Clean Air Hamilton. Initiated as implementation committee to act on recommendations in 1997 HAQI Reports. Community-based initiatives directed at:

Transcription

1 AIR QUALITY PROGRESS REPORT 2010 Presentation to HIEA Community Advisory Panel Brian McCarry Chair, Clean Air Hamilton September 8, 2011

2 Clean Air Hamilton Initiated as implementation committee to act on recommendations in 1997 HAQI Reports. Community-based initiatives directed at: Researching air quality and health issues Developing policies that affect air quality in Hamilton Encouraging emission reductions Educating the public on air quality improvements Stakeholders include: MOE, Environment Canada, Health Canada, ArcelorMittal Dofasco, US Steel Canada, Green Venture, McMaster University, Citizens of Hamilton, City Staff (Planning, Health & Public Works), Horizon Utilities, Hamilton Industrial Environmental Assn., Environment Hamilton, Rotek Environmental.

3 Clean Air Hamilton Strategic Plan Public Health Protection Active and Sustainable Transportation Smart Driver Air Monitoring Air Quality Communication Climate Change Emissions Reductions Energy Conservation Land Use Planning Tree-planting Programs See details of plans in Appendix A

4 Clean Air Hamilton City provides programming support of $80,000 per year, 0.5 FTE staff position and 0.5 FTE co-op student. Leverages expert volunteer support. Leverages funding from various sources. Programs include: Upwind/Downwind Conferences every two years Mobile monitoring of urban pollutants Hamilton Air Monitoring Network Public health protection programs Sustainable transportation solutions Climate change and air quality advice Energy conservation and urban planning solutions Emissions reductions and land use planning

5 Air Quality Activities in 2010 Promoted linkages between air quality and health to public. Provided air quality trends in Hamilton in relation to other Ontario cities and cities across Canada and around world. Participated in neighbourhood mobile air monitoring studies. Published mobile monitoring data in scientific papers. Performed monitoring in Red Hill Valley and neighbourhoods. Helped develop communications for community smog advisories. Participated in various transportation initiatives: Car Share, Totally Transit, EcoDriver, Smart Commute, Smart Driver programs (in partnership with Green Venture) Participated in various air quality and climate change consortia and initiatives across GTA.

6 2010 Clean Air Hamilton Report Health impacts of air pollution AQHI pilot study in Hamilton Trends in air quality data in Hamilton, in Ontario and worldwide. Mobile monitoring study outcomes Urban Planning Linkages to Air Quality 2010 and 2012 Upwind/Downwind Conferences Plans for the future and recommendations

7 Hamilton Air Quality Health Assessment, Key Air Pollutants result in health effects outcomes in Hamilton each year of: >100 premature deaths >620 respiratory & cardiovascular hospital admissions Primary focus of CAH efforts is reductions in human exposures to: Particulate material (PM 10 and PM 2.5 ) Nitrogen oxides (NO x ) Ground level ozone (O 3 ) We are in the process of a comprehensive review of health effects of air pollutants; this review will be included in the 2011 CAH Report. Hamilton responsible for about 50% of locally measured air pollutants

8 Air Quality Information: Decreases of 35-50% in Levels of Major Air Pollutants (except Ozone) over Past Decade Number hours >50 ppb Ground Level Ozone Trend No. of Hourly Exceeds >50 ppb 3 stn avg Year Respirable Particulate (PM 2.5 ) Trend Nitrogen Dioxide Trend Annual Avaerage (µg/m³) Annual Average (ppm) Year Year Downtown Mountain West Beach Blvd (Industry) Downtown (City)

9 Nitrogen Dioxide Annual Mean for Selected Cities World-Wide (2007) U.S. NAAQS = 53 ppb WHO Guidelines = 21 ppb YELLOWKNIFE Miami Sydney WINNIPEG Singapore Pittsburgh VANCOUVER Detroit Berlin Milwaukee MONTREAL HAMILTON Dallas WINDSOR Cleveland TORONTO CALGARY Rotterdam Geneva Prague Athens Denver New York City Cities 20-Year Trend for Nitrogen Oxide (Seven Cities) Hong Kong Mexico City Air Quality Information: Comparisons of Hamilton s Air Quality to some Ontario Cities and Cities around the World Hamilton Burlington 8-Year trend Toronto Kitchener London Oakville St. Catharines 0 NOx (ppb) Concentration (ppb) All cities showed upturn in PM 2.5 in Year Trends for PM 2.5 (Ten Ontario Cities) 14 Year Hamilton Burlington Toronto Kitchener London Oakville St. Catharines Windsor Chatham Sarnia PM2.5 (µg/m³) Year

10 Hamilton Air Monitoring Network HAMN: Network of 17 air monitoring stations funded by 17 companies. Air quality data available at going back three years. HAMN reports to MOE and to Clean Air Hamilton. Network is a model for Ontario and Canada.

11 AQI (Air Quality Index) vs. AQHI (Air Quality Health Index) The AQI is an air pollution scale developed by the Ontario MOE while the AQHI is a health-driven metric developed by Health Canada. AQI Scale: based on highest single air parameter. AQHI Scale: based on three air parameters. Correlation: AQI to AQHI Air pollution impacts increase uniformly, not in steps. AQHI conveys continuous nature of impacts better than AQI.

