They will use this information to perform the risk assessment for the Initiative. Health risks, put simply, are a measure of the chance that you will experience health problems. Exposure to toxic air pollutants can increase your health risks. For example, if you live near a factory that releases cancer-causing chemicals and inhale contaminated air, your risk of developing cancer can increase. Breathing air toxics could also increase your risk of non-cancer effects such as emphysema or reproductive disorders.
Risk assessment is one tool used in risk management.
It is the process that scientists and government officials use to estimate the increased risk of health problems in people who are exposed to different amounts of toxic substances. A risk assessment for a toxic air pollutant combines results of studies on the health effects of that pollutant on various animals and humans due to exposures to the pollutant with results of studies that estimate the levels of people's exposures at different distances from the source of the pollutant. While the estimates provided by these risk assessments are far from perfect, they do help scientists evaluate the risks associated with emissions of toxic air pollutants. Using risk estimates and other factors, government agencies can set regulatory standards to reduce people's exposures to toxic air pollutants and thus reduce the risk of experiencing health problems. The Tri-State Geographic Initiative Air Risk Assessment Work Plan identifies the process and methods that will be used to conduct the risk assessment portion of the Initiative.