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Air Quality
- Communities Exposed to Health Risks
- Health Risks from Fine Particulates
- Ground Level Ozone in B.C.
Health and Environment
- Mercury Concentration
- Pesticide Use
- UV Index
Surface Water Quality
- Surface Water Quality in B.C.
- Stream Crossing Density
- Water Quality Index
Ground Water
- Observation Wells Showing Declining Water Levels
- Heavily Used Aquifers
- Aquifers Vulnerable to Contamination
Surface Water Use
- Licensed Streams with Water Allocation Restrictions
- Stream Allocation Restrictions in B.C.
- Per Capita Municipal Water Use
- Effect of Metering on Domestic Water Use
- Volume of Water Licensed for Bottling
Toxic Contaminants
- On-Site Toxic Substances Releases
- On-Site Toxic Substances Releases in Canada
- Toxic Substance Release Sites in B.C.
- Absorbable Organic Halide (AOX) Discharge in Pulp and Paper Effluent
Chemicals in Wildlife
- Contaminants in Great Blue Heron Eggs
- PCBs and Dioxins and Furans in Harbour Seals
- Dioxins and Furans in Dungeness Crabs Near Pulp Mills
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions in B.C.
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions 1990 - 1999
- Vehicle Sales in B.C.
Climate Change
- Change in Air Temperature
- Fraser River Annual Flow
- Fraser River Temperature
Mitigation of Impact
- B.C. Wastewater Treatment
- Canadian Wastewater Treatment
- Liquid Manure Storage Capacity in Lower Fraser Valley
- Shellfish Closures
- Mine Sites Requiring Mitigation
- Municipal Waste and Recycling
- Industry Product Stewardship Programs
Economy
- Energy Consumption
- Certified Organic Producers
- GDP Generated by Provincial Parks
- Environment Industry Employment
Protected Areas
- Protected Area Status
- Protected Ecosystems
- Protected Areas by Size
- Protected Areas Across Canada
- Protected Forests
Species at Risk
- Threatened or Endangered Species
- Threatened or Endangered Species by Ecoprovince
- Threats to Species at Risk
- Across Canada Comparison
Habitat
- Road Density
- Lost Habitat Types
- Species at Risk and Habitat Dependency
- Protected Areas Across Canada
- Large Areas of Habitat
- Protected Estuaries
Fish
- Steelhead Stocks
- Sturgeon in Fraser, Columbia and Nechako Rivers
- Bull Trout Trends by Watershed
Wildlife
- Species Range
- Status of Caribou
- Status of Columbia Sharp-Tailed Grouse
- Status of Grizzly Bear

Government
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Environmental Trends 2002

Air Quality in British Columbia

Status and Trends in Ground Level Ozone

Ground Level Ozone in British Columbia (Annual 4th highest 8-hr daily maximum ozone concentrations averaged for 1998-2000 in parts per billion)

ground level ozone in british columbia

SOURCES: Environment Canada 2001. NOTES: Most jurisdictions have switched from a one-hour maximum to the 4th highest 8-hr daily maximum. The purpose of this change is to account for longer periods of exposure rather than single high events.

Status and trends in ground level ozone

Ground level ozone is a secondary pollutant that forms when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds react in the presence of sunlight.
Ground level ozone can damage lung tissue and cause irritation to mucus membranes in humans and animals, and can damage vegetation, reducing overall yields.
Ground level ozone is not a problem specific to the Lower Fraser Valley (LFV), but applies to any area where conditions for the production of ozone are favourable. In the LFV, the combustion of fossil fuels from vehicles, natural sources and solvent evaporation all contribute to the production of ground level ozone on sunny days.
Measured ground level ozone levels did not exceed the Canadian standard for air quality (65 ppb) in 1998 - 2000.
Scientists are uncertain why there are high levels of ozone in less populated areas. It may be due to a combination of natural, physical and chemical processes in the atmosphere, and the availability of precursor emissions.
The elderly, people with respiratory diseases, and children are most sensitive to ground level ozone. Health effects can begin to occur at levels lower than the national standard. Health effects can also be compounded by the presence of other pollutants.
Standards are designed to reach a balance between minimizing the effects of air pollutants on health and the feasibility and the costs of reducing polluting factors.

For detailed information, including graph data, see In-Depth report [pdf].

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