Presentation to the RDOS,
November 16, 2006
By
Jim Bagley
PHH ARC Environmental
Air Quality – Specific Issues
for the Okanagan Similkameen
Welcome
„
„
„
„
Jim Bagley
Manager of PHH ARC Environmental, Interior
BC 9 Years
Head of PHH ARC Western Canada indoor air
quality division
Recent projects for City of Penticton and
RDOS include 3 Gables Hotel Demolition
Hazmat, Campbell Mountain Landfill air
quality, Ice rink zamboni exhaust emissions
monitoring and RDOS offices mould
assessment
PHH ARC Environmental
and Affiliates
Services
Indoor air quality
„ Hazardous materials in
buildings
„ Environmental
management
„ Occupational health
and safety
„
What is Air Pollution?
„
Contamination of the
air by noxious gases
and minute particles
of solid and liquid
matter (particulates)
in concentrations that
may endanger health
Sources of Outside Air Pollution
„
„
„
„
„
„
Combustion of gasoline
and other hydrocarbon
fuels in cars, trucks, and
airplanes
Burning of fossil fuels (oil,
coal)
Insecticides
Herbicides
Dust from fertilizers
Wood burning stoves
What is Particulate Matter?
„
„
„
Particles of different substances suspended
in the air
In the form of solid particles and liquid
droplets
Particles vary widely in size
Where does Fine Pm come
from?
Fine particles come from a variety of sources:
•
•
•
•
•
diesel trucks and buses
construction equipment
power plants
woodstoves
wildfires
Chemical reactions in the atmosphere
can transform gases into fine particles.
How Fine is Fine?
„
Fine particles are only a fraction
of the size of a human hair.
Cross section of a human hair (magnified to 60 µm)
Coarse Particles
(10 µm)
Fine Particles
(2.5 µm)
Why are Fine Particles
Bad to Breathe?
• Scientific studies have linked fine particles with a series of
significant health problems.
• Fine particles easily reach the deepest parts of the lungs.
• Particulate matter causes 15,000 premature deaths every
year in the US.
• Fine particles from diesel exhaust can cause lung cancer.
Health Effects of Exposure
to Fine Particles
„
Aggravated asthma
„
Respiratory-related emergency room visits and
hospital admissions
„
Acute respiratory symptoms
„
Decreased lung function (shortness of breath)
„
People with existing heart and lung disease, as
well as the elderly and children, are particularly at
risk
What’s in smog
„
„
„
„
„
Particulates
Nitrous oxides
Potassium
Carbon monoxide
Other toxic chemicals
Smog In the Okanagan
„
„
„
„
Okanagan Similkameen
particularly susceptible to
smog
Topography reduces air
flow
Strong temperature
inversions in valleys
Rapid population increase
with resultant increase in
vehicle emissions
Smog and Ozone
An odorless, colorless gas
composed of three oxygen
atoms.
• Ozone in the upper atmosphere
protects us from the sun’s harmful
ultraviolet rays.
• At ground-level in the air we breathe,
ozone (smog) poses serious risks to
human health.
„
Why is Ozone Bad to
Breathe?
„
„
„
„
The average adult breathes enough air to
fill over 3,000 balloons each day. Children
breathe even more!
Ozone can irritate lungs and airways, and
cause inflammation much like a sunburn on
your lungs.
Ozone can aggravate respiratory illnesses
like asthma.
Children and people with chronic lung
diseases are particularly at risk.
Where Does Ozone Come
From?
Ozone is created by a chemical
reaction:
= O3
+
VOC + NOx + Heat + Sunlight = Ozone
BC Ministry of environment has identified the
Okanagan as one of the most likely areas in BC to
experience a rapid rise in both smog and ozone
levels
Carbon Dioxide
„
„
„
Carbon dioxide
associated with global
warming
Caused by fossil fuel
consumption,
woodstoves and
wildfires
Has been steadily
increasing for the last
300 years
Carbon Dioxide and Indoor
Air Quality
„
„
„
Provincial regulations
require indoor levels to
be maximum 650ppm
above outside levels
Federal recommended
limit is 1100ppm
Above these levels
building occupants report
drowsiness, inability to
concentrate and
discomfort
Carbon Dioxide and Forest
Fires
„
PHH ARC monitoring
in Cawston during the
Tatoosh and Border
Lake forest fires in
September 2006
showed carbon
dioxide levels rose to
>550 ppm
Carbon Dioxide and Forest
Fires
„
Likely indoor levels
during forest fires in
excess of 1200 ppm resulting in significant
increase in complaints
of poor indoor air
quality
Relative Humidity
„
„
„
Indoor relative humidity directly proportional to
outdoor humidity unless humidification system is
installed.
Low relative humidity dries out mucous membranes
resulting in complaints of dry eyes, throat and skin
irritation, nosebleeds and aggravation of cold and
flu symptoms
Low humidity synergistic adverse health effect with
increased particulate
Relative Humidity Standards
Worksafe BC regulations cite ASHRAE
standards
„ Indoor relative humidity should not drop
below 30%
„
Relative Humidity in the
Okanagan Similkameen
Relative Humidity in the
Okanagan Similkameen
Average monthly indoor
relative humidity
(outdoor RH adjusted for
temperature) in
Penticton over the last
30 years has fallen below
30% for seven months a
year and below 20% five
months a year
Conclusions
„
„
„
„
„
„
In addition to global issues there are particular
outdoor and indoor air concerns in the
Okanagan Similkameen
Topography
Low relative humidity
Rapid increase in population and hence vehicle
emissions
Forest fires
Wood burning stoves
Conclusions
„
Even if Environment Canada outdoor air
pollution criteria are met there is a
significant probability that indoor criteria
for fine particulate, carbon dioxide and
relative humidity may not be met at times
in the Okanagan Similkameen resulting in
worker discomfort and ill health and a
loss in both morale and productivity.