Abstract

The summary in booklet form 'Fijn stof nader bekeken' (Particulate Matter: a closer look) , published in Dutch by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP) and the Environment and Safety Division of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), has been designed to present the facts on particulate matter in a coherent framework. Current knowledge on particulate matter is conveyed here under the headings: What is known? What is unknown? What are the uncertainties? The background to this publication is the current social and political debate on the consequences of the Netherlands air quality legislation, which, in turn, is based on European legislation. The fact that new spatial developments and infrastructural projects are at risk of not being realized due to the large-scale exceedances of limit values for particulate matter occurring in the Netherlands is leading to serious social effects. Moreover, airborne particulate matter poses serious risks to human health. The particulate matter subject is complicated and accompanied by administrative dilemmas, legally binding limit values, concerns of citizens, scientific uncertainties and spatial-economic consequences. Many questions and current discussions have provided reasons enough to compose this scientific summary on particulate matter. Although this booklet does not present new information, it has succeeded in bringing together all the published information on particulate matter referring to the situation in the Netherlands.