12 AQHI Air Quality Health Index The AQHI will come to Hamilton this month! The AQHI provides a linkage between index value and health effects. People will calibrate themselves to AQHI values as they do with the UV Index. Health Risk Air Quality Health Index At Risk Population* Health Messages General Population Low 1-3 Enjoy your usual outdoor activities. Ideal air quality for outdoor activities. Moderate 4-6 Consider reducing or rescheduling strenuous activities outdoors if you are experiencing symptoms. No need to modify your usual outdoor activities unless you experience symptoms such as coughing and throat irritation. High 7-10 Very High Above 10 Reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors. Children and the elderly should also take it easy. Avoid strenuous activities outdoors. Children and the elderly should also avoid outdoor physical exertion. Consider reducing or rescheduling strenuous activities outdoors if you experience symptoms such as coughing and throat irritation. Reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors, especially if you experience symptoms such as coughing and throat irritation

13 Poor Air Days and Smog Advisory Days # Poor Air Days (AQI > 51)* # Smog Advisory Days Number Year

14 Climate Change and Greenhouse Gases in Hamilton Municipal Emissions (1%) Agriculture (0%) Water & Sewage (0%) Waste (1%) Residential (7%) Commercial (11%) Agriculture 41,995 43,213 Steel (58%) Industrial (14%) Waste Transportation 105,798 86, , ,563 Transportation (8%) Steel Industrial (minus Steel) Commercial Residential 1,960,442 1,660,499 1,134,666 1,298, , ,530 6,960,083 7,757, ,000,000 2,000,000 3,000,000 4,000,000 5,000,000 6,000,000 7,000,000 8,000,000 Tonnes CO2e 2008 Total CO2e 2006 Total CO2e

15 Trends for Benzene and Benzo[a]pyrene for Past 16 Years MOE Guideline Value = 1.1 ng/m 3 Under consideration: MOE Guideline Value = 0.05 ng/m 3 These chemicals are topics of concern in MOE s Alternative Standards discussions with ArcelorMittal Dofasco, US Steel Canada and the community.

16 Modeled NO x Emissions at 8 a.m. on a Weekday from Passenger Vehicles and Heavy Trucks Passenger Vehicles Heavy Commercial Vehicles Work performed by Centre for Spatial Analysis at McMaster for Environment Canada From 2009 Clean Air Hamilton Report

17 Modeled Weekday NO x Emissions from Passenger Cars and Light Trucks 8 a.m. 12 noon 2 p.m. 5 p.m. From 2009 Clean Air Hamilton Report

18 Estimated Levels of NO x across the Hamilton Region Superimposed upon Locations of Patients in Loeb Study Darker the shading, the higher the NO x levels. From 2009 Clean Air Hamilton Report

19 Air Quality, Transportation Sources and Urban Design Significant health impacts associated with exposures from living and working near major traffic corridors. Traffic: a major source of nitrogen oxides (NO x ) and fine particulate material (PM 2.5 ) which account for approximately one-half of all air quality health impacts in humans. Mobile Monitoring Surveys: show high pollutant exposures occur near industrial sites and along major roadways and arterial highways. Air Modeling of Car and Truck Emissions: amazingly consistent pattern compared to mobile monitoring data. Design of urban areas and proposed locations of housing and commercial development need to consider traffic emissions.

20 The Future: Linking Health Impacts to Detailed Models of Air Quality NO 2 PM 10 Modeled NO 2 and PM 10 Levels in Clapham, London, England From 2009 Clean Air Hamilton Report Map of Roadways and Streets in Clapham Exposures to NO 2 and PM 10 (and associated health impacts) increase the closer you live or work near a major road.

21 Chapter 6 - Urban Planning Linkages to Air Quality Clean Air Hamilton recognizes that strong linkages exist between planning decisions and the resulting air quality in cities. Planning decisions have long-term consequences affecting urban form, walkability, sustainability and ultimately, public health. The planning acts and policies were not drafted with explicit environmental outcomes in mind. Sections of Chapter 6 in Report Hamilton Urban Planning History The Land Use Compatibility Guidelines Policy Development Planning Act Administration Emerging Considerations Emerging Issues

22 Upwind/Downwind Conferences 2010 and Conference Theme: Air Knows No Boundaries. Monday, February 22, 2010 (Convention Centre). Report on 2010 conference in Appendix B. Planning underway for 2012 conference. Sub-committee examined format of previous conferences and has recommended a number of changes for 2012.

23 Actions Needed within City Recognize the importance of transportation-based pollutants on public health. Take steps to factor transportation planning into urban design to mitigate exposures to pollutants. Work with local industries and the MOE to mitigate emissions from point sources and area sources of air particulate pollution, particularly dusts from roads and open yards. Promote active lifestyles for all citizens by developing safe bike corridors and providing sidewalks/walkways to promote walking. Encourage Hamiltonians to reduce transportation-based emissions through the use of transportation alternatives including public transit, bicycles, hybrid vehicles, etc.

24 Actions Needed within City Encourage physicians to caution patients with respiratory or cardiac difficulties to avoid areas of higher air pollution. Encourage physicians to warn patients to take special precautions on smog days and smog advisory days. Continue to reduce fugitive dusts in industrial sectors by encouraging local site operators to develop best practices to reduce fugitive emissions and track-out. Continue to take a broad suite of actions to improve local air quality and to increase the level of dialogue with community groups on health impacts of poor air quality.

25 CAH s Plans for the Future Ten strategic issues have been identified as areas for air quality and climate change actions for the next 3 years: 1. Promote public health protection re air quality (AQHI). 2. Continue mobile monitoring in city. 3. Develop a real-time air quality health map for Hamilton. 4. Promote active and sustainable transportation. 5. Encourage emission reductions strategies. 6. Communicate air quality issues to public web site/conferences. 7. Promote climate change and energy conservation actions. 8. Monitor climate change progress. 9. Encourage land-use planning policies that factor air quality into decision-making. 10. Continue tree-planting programs.

26 THANK YOU On behalf of Clean Air Hamilton