Second International Conference on Environmental, Health and Safety Aspects Related to the Production of Aluminium (EHSARPA), 26 September–1 October 2003, St. Petersburg, Russia

It is no secret that the aluminium industry has caused serious health effects in workers and heavy environmental pollution with effects on vegetation, marine and freshwater organisms, wildlife and domestic animals. At present, many related environmental, health and safety issues are either historical or have been much reduced or improved in some countries due to collaborative efforts both within the international aluminium industry and between the authorities and industry.

The aluminium industry knows no borders as the raw materials necessary for aluminium production come from and are processed in all parts of the world. The international aluminium industry is committed to environmental protection and sustainable development as demonstrated through their efforts to reduce emission of greenhouse gases and recycle environmentally friendly aluminium metal. Gone also are the days when environmental/occupational health specialists could regard hazards and diseases in isolation. Today, modern approaches that embrace health, safety, welfare and management issues are required. During recent years, major political changes have resulted in an increasing international exchange of information and ideas between legislative bodies, scientific institutions and aluminium producers. It is no secret that the transfer and exchange of knowledge between the former Soviet Union and the western world was limited. Therefore, there was and remains a need to bring environmental, health and safety professionals in the international aluminium industry, officials from governmental and regulatory agencies and scientists in academic circles together to furnish a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art and latest knowledge.

In order to address these issues, the Second International Conference on Environmental and Health Aspects Related to the Production of Aluminium was held in Russia, focusing on

 International regulatory issues

 Occupational exposure-workplace monitoring

 Biological monitoring

 Emissions and environmental monitoring

 Occupational and community health effects

 Environmental effects

 Total effects studies

 Safety and safety management

The meeting was organised by the National Institute of Occupational Health (Oslo, Norway) in collaboration with the International Aluminium Institute (London, UK), the Russian National Aluminium-Magnesium Institute (VAMI), (St. Petersburg, Russia), and the North-West Public Health Research Institute (St. Petersburg, Russia).

There were 120 registrants representing most primary aluminium producing countries around the world and 50% of the participants were of Russian origin.

This issue of JEM presents a few of the feature presentations from EHSARPA 2004.

Yngvar Thomassen

National Institute of Occupational Health

Oslo, Norway

Maxime Chashchin

North-West Public Health Research Institute

St. Petersburg, Russia

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