WHAT’S OUR AIR QUALITY? Part 1

Results of the Air Quality study will be released November 3rd at the Manual Training Building
7:00 -9:00 pm.

From a human health perspective, fine particulate matter (also known as PM2.5) has been identified as the air pollutant of most concern in British Columbia. One of the largest contributors to outdoor fine particulate matter is widely considered to be residential wood burning. Wood smoke may be thought of as natural, but there is ample evidence that wood burning emits large quantities of known health damaging pollutants, including fine particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and a number of known cancer causing toxins. A large percentage of the population (upwards of 50%) is subjected to adverse health impacts as a result of severe and long-term PM2.5 exposure including children, asthmatics, persons with respiratory or heart disease, diabetics, and the elderly.

While there is a large body of health studies indicating wood smoke exposure is a health risk, studies specific to the East Kootenay are limited. In light of its relative importance to overall PM2.5 emissions in the air sheds of Interior BC, residential wood combustion may pose a seasonal exposure risk during wintertime in areas where terrain and weather contribute to poor dispersion of pollutants.

In the early part of this year, a number of concerned individuals, citizen groups, and agencies collaborated to complete a study of fine particulate using a mobile monitoring technology. The Ministry of Environment and the University of Victoria provided state of the art air quality monitors. The Ministry of Environment provided technical assistance for the sampling. Data analysis was done by retired scientist Jack Loeppky and the College of the Rockies students with technical assistance from staff from Interior Health, the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Lands, Forests and Natural Resource Operations. Project management was by Wildsight and the East Kootenay Citizens for Clean Air. Citizens for a Livable Cranbrook were proud to be asked to help. CLC members along with other concerned citizens volunteered to conduct data collection for long hours into the evening sampling periods. The Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors program kindly provided funding for the project.

This study used a mobile PM2.5 sampler, global positioning system and thermometer, transported by a Toyota Prius hybrid, along with wind gauge readings at predetermined stationary sites from 27 January to 13 February. A sampling route was chosen to include Cranbrook, Wycliffe, Marysville and Kimberley and proximities to perceived wood burning smoke sources and areas most likely to be impacted by it, e.g., schools, hospitals, clinics, day care facilities, playgrounds, senior centers and residences. The route was 91.4 km in length, requiring about 3 hours of driving time. The route, was driven in opposite directions alternate evenings so any location’s averages were not influenced from nearby sources in one direction.

Part 2 tomorrow.