This is taken from a brochure that was put together by Northern health.
What is air pollution?
Air pollution is the presence of gases and particles in the air at levels that are harmful to human health and the environment.
Where does air pollution come from?
Pollution can be naturally occurring or as a result of human activity.
Pollutants can also be directly emitted to air, as well as formed in the air from reactions involving other pollutants (e.g. ozone).
In terms of health impacts, particulate matter is one of the most important air pollutants. You can help reduce the amount of particulate matter in your community.
What types of pollution are a concern for Northern BC?
- shallow containers. Thick foods such as stew should be no more than two inches deep; thinner foods such as soup should be no more than three inches deep.
- Keep refrigerators at 4°C (40°F) or lower.
How can NH’s Public Health Protection staff help me or my group in putting together a potluck?
The air pollutant of greatest concern in northern communities is particulate matter, or PM. PM is made of airborne solid and liquid particles PM is usually classified into two categories: PM10 and PM2.5. PM10 are particles in the air that are less than 10 micrometers in diameter (about 1/7th the size of a human hair). Fine particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter is referred to as PM2.5.
One of the main sources of PM2.5 in BC is residential wood burning. Other major sources include vehicle emissions, woody debris burning, backyard burning, beehive burners, and industry. A major source of PM10 is road dust and other types of windblown dust.
Other gaseous air pollutants, such as ground-level ozone, sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide can also contribute to poor air quality and can have serious health effects. However, since high concentrations of these pollutants, in particular ozone and nitrogen oxides, are usually associated with large urban centers, they present less of a health concern for northern communities.
what are the health affects?
Can the air affect my health?
Yes. Breathing in air pollutants can lead to health issues such as problems breathing, aggravating respiratory diseases, reduced lung function, strain on the heart and even premature death. There is also a strong association between some air pollutants and cancers.
Who is most impacted by air pollution?
People who are most susceptible to air pollution are the elderly, children and those who have respiratory disease, cardiac disease and diabetes and studies have suggested that women may be more at risk.
Breathing air pollutants can aggravate illness, cause serious illnesses and even premature death.
Why is PM2.5 a health concern?
Fine particulate matter, also known as PM2.5, is a serious health concern. PM2.5 can be made up of a mixture of microscopic solids, combustion products, metals and other toxins. These small particles can be breathed deep into the lungs where they are lodge and cause damage to the lung tissues. PM2.5 can cause a range of both short- and long-term health effects, even at very low concentrations.
what can i do?
Ways to reduce my exposure to air pollution
- Try to work, live and exercise away from local pollution sources (such as traffic, industrial areas and smoky neighbourhoods)
- Where it is possible, try to avoid areas such as valley bottoms and “bowl” areas where pollutants can get trapped
- Try exercising at times during the day when air pollutants tend to be lower— avoid times when rush hour traffic is high, and the night when wood smoke levels are highest
- Try minimizing commuting times since air pollution concentrations in vehicles can be especially high • Avoid being outdoors during Air Quality Advisories • Contact your physician for more advice
Ways to reduce the amount of air pollution I make.
Reduce smoke
- Use wood stoves that meet CSA/EPA emission standards • Burn wood that is dry and seasoned, rather than wet and green
- Compost or mulch your garden wastes instead of burning them
Reduce vehicle emissions
- Turn off you vehicle rather than idling
- Keep your vehicle tuned up and running efficiently • Make sure your tires are properly inflated • Take transit or car pool
- For shorter trips try walking, or biking
Idling for over 10 seconds uses more fuel than restarting your engine. Idling reduces engine life and is a major source of particulate pollution.
COMMON AIR POLLUTANTS
Particulate Matter (PM)
Main Sources: vehicle emissions; wood burning; industry emissions; and road dust
How you can help reduce levels: Burn less; burn clean, dry, seasoned wood; don’t idle your vehicle; drive less; keep your vehicle tuned up
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
Main Sources: vehicle emissions; electric power plants fueled by coal, forest fires; oil and gas production; high temperature combustion
How you can help reduce levels: Don’t idle your vehicle; drive less; keep your vehicle tuned up; keep you furnace maintained
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Main Sources: vehicle emissions; wood burning; aluminum industry
How you can help reduce levels: Burn less; burn clean, dry, seasoned wood; don’t idle your vehicle; drive less; keep your vehicle tuned up
Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)
Main Sources: base metal smelters; electric power plants fueled by coal, oil and natural gas; oil and gas refineries; and vehicle emissions from diesel vehicles
How you can help reduce levels: Use low sulphur fuels; use less energy; keep you furnace maintained
Ozone (O3)
Main Sources: formed when NOx reacts with other chemicals in the atmosphere in the presence of sunlight How you can help reduce levels: don’t idle your vehicle; drive less; keep your vehicle tuned up
Air pollution levels change throughout the day. Some pollutants stay in the air longer than others. The weather patterns can also create temperature inversions that keep pollutants ‘trapped’ in an area such as a valley bottom.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CHECK OUT THESE WEBSITES:
B.C. Air Quality (sign up to receive notification of Air Quality Advisories at this site) www.bcairquality.ca/
Idle Free BC www.idlefreebc.com
B.C.’s Air Quality Readings
www.bcairquality.ca/readings/index.html
Air Quality and Your Health
www.bcairquality.ca/health/index.html
BC Lung Association
www.bc.lung.ca/airquality/airquality.html
Provincial Health Officer’s Annual Report 2003, Every Breath You Take
www.hls.gov.bc.ca/pho/pdf/phoannual2003.pdf
If Canadian motorists avoid idling for just three minutes every day of the year, this would be equivalent to taking 320,000 cars off the road for the entire year.
Local Air Quality Groups
The Prince George Air Improvement Roundtable www.pgairquality.com
People’s Action Committee for Healthy Air
www.pachapg.ca
The Bulkley Valley and Lakes District
Airshed Management Society
http://cleanairplan.ca
Quesnel Air Quality Improvement Roundtable www.quesnelairshed.org
the northern way of caring
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