Au cours des dernières années, des déversements accidentels de mercure métallique sont survenus au Québec en milieu intérieur. Ces cas mettent souvent en cause des bris de thermomètres, mais il arrive parfois que d’autres appareils soient concernés, tels des sphygmomanomètres ou des tubes fluorescents. Des incidents de ce type soulèvent des inquiétudes compte tenu du risque que représente le mercure métallique pour la santé des occupants du bâtiment concerné. Par ailleurs, certains de ces événements sont rapportés aux professionnels des DSPublique ou de l’INSPQ. Toutefois, ces experts doivent se servir d’une documentation souvent fragmentaire ou encore tirée de sources non validées pour conseiller les demandeurs sur les avenues de gestion du risque. Le besoin de doter les...
Santé environnementale
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2 novembre 2021
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23 septembre 2021
Le 16 décembre 2020, le ministre de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques a mandaté le Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement pour tenir une enquête et une audience publique sur l’état des lieux et la gestion des résidus ultimes au Québec. Le mandat de la commission d’enquête a commencé le 8 mars 2021 et se terminera le 22 décembre 2021 avec le dépôt du rapport au ministre. Dans le cadre de cette enquête, le ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux a sollicité l’Institut national de santé publique du Québec afin de documenter les effets sur la santé des divers modes d’élimination des matières résiduelles et les conditions favorables à l’acceptabilité sociale des différentes options analysées.
Ce document expose les résultats d’une...
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8 septembre 2021
This support document was written at the request of the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) to support the work of the members of the group of scientific and technical experts focusing on the use of ventilation in healthcare and educational institutions during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this document is, more specifically, to take stock of the current knowledge on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in building interiors and to develop a portrait of the role that ventilation in indoor environments may play in a pandemic context. As the situation and knowledge surrounding SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) are rapidly developing, the information provided in this document is subject to updates.
This document is not an exhaustive review of the scientific...
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4 août 2021
- The usual COVID-19 prevention and control measures should be followed at all times in public spaces, regardless of whether the use of air conditioners or electric fans is considered.
- Air conditioners and electric fans remain appropriate cooling methods during a pandemic when used properly and when certain precautions are applied. Additional precautions should nonetheless be taken in healthcare facilities (see Utilisation des climatiseurs mobiles et des ventilateurs sur pied en milieux de soins dans un contexte de COVID-19 [in French only]).
- The recirculation of indoor air by air conditioners can promote the accumulation of infectious particles in indoor environments when...
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12 juillet 2021
This document, written in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, is intended for public building managers, building owners, and all organizations and individuals wishing to learn more about the topics covered in this overview of the scientific and grey literature. This document discusses the current knowledge on carbon dioxide (CO2), its health effects, sources, and relation to building ventilation, as well as the different approaches used to measure this parameter and ways of interpreting the results. The methodology applied to produce this brief overview is set out in Appendix 1 of the full version (in French) of this document.
The objective of this document is to provide key information that may guide concerned organizations in selecting an appropriate measurement...
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9 juillet 2021
As the SARS-CoV-2 virus drives a worldwide pandemic, our scientific understanding of how it is transmitted is constantly evolving. There is an ongoing debate on various aspects of this process, particularly aerosol transmission. In part, this debate reflects a lack of consensus on the definitions of the terms used to describe the transmission of infectious agents via the respiratory tract.
This text presents a review of the scientific literature focused on the aerosol mode of transmission, but also includes information about other modes of transmission. Authored by a multidisciplinary team, the report seeks to inform the decision-making process of public health authorities, teams of experts, ministerial policymakers, and health and social services facility managers.
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29 juin 2021
Multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome (MCS) is a chronic disorder characterized by multiple recurrent non-specific symptoms triggered or exacerbated by exposure to odours present in the environment at low concentrations—concentrations tolerated by most people.
People who are the most severely affected suffer from a chronic impairment that prevents them from functioning normally in their social and professional lives.
Various epidemiological studies have found different levels of prevalence of MCS in the general population, ranging from 0,5% to 3% for cases diagnosed by a doctor. This figure can be as high as 32% when selfdiagnosed cases are included.
In Canada, the number of annual medical consultations for individuals suffering from MCS greatly exceeds that of...
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29 juin 2021
Le syndrome de sensibilité chimique multiple (SCM) est un trouble chronique, caractérisé par de multiples symptômes récurrents non spécifiques, provoqués ou exacerbés lors d’une exposition à des odeurs présentes dans l’environnement à de faibles concentrations, des concentrations qui sont tolérées par la majorité des gens.
Chez les personnes touchées de façon plus sévère, cette atteinte chronique affecte le fonctionnement normal au quotidien et produit des invalidités sociales et professionnelles.
Les diverses enquêtes épidémiologiques montrent un large éventail de la prévalence de la SCM dans la population générale, variant de 0,5 à 3 %, lorsque ce trouble est diagnostiqué par un médecin. Cette prévalence peut atteindre 32 % pour les cas autodéclarés.
Au Canada...
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14 juin 2021
The purpose of this document is to present the current knowledge on cleaning and disinfecting surfaces in indoor and outdoor environments, specifically in residential settings and public spaces and excluding healthcare facilities and other healthcare settings, as well as on health issues related to cleaners and disinfectants and the suggested “quarantining” of objects. The information summarized in this document is based on a non-comprehensive review of the grey and scientific literature. The sections in yellow are significant updates made on the indicated date, based on the grey literature available as at April 26, 2021...
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26 février 2021
Question and answer
This document, written in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, is primarily intended for partners in the health and social services network, public decision makers and all those wishing to learn more about the topics covered in this literature review. This rapid synthesis, presented in the form of a question and answer document, reviews the current state of knowledge on the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in outdoor environments. More specifically, the document discusses modes of...
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