Development Plans. To motivate for necessary changes in Health Information Systems and data management, evidence of valuable application is required. Without readily available health facility and local municipality-specific data on respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, it will prove difficult to track whether implemented air pollution mitigation measures will have positive health impacts.
Highlights
Air pollution would not have gone unnoticed when people first succeeded in lighting a fire, they were most probably less concerned about it than they were to provide themselves with sustenance, light and warmth
This document described ideas of how air quality officers and environmental health practitioners may go about bringing health into air quality management, given air pollution issues in South Africa, the relationship between air quality and health and suggested environmental health indicators for air pollution
Respondents were asked to read through the document and send via return email their comments on the document, as well as mention any relevant activities they may be undertaking in an effort to bring health into air quality management planning
Summary
Air pollution would not have gone unnoticed when people first succeeded in lighting a fire, they were most probably less concerned about it than they were to provide themselves with sustenance, light and warmth. The first “monitoring” of air pollution dates back to the 1920s, when scientists at Kew measured the rise and fall of the electric potential between ground level and one metre above ground (Halliday, 1978a). Years later was it realised that these changes in electric potential were due to the electric charges on particles in the air (Halliday, 1978a). In the 1800s, people in England living close to industries producing caustic soda and sulphuric acid complained about air pollution from these industries.
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