ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the health effects of biomass use in developed countries, drawing primarily on data and analysis from the United States. In developed countries, the health risks of biomass energy represent a potential constraint on its development and use. Health risk is one of several factors that must be considered in decisions about future energy sources. Polycyclic organic matter, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons , are, from the health standpoint, the most important class of air pollutants associated with most biomass energy sources. Health effects to workers and to the public are generally separated in health risk assessments because the character of the exposure is usually different, the composition of the population is different, and the necessary management steps for protecting health are different. A four step risk assessment process is used, including hazard identification, exposure assessment, dose-response assessment, and risk characterization.
