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An interview with Wolfram Birmili: Exploring the EDIAQI Project's Role in Filling the Knowledge Gap on Indoor Air Quality

Photos of plants and filtration systems

Everyone has the right to breathe clean and healthy air. Therefore, it is encouraging to see new rules on access to justice and the right for citizens to claim compensation from their authorities if they fail to act!

On 26th of October 2022 the European Commission tabled a proposal for a revision of the Ambient Air Quality Directives, as part of the European Green Deal’s zero pollution objective. The projected directive would set air quality standards for 2030 that are more strictly aligned with the Word Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendations. Additionally, it would include a mechanism for the regular review of standards based on the latest scientific information. To accomplish this task on time, Member States would have to establish air quality policies ahead of 2030. Provisions on air quality monitoring and assessment would be updated, including through new requirements for monitoring pollutants of emerging concern, such as ultrafine particles, as part of the European Green Deal’s zero pollution ambition.

EDIAQI Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Liina Tõnisson met with Wolfram Birmili to discuss the latest EU directive, and in particular Article 28 “Compensation for damage to human health”, within the context of the EDIAQI project and its benefits for the society. Wolfram Birmili is the head of the German Environment Agency’s Section II 1.3 “Indoor hygiene and health-related environmental impacts” which promotes research on the identification, measurement, and abatement of indoor air pollutants. UBA is Germany's central environmental authority, and hosts the WHO Collaboration Centre for Air Quality Management and Air Pollution. Wolfram’s background covers indoor air science, atmospheric physics, and particle and pollution measurement. He has authored and co-authored more than 160 peer-reviewed articles, mainly on the subject of airborne particulate matter. His current focus is the identification and mitigation of indoor air pollutants and their potential health effects. 

During our two-hour encounter we discussed the possible outcomes of the EDIAQI project and mitigation strategies beyond 2026. Considering that only measures for monitoring urban settings have currently been proposed in calculating the average exposure and its reductions, the EDIAQI project could play an important role to facilitate broader and more inclusive monitoring. Pollution hotspots, for example along busy roads or close to industrial production sites, are not included in the average exposure reduction obligations.

It has long been known that in many settings, disadvantaged communities have a tendency reside in the vicinity of roads, transportation corridors and industrial sites and therefore are disproportionately exposed to air pollution; such communities may also be more susceptible to air pollution owing to other underlying disparities. With the proposed average exposure reduction obligation, there is a high likelihood that socially disadvantaged populations will be left behind, with the potential for major disparities in air pollution and health. EDIAQI has the means to address such disadvantages by looking into civic engagement opportunities in Task 3.2 and by creating a free to use framework for inclusive monitoring options for various individuals and stakeholders across society.

Additionally, Wolfram Birmili gave us some valuable feedback on how to advance the EDIAQI project by answering the questions below:

Question: What is your experience with low-cost air quality sensors and do you think they can play a role in the future of indoor air quality monitoring on a mass scale?

Answer: “We have tested a range of low-cost sensors for indoor air quality monitoring. Not surprisingly, their accuracy and reliability does not really match, or even come close to that of scientific grade-instruments. However, both technologies and the way we deal with sensor data are continuously improving. For many applications, their accuracy might be sufficient given that they are deployed under scientific supervision. And, sensors can provide us with data that would otherwise simply be unavailable, such as estimates for individual indoor pollutant exposure that is needed for public health surveys and/or epidemiological studies.“

Question: How do you think EDIAQI can contribute to increasing the understanding of indoor air quality pollutant sources?

Answer: “EDIAQI is a very competent consortium of partners from research and technology perspective as well as in terms of public stakeholders. Data on indoor air pollution is largely missing, particularly on a EU-wide scale where we have a range of climate zones, building and housing types, pollutant sources, and lifestyles. We need mobile measurement platforms and assessment schemes that can investigate indoor air pollutants and stressors in the full variety of real-life scenarios. EDIAQI will shed light on this diversity by showing areas where indoor air quality is sufficiently good, and circumstances when indoor air is problematic and action is needed. “

Question: What do you think are the main weaknesses to the current legislation and guidelines related to indoor air quality and how could EDIAQI take action here?

Answer: “Except for workplaces and a few other examples, indoor air is usually exempted from regulation. This is in sharp contrast to the relevance of indoor spaces for the population and the great amounts of time spent there. Indoor air quality depends much on decisions taken locally as well as individual behavior. With its multi-parameter data sets from low-cost devices, EDIAQI provides practical and visual examples on how to detect and prevent indoor air quality problems. Such technology will enable local governments and individuals to take responsibility into their own hands. Promulgated on multiple levels, the activities and results from EDIAQI will raise awareness on indoor air problems, which will initiate political action to make indoor air quality guidelines more authoritative and engaging”.

Note: This article has been published on behalf of Liina Tõnisson, Atmospheric Microphysics Department at the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS).