Written by GORDON HOEKSTRA
Citizen staff
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Thursday, 02 October 2008 |
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BCR INDUSTRIAL SITEDAVE FULLERHEALTHY AIRPEOPLE ACTION COMMITTEEPRINCE GEORGE
The Prince George advocacy group, which has a membership of more than 1,000, also questioned why the ministry was not issuing advisories when the air quality objective was exceeded in the BCR Industrial Site.
Environment officials acknowledged the downtown advisory put in place Tuesday afternoon was cancelled Wednesday morning even though the objective for fine particulate air pollution 10 microns and smaller, called PM10, was still being exceeded. But that was because hourly numbers were falling and air quality was expected to improve with anticipated windier conditions, said officials.
It turned out, however, that hourly numbers climbed again after dropping, leaving the rolling average 24-hour PM10 level above the 50 micrograms per cubic metres advisory trigger level until early Thursday morning.
The environment ministry doesn't issue advisories before the air quality objective is triggered when numbers are going up, so it shouldn't do it when the numbers are going down, reasoned PACHA president Dave Fuller
There should have been an air quality advisory for all of Wednesday, he said.
"Is this politically motivated so there will be fewer air advisory hours, making air quality look better in Prince George?," asked Fuller.
He also said he believes the ministry should be issuing air advisories for the BCR site because there are thousands of people working there.
The PM10 air quality objective of 50 micrograms per cubic metre has been exceeded at the BCR site since early Wednesday and was above 70 on Thursday afternoon. It reached an hourly peak of more than that for several hours on Thursday morning, hitting a high of 192 at 8 a.m., according to a ministry website.
B.C. Environment official Mellissa Winfield-Lesk said Mother Nature was playing tricks and the expected winds did not materialize as quickly as expected. She noted that thunderstorms, which would clear the air, were expected later Thursday.
Acknowledging that the BCR site exceeds provincial air quality objectives about 10 per cent of the year, Winfield-Lesk said they have decided not to issue advisories because it is an industrial site and not a residential area. She said they are hoping to install a monitor for the smaller PM2.5 at the BCR site to determine whether it is dust or more dangerous combustion particles causing air quality problems there.
During air quality advisories, residents, especially those at high risk, are cautioned to consider reducing strenuous outdoor exercise and adjusting medication with the advise of their doctor.
City bylaws also kick in during air quality advisories, prohibiting backyard fires and street sweeping. Industry is also asked to reduce emissions wherever possible during advisories.
Prince George has perennially been among the communities in B.C. with the worst fine particulate levels.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 02 October 2008 )
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