Staying tuned with incidents involving hazardous components

Signalling potential threats

During a conference on incidents involving hazardous components, KWR researchers of the Chemical Water Quality and Health team and the Chemical Laboratory kept an eye out for potential new threats to drinking water and the aquatic environment. Aims of the conference were to keep in touch with other organisations involved in crisis management in the Netherlands and to get informed about new and emerging (potential) threats to physical safety. This supports rapid communication within the Dutch network for environmental incidents.

Human biomonitoring, wood pellet stoves and drones

In a number of plenary lectures, experiences with calamities and crises in the Netherlands and neighbouring countries (e.g. the Salisbury attack) were presented and evaluated by first responders. Do’s and don’ts for crisis communication were shared. In addition, we attended several workshops and gathered information on human biomonitoring (measuring traces of chemicals in body fluids to quantify exposure), detection of and response to fentanyl-related substances, wood pellet stove depots as a new source of carbon monoxide poisoning, risk management of the transport of chemicals via pipelines, and the use of drones to collect information and guide interventions in case of (fire) calamities.