摘要：In a suburb of Paris with public infrastructure (high voltage power lines, major highways) and numerous industries, local residents expressed their concerns about a possible “cocktail effect” of their exposure to various types of pollution. In response, the national agencies developed maps and measurements of individual exposure to noise, low frequency electromagnetic fields, and air pollutants. They used a sociological approach to describe the health concerns. During public meetings, the residents were asked to identify the local sources of pollution, the location of the sensors, and the reference population. The sociological study protocol was established by both scientists and residents’ representatives. The open debates mainly focused on population size, the indicators to be used for noise pollution, and the timing for taking measurements. The study reports were put online and relayed through newsletters. At the time, this work helped bring to light the territorial disparities in exposure in the Ile-de-France region and encouraged the development of more qualitative approaches to describing the residents’ perceptions of their environment, health, and quality of life. Some of the problems led to improved methodological approaches and different types of participatory mechanisms. Although this pilot experiment lacked the involvement of policymakers, the “Area Studies” (health risk assessments of areas with complex cumulative exposure) developed since 2010 now include departments with the leverage to act on potential nuisances and pollution sources.
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