INTARESE brings together a team of internationally lead scientists in the areas of epidemiology, environmental science and biosciences to collaborate on developing and applying new, integrated approaches to the assessment of environmental health risks and consequences, in support of European policy on environmental health.

This project is designed to support implementation of the European Environment and Health Action Plan, by providing the methods and tools that are essential to enable integrated assessment of environment and health risks. Drawing upon the large range of studies carried out in Europe over recent years (many led by the project partners) and the advances made in specific areas of toxicology and epidemiology (especially air pollution), and in close collaboration with users, it will develop a methodological framework and a set of tools and indicators for integrated assessment that can be applied across different environmental stressors (including pollutants and physical hazards), exposure pathways (air, water, soil, food) and policy areas. It will review, bring together and enhance the monitoring systems needed to support such analyses, including routine environmental monitoring (ground-based and Earth observation), biomonitoring and health surveillance. The framework, tools and data will be tested and demonstrated through integrated assessments of exposures and health risks in a number of specific policy areas, including transport, housing, agriculture, water, wastes, household chemicals and climate.

Results from these will be used both to refine the assessment methods and to provide specific information on health implications of current and potential future, policies. Based on the results, a toolbox for integrated environment and health risk assessment will be developed, which will be further tested and demonstrated through a series of higher level policy analyses. Particular attention will be given throughout to issues of uncertainty, sensitive or susceptible groups, and possible interactive and cumulative effects of different stressors. Deliverables will include new, integrated methods and indicators for environment and health risk assessment and monitoring, an operational assessment toolbox, and a set of validated assessments that can directly inform policy.