On the 18 March, the Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health (CII) within the Cyprus University of Technology and its international partners from the UK and the Netherlands successfully held the Exposogas stakeholders technical workshop. The workshop was part of the Twinning EU-funded project Exposogas project activities that is coordinated by CII with partners from the Institute of Occupational Medicine (UK) and the Netherlands national research organization (TNO) (www.exposogas.eu)

The workshop was attended by representatives from the Cyprus General State Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Fire Services, the Commissioner for the Environment Office, and the Quality of Life community union.

The goal of this workshop was to bring together stakeholders to discuss technical issues that pertain to the health risk management of sites of hydrocarbons operations for the nearby populations. The Exposogas is a 3-year long HORIZON 2020 project which aims to apply the human exposome paradigm and its tools in health and safety aspects of hydrocarbons operations in the Eastern Mediterranean.

An a priori set of questions were answered by the stakeholders and the academia partners. There was a consensus among the attending stakeholders regarding the importance of acquiring baseline exposure measures for a suite of hydrocarbons (mixtures) in areas throughout Cyprus and particularly those located nearby future hot spots of development for the hydrocarbons industry. The need for closer cooperation between governmental departments of different Ministries charged with regulatory aspects of health risk management of hydrocarbons operations was highlighted, and the academia could provide the glue for such meetings. The international expertise of the Exposogas advanced partners could be useful for future engagements with the policy makers and industry in Cyprus. Key thematics of hydrocarbons operations were discussed in the meeting such as the asphalt producing plants, the gas stations and the oil refineries and storage tanks.

In addition to promoting policies for protecting health, a safe work environment, and protect workforce health by collaborating with local community stakeholders, the Exposogas project activities will apply the exposome concept in order to quantify the exposures that are associated with the hydrocarbon industry such as, multiple chemicals, high temperatures, noise, psychological factors, and the effect work shift.

For more information please contact Konstantinos Makris, CUT CII at 25002398 and visit the project website www.exposogas.eu