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Environmental Quality Branch AIR PROTECTION
. 1. Scientific and Policy Issues
The government of British Columbia is celebrating Clean Air Day with the release of the BC Air Action Plan, which allocates $28.5 million over three years to improve and enhance air quality across the province and protect British Columbians' health. The plan outlines 28 major actions that
will address air pollution from all sources. Some of the actions have already been started, and all are expected to be in place by 2009.
This provides an overview of B.C.'s progress towards meeting the Canada-wide Standards (CWS) for Particulate Matter (PM) and Ozone by
2010. It was released in conjunction with the national
document, below. See also Background Concentrations of PM2.5 and Ozone in British Columbia, Canada.
This is an interim report on progress across the country towards meeting the Canada-wide Standards for particulate matter and ozone. British Columbia's report, above, is linked with the CCME report.
The Ministry of Environment carried out a review of the Waste Management Act in 2003. As part of this process, several
discussion papers were prepared for public review and comment, including Clean Air Issues in British Columbia. Following the review, the Waste
Management Act and the Environment Management
Act were replaced by the Environmental Management Act (July 8, 2004).
Provincial Health Officer's Annual Report: Every Breath You Take (Office
of the Provincial Health Officer) This major report focuses on air quality in British Columbia, from a public-health perspective. It also discusses actions government, industry
and individuals can take to reduce air pollution.
This is the final technical report on the air quality and health issues connected with the proposed Sumas 2 power project in Washington State. In December 2003, the government of British Columbia entered into an agreement with BP West Coast Products LLC (BP). This agreement addresses the government's concerns about
air quality consequences associated with the BP Cherry Point cogeneration projects, near Blaine, Washington.
The ministry has adopted a work bike policy that encourages staff to use bicycles for travel on government business whenever it is cost effective. The policy supports the ministry's mandate to improve local air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Establishing a Visibility Goal for Wilderness and Urban Areas in British Columbia and Canada This consultant's report provides considerations involved in developing a visibility goal for urban and wilderness areas in British Columbia. This report lists and describes community bylaws in B.C. that are aimed at reducing emissions from vehicle idling, open burning and wood-burning appliances.
In June 2007, a visibility workshop was held to discuss the importance of visibility and possible directions for managing visibility in British Columbia. It generated two (consultant's) reports:
State of the Air Report 2007 in British Columbia The State of the Air Report 2007 is an overview of air quality and its effects
on health across the province. It provides details on local and regional air-quality measurements, information on climate change, and a description of the new Air Quality
Health Index pilot.
This report is intended to provide a better understanding of B.C.'s air quality and the importance of reducing air pollution — focusing
on diesel exhaust and wood smoke.
This report describes preliminary estimates of background particulate matter (PM) and ozone levels, based on a review of current literature and available
monitoring data. It provides recommendations on how refined estimates of background levels may be better determined.
Produced after stakeholder consultation, this framework document is designed to guide the development of air-quality-management plans, or "airshed
plans," in
British Columbia. It is meant to encourage more consistency and efficiency in airshed planning — towards implementing the Canada-wide Standards for
particulate matter and ozone.
(See Consultations on Proposed Options for Provincial
Air Quality Objectives and an Airshed Planning Framework.)
As an important step in developing the Provincial Framework for Airshed Planning (above), the ministry sponsored stakeholder consultations in 2006. This process generated three reports, which provided an important basis for the final framework document. These reports are in 9. Air Quality Objectives and Standards.
This air quality report is one in a series being issued by the Kootenay Regional Office for all communities in the region where
air quality is monitored.
Developed by a multistakeholder committee, the Merritt Air Quality Management Plan builds on the report below (Air
Quality in Merritt British Columbia,
2006). It recommends 22 ways to reduce particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5).
This report describes the primary pollutants in Merritt and their effects on health. It provides a technical analysis of pollutant concentrations
and a qualitative estimate of their sources. It recommends that the City of Merritt begin airshed- management planning.
Air quality complaints to B.C. regulatory agencies frequently involve odour issues. This consultant's paper provides recommendations about odour-management
approaches that would be effective in B.C., based on successful management programs in other jurisdictions.
Clean Air Toolkit: A Guide for Cleaner Air The Clean Air Toolkit is designed to help local government develop programs to reduce emissions, such as vehicle exhaust and smoke.
Winter traction materials can contribute to air pollution by stirring up road dust — including fine particulate matter, which is a significant health threat. The ministry has developed this "best management
practices" document to help local governments, planners and road-maintenance crews.
Research indicates that people living near major freeways and roadways have a higher risk of developing or worsening lung and heart disease. This report
provides the technical rationale for recommendations on building placement (e.g. setbacks) and general land use — to
reduce exposures and health risks associated with traffic proximity. The final recommendations are summarized in Develop
with Care: Environmental Guidelines for Urban and Rural Land Development in British Columbia.
