Air, Odours, Noise

Air pollution is the second environmental concern in Europe after climate change, affecting both health and ecosystems. It is the cause of many diseases and thousands of premature deaths (e.g. respiratory and cardiovascular pathologies, but also cell and tissue damage due to the oxidizing potential of certain particles) and has major impacts on biodiversity (acidification), agricultural yields and buildings. At the same time, indoor air pollution has also become a major public health issue as we spend on average 85% of our time in closed environments where chemical, biological and physical pollutants can develop, whether they are related to building components, furniture and decoration, combustion appliances or simply our lifestyles.

For their part, even if they are not systematically responsible for pathologies, olfactory nuisances must also be treated. In this field marked by a large part of subjectivity, several types of solutions exist, from analysis to treatment and reduction at the source.

Finally, as a growing concern in Europe, noise pollution has proven health impacts. In addition to discomfort or direct effects on hearing, excessive noise can lead to sleep disturbances and have an impact on attitudes and behavior. It can disrupt the endocrine or immune system, or even play an aggravating role for certain pathologies (cardiovascular disorders, depression). In 2016, a survey published by the CNB and Ademe estimated the social cost of noise in France at 57 billion euros.