The final report from the Mortality-Air Pollution Associations in Low Exposure Environments (MAPLE) project, funded by HEI is now available. SPARTAN collaborated with MAPLE to assess exposure to low levels of PM2.5 (down to 2.5 µg/m3). In addition to using data from long-term Canadian epidemiology studies, five SPARTAN sites across Canada (in from West to East, Kelowna, British Colombia, Lethbridge, Alberta, Downsviews, Ontario, Sherbrooke, Quebec and Halifax, Nova Scotia) were established as part of this project to evaluate and improve the simulations of PM2.5 to AOD ratios in areas of low levels of PM2.5. Though the WHO current guideline recommends not exceeding 5µg/m3 annual mean exposure to PM2.5, they also state that no threshold has been identified below which damaging health effects do not occur, and much less is know about the effects at low concentrations.
We invite you to read the report to learn more: Mortality-Air Pollution Associations in Low Exposure Environments (MAPLE) Phase 2