Clean Air Brussels

Dear supporters for Clean Air in Brussels,

We would like to share some information on a few different subjects.

If you have news to share, please do so!

1. PLANNED ACTIONS AROUND COURT CASE 16/11

On 16/11/2017, the court pleadings on clean air take place (final judgement expected end 2017 or start 2018).

- we are working with doctors and scientists on an open letter in the media (see previous example La Libre/DeMorgen). If you have links to doctors, health organisations or scientists who may be interested to co-sign, please contact Karin kds1050@gmail.com

- cleanairBXL and BruxselAir team up for an action to boost media attention. If you want to be involved in the preparation, please contact Lies.Craeynest@gmail.com

2. CLEANAIRBXL COMMUNICATION CHANNEL

To improve the communication between cleanairbxl members and working groups, we have set up a cleanairbxl SLACK environment, so we can easily keep track per working group ("channel") what is happening and get/stay involved.

We also have a "general" channel for general posting.

If you're interested and/or want to become more active, please sign up through the following link.

3. INFO-SESSION Air Quality Measurements with NAQTS device 19/10
Thursday 19 October, call4cleanair and cle anairbxl, plan an info session on NAQTS Air Quality Measurements.
Douglas Booker from NAQTS will explain the measurement device and will show results of measurements taken that morning at Elzenhof, avenue de la Couronne 12, Ixelles.

The info session will be in English. Hereby the agenda:

Results of Air Quality Measurements @ Brussels school

1. Application of the NAQTS V1000 for Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality Measurements (measures particulate matter (PM), NOx, VOCs, CO, O3, CO2). Demo NAQTS, Douglas Booker | Founder & CEO of NAQTS

2. Results of air quality measurement in Ixelles (@ school entrance during morning rush and @ Elzenhof)

3. Open discussion on best ways to tackle air pollution

Timing: Thursday 19 October 19h30 – 21h30

Location: Gemeenschapscentrum Elzenhof, Kroonlaan 12, 1050 Elsene

4. AIR POLLUTION CONFERENCE 26/10

BruxselAir co-organises an air pollution conference at the ULB

http://igeat.ulb.ac.be/fr/actu alites/conference-pollution- de-lair-causes-remedes-et- urgences/

5. CABINET CITOYEN/BURGERKABINET 27/10

The Brussels ministers of the French and Flemish Community, Rachid Madrane and Sven Gatz, will present on Friday 27/10/017 from 2 to 6 pm at Studio 1 in Flagey the results and recommendations of the Burgerkabinet/Cabinet Citoyen and how they will translate concretely this into their policies. One could wonder why this is on Friday when most citizens are at work...

Air pollution landed as the second highest priority both in the Burgerkabinet and the Cabinet Citoyen meetings, so we have to make sure the two ministers include it into their action agenda. Air pollution is not part of their portfolio, but at least they can mobilise their colleagues in the Regional Government.

Who can attend the meeting on 27/10 and help keep an eye on this?

http://cabinetcitoyen.be/

registration

6. TOWARDS MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS 2008

Do not forget to contact your local policy makers in the communes to 1) raise awareness on air quality, 2) find out more info from politicians (Briefing document)

Let's keep each other informed on the replies.

7. WORTH READING

Black Carbon report ExpAIR has been released. It reports on the results of citizen measurements with portable equipment provided by Brussels Environment agency. Black carbon is ultra-fine particulate matter resulting from combustion of fossil fuels. It is carcinogenic and penetrates deep into our lungs and blood. Catherine Bouland of the ULB department of Environmental Science and Public Health and Tim Nawrot from the UHasselt department of Epidemiology and Public Health let us know that average concentrations of 5µg/m3 and higher are dangerous. Despite being dangerous for public health, it is not yet regulated.

The report reveals high black carbon concentrations, mainly due to road traffic. Car drivers are most exposed, next are bikers and public transport passengers. The report includes two maps of concentrations during peak and off-peak hour.

FR

NL

EU air quality report 2017 has been published. The report informs that in Belgium, 8,340 people die prematurely due to fine PM and 1,870 because of NO2 pollution each year. If Belgium is doing relatively well for PM2.5 according to the official monitoring stations, it performs significantly worse for NO2. In Brussels, the exceeding stations are at the avenue de la Couronne (Ixelles), the avant-port, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert and Molenbeek. Belgium is one of the countries where the mortality rate due to exposure to NO2 pollution is highest. Road transport, in particular diesel cars, is the main emitter of NO2.

8. NEXT CLEANAIRBXL MEETUP 6/11
Our next cleanairbxl meeting takes place on Monday 6 November at 19h00 at Elzenhof. If you plan to join us, please tick the 'I'm going' button on the cleanair meetup page, so we make sure we have room for everyone.
We exchange the latest news, new ideas and update each other on the ongoing work of the different working groups. We'll send a detailed agenda to those of you who register via meetup. Feel free to spread the news among your contacts.

If you want to get involved in the preparations, sign up on cleanairbxl SLACK

See you there !

Evelyn and Karin

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cleanairBXL.be | BXLairpropre. be | schoneluchtBXL.be

cleanairbxl@gmail.com

@cleanairBXL