Air pollution in British Columbia

Air pollution is a concern in British Columbia, Canada because of its effects on health and visibility. Air quality is influenced in British Columbia (BC) by numerous mountain ranges and valleys, which complicate atmospheric pollution dispersion and can lead to high concentrations of pollutants such as particulate matter from wood smoke (especially during stagnant atmospheric conditions/ inversions).

Beehive Burner smoke.

Sources of air pollution

Sources of air pollution sources in British Columbia may be divided between those external to the province, such as transboundary pollution, and those internal to it; and between anthropogenic (man-made) sources and natural sources. External anthropogenic sources include combustion particles and gases from industrial sources in the province of Alberta or the U.S. state of Washington. Mount St. Helens has been a significant external natural source: although located entirely in the United States, its eruption created air pollution in parts of British Columbia.

Exhaust from internal combustion engines (mainly automobiles and trucks, as well as marine vessels in coastal waters) is a major internal anthropogenic source. Other human-caused sources include: Industrial, agricultural (e.g. manure spreading), commercial operations (e.g., dry cleaners and gas stations) and home heating appliances (furnaces, fireplaces).

Background pollution occurs in areas not directly affected by pollution sources.

Pollution law

The Canadian Constitution does not clearly specify the level of government that has responsibility for environmental protection in Canada. As such, pollution law in British Columbia is divided among local, regional, provincial, federal and international jurisdictions, each with its own focus and, at times, overlapping concerns. Legislation may be enacted at any of these levels.

Provincial air quality law

Provincial environmental regulation is largely contained in BC's Environmental Management Act, which defines air pollution as follows:

"pollution" means the presence in the environment of substances or contaminants that substantially alter or impair the usefulness of the environment.

Marine vessel emissions in BC

Federal air quality law

Federal pollution law is largely embodied in the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) and its associated schedules. The act of scheduling a toxin under CEPA starts a process of elimination or virtual elimination from the Canadian environment.

The National Pollutant Release Inventory indexes sources by pollutant and location.

Pollution law governing emissions from marine vessels is complicated; Transport Canada holds primary authority for regulating ship traffic in Canada, while the International Maritime Organization governs global shipping rules (including pollution from marine vessels). Environment Canada and other agencies are working to better understand and address this issue, which is increasingly important due to growing international trade.

Regional and municipal air quality law

Within the province, various Regional Districts and municipalities have enacted laws to control pollution. There are also area-based plans to manage pollution along geographic lines that recognize airsheds instead of political boundaries. This system is especially relevant to BC because of its mountainous topography. The BC Environmental Management Act recognizes airsheds and notes that managers under the Act "may give consideration" to them, but their full legal status is uncertain. Some plans have had a considerable effect, and this trend is likely to continue.

The Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) has a clearly defined role in air pollution control and has delegated authority from the province (Montreal is the only other jurisdiction in Canada with this delegated authority). The Fraser Valley Regional District has delegated authority to plan but not manage air quality.

British Columbia is a participant in the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME), which includes processes for fine particulates and ground level ozone. Because BC generally has lower levels of pollution than the standards set by the Environmental Protection Act, the CI/KCAC ("Continuous Improvement" and "Keeping Clean Areas Clean") principle of the federal strategy is of special importance.

International law and treaties such as the Kyoto Accord further affect air pollution in BC.

The precautionary principle embodied in international agreements is gaining recognition in Canada and BC as a guide to interpreting pollution law.

Air Quality Health Index

The Air Quality Health Index or (AQHI) is a scale designed to help understand the impact of air quality on health. It is a health protection tool used to make decisions to reduce short-term exposure to air pollution by adjusting activity levels during increased levels of air pollution. The Air Quality Health Index also provides advice on how to improve air quality by proposing behavioral change to reduce the environmental footprint. This index pays particular attention to people who are sensitive to air pollution. It provides them with advice on how to protect their health during air quality levels associated with low, moderate, high and very high health risks.

The Air Quality Health Index or "AQHI" is a federal program jointly coordinated by Health Canada and Environment Canada. However, the AQHI program would not be possible without the commitment and support of the provinces, municipalities and NGOs. From air quality monitoring to health risk communication and community engagement, local partners are responsible for the vast majority of work related to AQHI implementation.

