Particulate Matter: Assessing the Health Impacts

This session explores the health effects of particulate matter (PM), with consideration of variable PM sources such as bushfires, combustion of fuels, and mining. With a focus on recent events that impacted on air quality in Australia, the webinar includes worked examples to investigate the health effects associated with exposure to elevated PM, as experienced within Australian cities during the summer bushfires. The session also looks at recent reductions in PM concentrations in ambient air due to Covid restrictions, and the potential for enhanced health outcomes across the population when air quality is improved.

Victoria Lazenby is an environmental health specialist, with over 17 years’ experience working in the fields of air quality and risk assessment.  This experience ranges from air dispersion modelling of PM in her early career, extensive experience with PM sampling, acting as an expert witness for PM related projects, and teaching PM risk assessment to M.Sc. (Public Health) students.  Victoria is an independent consultant at Terravale Consulting, having decided that starting a consultancy of her own during a global pandemic and recession was a good idea, and is a Fellow of ACTRA.