Annual Report for 2018 now available

January 29, 2019

The 2018 Annual Report, Promoting Dialogue, Building Trust, describes how HEI provides a balanced forum where diverse stakeholders find common ground to discuss HEI’s high quality, impartial, and relevant science informing public policy on air quality and public health. The report highlights HEI’s latest achievements and initiatives.

Summer 2018 Update now available

August 22, 2018

In this issue of Update, read about HEI’s recent testimony on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed “Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science” rule; a recap of the 2018 Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois; a new HEI Communication assessing the evidence on health effects from household air pollution; progress in the new Energy Research Program; and more.

Now available: HEI comments on EPA transparency proposal

August 20, 2018

HEI President Dan Greenbaum provided oral testimony on July 17 at a hearing convened by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Washington, D.C., on its proposed “Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science” rule. His oral comments, and HEI’s longer written comments on the proposed rule, are available below.

HEI publishes report on household air pollution and noncommunicable disease

July 31, 2018

HEI has published Communication 18, a critical assessment of the state of the science examining the linkages between household air pollution formed by the burning of solid fuels and noncommunicable diseases. The report updates previous systematic reviews with the most recent studies. It answers fundamental questions on the scientific basis for estimating health burden and what the evidence suggests about the exposure reductions necessary to achieve improved health outcomes. The Summary for Policy Makers, based on Communication 18, presents the main conclusions about exposures to household air pollution and about its contribution to noncommunicable diseases globally.

Energy Research planning workshop held in July

July 27, 2018

On July 11-12, 2018, the HEI Energy Research Program held the first of two research-planning workshops in Denver, Colorado. Meeting attendees included HEI staff, the HEI Energy Research Committee, and a wide-range of stakeholders representing local and federal government, academia, industry, and NGOs. The workshop provided an opportunity for the Energy Research Committee to hear from stakeholders about their expert opinions and perspectives on the literature, important knowledge gaps, and research priorities and criteria used to define those priorities.

Three receive HEI's Student and Postdoc Travel Award

June 25, 2018

This year HEI conferred its first three Student and Postdoc Travel Awards, identifying promising new scientists and bringing them to the HEI Annual Conference to share their work and engage with the range of investigators and stakeholders who gather for the event. A large number of excellent applications were submitted, representing a wide range of environmental health science topics and approaches.

Annual Conference features timely discussions on air pollution and health

June 25, 2018

Some 170 experts from academia, government, industry, and nongovernmental organizations gathered in Chicago, Illinois, in late April and early May for HEI’s 32nd Annual Conference. The three-day meeting featured discussion of the latest research on air pollution and health, perspectives on historical and future environmental health policies, and many informal opportunities for attendees to meet and engage with others sharing similar interests. 

Spring 2018 Update now available

May 30, 2018

This issue of Update highlights the report of a major new HEI study, Impacts of Regulations on Air Quality and Emergency Department Visits in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area, 1999–2013, led by Armistead (Ted) Russell of the Georgia Institute of Technology; the public release of data from HEI’s major ozone study, the Multicenter Ozone Study in oldEr Subjects (MOSES); a new HEI panel conducting a literature review on the health effects of traffic-related air pollution; the publication of State of Global Air 2018; appointment of two new members to the Institute’s Board of Directors; a new chair of the HEI Research Committee; and more.

Making the MOSES data and specimens available

May 14, 2018

HEI is making available to the public the database and material of the Multicenter Ozone Study in oldEr Subjects (MOSES). In the interest of scientific transparency and to encourage the broadest possible use of the data and the material, HEI has set up a streamlined process to access the data and the material (subject to the limited quantities available). The MOSES database may be accessed by anyone who is interested. Any qualified researcher from a not-for-profit US research center interested in doing specific analyses can request the samples.

Study evaluates metrics of exposure to traffic-related air pollutants in Atlanta

April 23, 2018

Research Report 196, Developing Multipollutant Exposure Indicators of Traffic Pollution: The Dorm Room Inhalation to Vehicle Emissions (DRIVE) Study, describes a study by Dr. Jeremy A. Sarnat that evaluated single- and multipollutant metrics of exposure to traffic-related air pollutants near and farther away from a major highway in Atlanta, as well as biological markers in a panel of students.