Originally launched as a pilot project in the British Columbia Interior and Nova Scotia in 2005, it is currently implemented in 49 locations across Canada.

The Air Quality Health Index provides a number from 1 to 10+ to indicate the level of health risk associated with local air quality. Occasionally, when the amount of air pollution is abnormally high, the number may exceed 10. The AQHI provides a local air quality current value as well as a local air quality maximums forecast for today, tonight and tomorrow and provides associated health advice.

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Risk:

Low (1-3)

Moderate (4-6)

High (7-10)

Very high (above 10)

As it is now known that even low levels of air pollution can trigger discomfort for the sensitive population, the index has been developed as a continuum: The higher the number, the greater the health risk and need to take precautions. The index describes the level of health risk associated with this number as ‘low’, ‘moderate’, ‘high’ or ‘very high’, and suggests steps that can be taken to reduce exposure.

Health Risk	Air Quality Health Index	Health Messages
		At Risk population	*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	Reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors. Children and the elderly should also take it easy.	Consider reducing or rescheduling strenuous activities outdoors if you experience symptoms such as coughing and throat irritation.
Very high	Above 10	Avoid strenuous activities outdoors. Children and the elderly should also avoid outdoor physical exertion.	Reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors, especially if you experience symptoms such as coughing and throat irritation.

Clean air advocacy

Air pollution advocacy groups are listed here with links to more information.

• The BC Environmental Network is a coalition of environmental organizations in BC, including many with an air pollution focus.
• The BC Lung Association is one of the oldest and most influential clean air advocacy groups in BC.
• Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
• CHOKED is an air pollution advocacy group in Smithers, a small town in northwestern BC. The group has participated in appeals before the province's Environmental Appeal Board of BC, notably in the case of beehive burner pollution.
• Clean Air BC Coalition
• Community members in and around Duncan, BC have expressed great concern around plans by Norske Canada to burn car tires (tire derived fuel) to generate energy in their Crofton pulp mill. The Crofton Airshed Citizen's Group has been active in criticizing this proposal and are now planning an independent study of the expected impacts.
• Health Effects Institute
• Reach For Unbleached is an organization with a special interest in pulp mill pollution issues in BC. Of special interest is their publication, The Watershed Sentinel. Their office paper buying club uses consumer advocacy to bring about corporate environmental change. They also discuss their allegations that provincial monitoring [1] misses pulp mill wastes.
• The [2] Ecojustice, formerly Sierra Legal Defence Fund is a non-profit law firm advocating for the environment. They advocate in several public interest areas, including air pollution issues.
• The Society Promoting Environmental Conservation has long been involved in air pollution issues in BC.
• The David Suzuki Foundation focuses on climate change in its air pollution work.
• West Coast Environmental Law is another non-profit law firm with subject areas that include air quality litigation and briefs to the government. Their Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund is an important vehicle for activists.

See also

• Air Quality Health Index
• Beehive burner

External links

(See Clean air advocacy above for additional links.)

• International level
  • Air Quality Agreement between Canada and the United States

• Federal level
  • Canadian Environmental Protection Act
  • National Pollutant Release Inventory
  • Human Health Effects of Fine Particulate Matter report (about 300 pages)
  • Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment

• Provincial level
  • BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection
  • Statues and Associated Regulations (E)—see items beginning with Environment, Environmental
    • Environmental Management Act
  • Environmental Appeal Board of BC
  • Air quality report commissioned by the province
  • Air Quality Resources in Vancouver

• District level
  • Bulkley Valley and Lakes District Airshed Management Plan
  • Greater Vancouver Regional District air quality site
  • Skeena Region air quality site

• Reports from other sources
  • BC Lung Association's 2007 State of the Air Report (pdf)
  • Health and Air Quality 2002—Phase 1 report - a technical report examining the human health effects and related economic costs of air pollution in BC's Lower Fraser Valley (2003; 133 pages)
  • CAPE's information on children's respiratory health
  • CI/KCAC additional concepts
  • Draft proposal for the CI/KCAC strategy (2004)
  • Environmental Health Perspectives (U.S. government publication)