The Ministry of Environment has concluded its formaldehyde monitoring program in Prince George after finding levels of the chemical in the air to be well within health guidelines.
The ministry conducted air sampling for formaldehyde from April 14, 2010 to March 28, 2011.
The testing was launched after media reports brought attention to a pair of tests from Aug. 6, 2008 which showed levels substantially higher than the provincial action level of 60 micrograms per cubic metre of air. A sample take at Patricia Boulevard was nearly 1,200 micrograms per cubic metre and a sample from 17th Avenue was over 900 micrograms per cubic metre
"The unusually high levels of formaldehyde reported in 2008 are now believed to be incorrect, either due to contaminated equipment or contamination from other sources," a ministry statement said.
The average formaldehyde level detected from April, 2010 to March, 2011 was 1.84 micrograms per cubic metre. The highest level detected was 10.19 micrograms per cubic metre on Aug. 18, 2010, when the city was experiencing heavy smoke from a forest fire near Vanderhoof.
The highest level of formaldehyde recorded, other than Aug. 18, was 4.89 micrograms per cubic metre on Dec. 22, 2010. The December reading was attributed to weather conditions in Prince George.
The Ministry of Environment and Environment Canada collaborated to take a series of one-hour samples during poor air quality events and 24-hour samples every six days. The statistics reported were based on the 24-hour samples, which are considered to be more reliable, the ministry reported.
People's Action Committee for Healthy Air (PACHA) president Dr. Marie Hay said although the results were always considered erroneous by the ministry, the testing needed to take place to ease residents' concerns.
"I think the people of the Millar Addition and the bowl can rest assured that formaldehyde is not going to kill them," Hay said. "Rather than take a chance, they had to test to make sure people are safe. I don't think they had any alternative."
However, Hay said, just because formaldehyde - and several other aldehydes and ketones - have been ruled out doesn't mean air quality is not still a concern.
"Smells sweep in, especially at night when there is an inversion," she said. "What the ministry is trying to do is work with residents to determine what these foul odours are and where they are coming from."
For the 2011-12 calendar year the ministry will be focusing on volatile organic compounds. Air canisters have been distributed to residents throughout the bowl and Millar Addition area, she said, who will collect samples when they detect odours.
"I've not heard of this being done elsewhere in the province," Hay said. "I think it's a real feather in the cap of the local Ministry of Environment [staff]."
PACHA also conducted some independent formaldehyde testing and found levels within the safe levels.
Ministry of Environment regional operations manager Dean Cherkas could not be reached for comment as of press time. Millar Addition Citizen's Coalition spokeswoman Carol Fairhurst.
