Carrying out an expert opinion : « Background » of pollutants in the environment, analysis of existing data and identification of gaps

Summary

The environmental impact of any human activity can, strictly speaking, only be assessed in relation to "benchmarks" commonly referred to as "background noise", which is the result of natural and man-made phenomena other than those linked to the activity in question. But what 'background noise' data is available and how can it be integrated into various risk assessment and management situations? This was the challenge of this work, which was very successful in taking stock of the data available, its sources and its relevance, and also of the major gaps that currently exist. Collective reflection (expert opinions) enriched the bibliographical summary and enabled methodological lessons to be learned.