Georgia Basin / Puget Sound International Airshed Strategy The Georgia Basin / Puget Sound International Airshed Strategy is a multi-agency, Canada-US effort to address air pollution and its impacts in the Georgia Basin / Puget Sound airshed. This international airshed strategy will be crucial to preventing degraded air quality in the future.
Guide to Airshed Planning in British Columbia Airshed planning is the process of coordinating activities in an airshed, and ensuring that federal, provincial and local air quality goals are achieved.
This guide is for local authorities, community leaders and other stakeholders interested in local and regional air quality.
This study explores the present practice and potential for integrating three community-based planning processes into one: air quality management planning;
greenhouse gas action planning; and community energy planning.
This report summarizes ambient concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 in British Columbia, in an effort to guide the implementation of the Canada-wide Standard for particulate matter.
Report by Topic Area (HTML) Full Report
Air Quality Information for the Omineca and Peace Regions This site has airshed information, air quality data summaries and air quality reports. It also has the Prince George Air Quality Management Plan.
This website provides information on the efforts by the BVLD management partnership to improve air quality in the area.
This site holds information related to the airshed management process in the Cariboo region.
Ground-level ozone concentrations measured at various sites in British Columbia have been summarized for
The Ministry of Environment has monitored PM10 levels at almost 100 sites in British Columbia since the mid-1980s. This report is the first overview of PM10 levels measured in various communities across the province.
Clean Air Research Funding This website includes information on the B.C. Clean Air Research Fund (CARF), set up to promote research on air quality issues. CARF is winding down operations, but CARF-sponsored reports will remain on this site. This site also focuses on the Robert Caton Scholarship, which supports university students in environmental studies who are committed to defending the environment. A new B.C. Clean Air Research Fund (BC CLEAR) has now been established. Information on this fund is available at BC CLEAR.
British Columbia Network Assessment Analysis Results This report reviews the Ministry of Environment's air-quality-monitoring network. The review will help the ministry develop a strategy to optimize its air monitoring network — to achieve the best possible scientific value; cost-effectively protect the public and environment; and meet federal, provincial and community air-quality goals.
Data Analysis and
Source Apportionment of PM2.5 in Golden, B.C. This report outlines the methodology and findings from a three-month research contract to interpret particulate matter (PM2.5) speciation data from Golden, British Columbia. The focus of this project was the application of receptor-modelling techniques to identify the origins of the PM2.5.
The purpose of this document is to provide a quality assurance /quality control framework for the Golden source apportionment study, from 2004 to 2006.
Quality assurance (QA) for a field program such as the Golden speciation study integrates quality control (QC), audits and measurement validation.
This two-year study was carried out in Golden B.C. to identify the sources of air pollutants and their relative contributions to air pollution in
the region. "Source apportionment" is the process of identifying where each pollutant comes from (e.g., motor
vehicles, industries) and finding out how much is being released into the air. See below for an initial inventory: An Air Emissions Inventory for Golden.
Residential Wood
Burning in British Columbia: Public Behaviour and Opinion Residential wood heating is a significant source of fine particulate emissions in British Columbia. In 2003, the ministry commissioned a survey of residential
wood-heating practices. The data was used to produce Residential Wood Burning Emissions in British Columbia, below. This 2006
report further analyzes the data to determine public behaviour and opinion with respect to wood burning for home heating.
Fine particulates (particulate matter) are now considered the most serious kind of air pollution problem in B.C., with respect to human health. One of
the largest cumulative sources of fine particulates is believed to be residential wood burning. This report estimates the quantity of air emissions released as a result of residential
wood heating in the province.
An Air Emissions Inventory
for Golden, British Columbia This inventory identifies the potential sources of air pollutants generated in the Golden airshed, based on theoretical estimates. The information is a
prerequisite for the detailed source apportionment study the ministry is conducting in Golden. For more information on the Golden study, see Source
Apportionment Studies, above.
This inventory describes the methods and calculations used to compile the 2000 emission inventory for British Columbia. The criteria air contaminants
in this inventory are: carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, volatile organic compounds and particulate matter.
This is a summary of the full inventory report, above.
Environmental Data Sharing Agreement: The data-sharing agreement helps Environment Canada and the Ministry of Environment report on the state of the environment.
The agreement supports the effective exchange of air- and water-quality data. It is hoped that the agreement will be a model for other agencies.
British Columbia and Alberta sponsored the generation of hourly, three-dimensional wind and temperature fields for 1995, for western Canada, using the MM5 meteorological model. weatheroffice (Environment Canada)
updated Guidelines for Air Quality Dispersion Modelling in British Columbia These guidelines provide recommended practices for dispersion modelling in British Columbia. Such practices
help ensure modelling is appropriate for the needs of the application, applied correctly, and consistently using accepted scientific techniques — in a way that helps inform air-quality-management
decisions. The guidelines have been updated since the 2006 version. Here is an explanation of the minor changes made in the 2008 revision of Guidelines for Air Quality Dispersion Modelling in British Columbia. The guidelines will continue to be updated to reflect advances in modelling practice and to respond to user comments. In order to receive update notifications via e-mail, and provide comments, follow these instructions. To facilitate the completion of a Conceptual Model Plan and Detailed Model Plan (as discussed in the guidelines), electronic versions of these plans are provided here:
Smoke Forecasting Workshop Proceedings This report summarizes the smoke forecasting workshop, in Feb. 2007, which explored options for cooperatively developing a framework for
operational smoke forecasting in Canada.
