Improving Air Quality in the Comox Valley

Transcription

1 Improving Air Quality in the Comox Valley Jennell Ellis Presentation to Comox Valley Sustainability Forum May 24,

2 The problem is wood smoke 2

3 Problem is well researched & documented Many studies here in last ten years. Consistently one of the worst of 13 communities in Georgia Strait Air Shed. We continually fail to meet Canadian air quality standards Maps and research on breathecleanair.ca 3

4 Health Impacts well known Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) is considered the air pollutant of greatest concern to human health in B.C. (BC Healthlink) No safe level of exposure (Medical Health Officers) 4

5 Health: Wood smoke is second hand smoke Wood smoke has been found to be 30 times more potent than cigarette smoke in a tumour induction study. Wood smoke contains same toxins found in cigarette smoke: Fine particulates Benzene Dioxins Furans Nitrogen oxides Formaldehyde Acetaldehyde Acrolein Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). 5

6 Environment: Not climate change friendly 6

7 People s lives being impacted Physical health is being impacted (asthma, risk of heart attack, eye allergy, bronchitis, visits to emergency) Paying money for buying and running air purifiers, medications, time off of work. People are moving away. Others Would never have moved here if I had known. 7

8 Personal impacts cont d Can t use own backyards Smell smoke inside house and car Limiting outdoor activities like walking, running and biking. Are driving kids to school because of smoke. People with existing conditions feel trapped and isolated in their home 8

9 SOLUTIONS: What can local governments do to clean up our air? 9

10 Step 1. Acknowledge we have a problem. Step 2. Adopt a vision of having clean air, year round. From this: To this: Vision of cleaner air = Vision of less wood smoke. 10

11 Implementing vision of clean air requires multi-pronged approach Education Incentives Regulation & Enforcement = Individual Change Very important 11

12 Update OCPs and Strategies Most plans and strategies done before most research done and main monitor installed. Some Official Community Plans talk about maintaining excellent air quality. Regional Growth Strategy mentions air quality only in reference to transportation. 12

13 Update Plans & Strategies CV Sustainability Strategy (2010) mentions wood smoke: States wood heat is renewable and carbon neutral, and could be encouraged in rural areas acknowledges need to mitigate air pollution particularly in higher density areas, e.g. requiring clean burning units. (by 2020) 13

14 Are certified stoves a good solution? Way more bang for public buck for cleaner options New wood stoves Emissions depend on how it is operated. Need ongoing $ needed for: education on burning enforcement Burning illegal fuels/garbage still possible Stove in place for decades (degrades with time) Other heat sources = no additional effort or costs & guaranteed significant reductions. Many current stoves are already certified. 14

15 Local government regulatory tools Important to have approaches that address smoke at community and property level. Individual household level: Need bylaws that allow people protect themselves in their own home and on their property. (e.g. nuisance bylaws) 15

16 Possible Community-wide regulations Type of stove that can be used (e.g. removal of uncertified stoves) Type and dryness of fuel being used Burning limitations e.g. on bad air days, or in zones based on population No new installations in homes without stoves need to stop increase Tax disincentives 16

17 Regulatory tool: Opacity rules Set limits on amount of smoke coming from a chimney (after start up) 17

18 No more yard fires Usually green and/or wet materials Releases huge amount of smoke, impacts many people. Eliminate fees at dump for yard waste 18

19 Open burning Lobby BC government to ban open burning near communities OR put own regulations into place to ban these burns. 19

20 Change happens! Need a vision & leadership. 20

21 Learn more: Visit our website Subscribe to e- newsletter Facebook group: Breathe Clean Air Comox Valley Join Facebook Group us at 21

22 Thank you! Questions? 22