For several years now, dioxins—ubiquitous, highly stable pollutants found in the food chain—have been the focus of sustained attention from stakeholders in waste management, the general public, and scientists. Indeed, waste treatment through incineration still raises significant public concerns due to the substantial emissions of pollutants, particularly dioxins, released by certain facilities that have recently had to be shut down or brought up to standard. As of early 2003, the number of incinerators had dropped to just 123, down from approximately 300 in 1998, and their dioxin emissions have been significantly reduced. However, health studies are still necessary due to the persistence of dioxins in the environment. The French Institute for Public Health Surveillance and the French Agency for Food Safety have convened a group of experts to better understand dioxin exposure among people living near municipal solid waste incineration plants (MSWIPs) as well as the determinants of this exposure, particularly the consumption of local products. This report compiles the existing data necessary for drafting a study protocol. It comprises four sections addressing, respectively: - the contribution of MSWIFs to airborne and dietary exposure to dioxins, including the identification of relevant criteria for selecting MSWIFs to be included in the protocol and the method for determining the study area(s); - the most appropriate dietary survey method for estimating dietary exposure to dioxins, particularly the role of local consumption of foods produced within the plume of MSW Incinerators, and the identification of the most appropriate population type for the study; - the selection of the most relevant biological indicators of exposure to dioxins and PCBs, the levels observed in various countries, and their factors of variation; - and a proposal for a multicenter study protocol. This study will provide the first French data on serum levels of dioxins and PCBs. It will also determine whether all or part of the populations living near MSW incinerators are more exposed to dioxins and, if so, why