This primer is intended to help "non-experts" understand the key messages of the technical report, Guidelines
for Air Quality Dispersion Modelling in British Columbia, above.
This document reports on tests in B.C. of the performance of "AERSCREEN," a screening-level air-quality model. Developed in the U.S., this model
is currently in draft form. When finalized, it will be added to the suite of air quality models used in British Columbia.
This report describes a test to determine how well weather-forecast models can produce meteorological data in areas where there are no measurements available.
It assesses the potential of using models instead of setting up new monitoring stations to obtain meteorological data.
Mesoscale Meteorological Model (Three Reports): "Mesoscale meteorological models" are complex computer programs that produce predictions of meteorology, such as winds and temperature, over large areas and different heights in the atmosphere. Such information is extremely valuable in understanding the meteorological factors that influence air quality. The next two reports provide the results of limited investigations that were intended to test different models with the goal of improving their performance. The third report is an earlier effort, which assesses the different mesoscale meteorological models used to model air quality dispersion in British Columbia.
Scroll over this picture or click here to see an animation example of mesoscale meteorological model output.
A. Existing Objectives and Standards Canada-wide
Standards (CWS) for Particulate Matter and Ozone (CCME) The Canada-wide Standards for Particulate Matter (PM) and Ozone (June 2000) are an important step towards minimizing the risk PM and ozone pose to human health and the environment. See the new B.C.and national reports on the progress towards achieving these standards by 2010.
B. Objectives under Development
1. PM2.5 OBJECTIVE Science Review Development of Options for a New Provincial PM2.5 Air
Quality Objective (BC Lung Association)
The Summary Report and Phase I and II reports were prepared to develop options for new provincial air-quality objectives for PM2.5, in order to support the implementation of existing Canada-wide standards for air management. The Summary Report describes the findings from the Phase I and II reports.
Intentions Paper The Ministry of Environment intends to establish provincial ambient-air-quality criteria for PM2.5. These criteria will address objectives for 24-hour and
annual averages, and longer-term planning goals.
In January 2008, the ministry posted this intentions paper for consultation. It includes background information about particulate matter and health concerns; a summary of the process
for establishing the proposed criteria; and the ministry's intentions.
NEW Summary of Public Comment: This report summarizes the stakeholder submissions regarding the intentions paper, above. A final decision on the proposed criteria is expected
later this year.
Background Materials Consultations on Proposed Options for Provincial Air Quality Objectives and an Airshed Planning
Framework The ministry sponsored stakeholder consultations in 2006, as a major step in developing the Provincial Framework for Airshed Planning. This process generated three reports that provided an important basis for the final framework document:
Updating B.C. Provincial
Air Quality Objectives: An Options Discussion Paper This paper is intended to help define an initial scope for reviewing and updating B.C.'s air quality objectives. The objectives are benchmarks for determining
if concentrations of pollutants in the ambient air, or in emissions from pollutant sources, should be of concern to the public or government regulators.
The Cariboo Region website provides information about air quality in Quesnel and Williams Lake, airshed management planning and the woodstove exchange program. This site includes reports on air quality, as well as brochures on air quality. This website provides air quality reports and air quality data.
Focusing on the Prince George airshed, this site includes air quality advisories, annual air quality reports and data summaries, as well as the Prince George Air Quality Management Plan. Visit this site for reports on regional air quality, airshed management planning, meteorology in the region and the woodstove exchange program. Visit this site for information about air quality in the region and odour control.
The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is being piloted in 14 B.C. communities. Visit the AQHI website often to see how the new index and health information can help you make decisions on your outdoor activities.
This video explains what air pollution is, along with the sources and health effects. It provides examples of individuals, communities and governments making positive changes in B.C. and Washington State.
Clean Air Toolkit: A Guide for Cleaner Air
This primer explains the terms used in discussing air quality, the the activities and sources that degrade air quality in B.C. communities, and how air quality can be maintained and improved.
The Hybrid Experience Report documents the real-world performance of 100 hybrids. The report includes information and easy-to-use calculators to help buyers make choices based on fuel savings, emission reduction, and overall cost.
EcoTravelling.co.uk was formed in late 2005 to offer a unique reference point on environmentally friendly travel. Everywhere we travel we leave a carbon footprint. The information on this site will help you ensure it's as small and ethical as possible.
Clean Air Fact Sheets (Environment Canada) These fact sheets cover a range of clean air topics:
Clearing the Air: How You Can Help Find out all sorts of ways we can "clear the air", by making changes in the way we travel, heat our homes, and much more. |
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