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Air Pollution
Formaldehyde re-testing set to begin in B.C. (#1781)
2010-03-11
The Ministry of Environment, Prince George Air Improvement Roundtable (PGAIR) and PACHA plan to begin retesting Prince George air for formaldehyde in three to four weeks.
Residents packed the gymnasium of Sacred Heart School on Wednesday to hear from experts about a pair of tests conducted in 2008 which showed very high levels of formaldehyde. The tests were part of an odour study conducted by the Ministry of Environment and PGAIR.
Air samples taken on Aug.
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6, 2008 at Patricia Boulevard and 17th Avenue showed formaldehyde levels of nearly 1,200 micrograms per cubic metre of air and 900 micrograms per cubic metre over a one-hour period. The B.C. action level is 60 micrograms per cubic metre of air and the episode level is 370 micrograms per cubic metre.
PGAIR president George Stedeford said the validity of the tests and samples was put into question because samples were mishandled en route to Ortech Environmental, the Ontario-based lab contracted to analyse the samples.
“The chain of custody is questionable for the samples,” Stedeford said. “(And) all of the samples were analyzed more than 48 hours after they were taken. It’s supposed to be done in under 30 (hours).”
The formaldehyde results were completely inconsistent with previous tests done in the city, he added. From 1995 to 1997, the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection — now called the Ministry of Environment — conducted 582 tests for formaldehyde at five sites throughout the city.
The average daily concentrations of formaldehyde ranged from 1.7 to 4.7 micrograms per cubic metre of air at the five sites, according to the ministry’s 2001 annual report on Prince George air quality.
The highest daily average recorded in the city was 17.7 micrograms per cubic metre at the BCR Industrial site in 1995. If correct the Aug. 6, 2008 tests would have resulted in a minimum daily average of 50 micrograms per cubic metre and 37.5 micrograms per cubic metre, if formaldehyde levels were zero for the rest of the day.
Stedeford said the results received from Ortech Environmental were unreadable, and the Ministry of Environment took until April, 2009 to organize the results into a readable format. The results were discussed at the April and May, 2009 meetings.
The Ministry of Environment did further analysis of the results, Stedeford said, and recommended that further tests be done for formaldehyde and a number of other chemicals. Last month PGAIR approved $5,000 in funding for the follow-up study.
The Ministry of Environment initially did not include the funding in the 2010 provincial budget, he said. However, by late last week the funding was approved.
“Could it have been quicker... you have to say, ‘yes.’ Hindsight is 20/20,” Stedeford said. “If you want an apology, I’ll give you an apology. We should have tested sooner.”
Ministry of Environment regional operations manager Dean Cherkas said equipment to do the tests was ordered late last week and the ministry should begin monitoring within three to four weeks.
“My hope is we can use local facilities... to do the sampling and analysis,” Cherkas said. “From here we’ll develop a monitoring plan. It’s going to be more than two studies, more like 15-20 samples for formaldehyde. And we won’t just be looking for formaldehyde.”
Cherkas, who recently took the regional manager post, said he doesn’t know why testing wasn’t done sooner and the results were not more clearly communicated to the public.
“Obviously there are a lot of questions. I wish I could tell you what happened or who was involved, but I don’t know. (But) I’m going to be looking into it,” Cherkas said. “Clearly the community has spoken... that ourselves and PGAIR have to be more clear in our communication. We will be as effective in providing that information as possible.”
PACHA president Dave Fuller said the air quality watchdog organization will be doing its own formaldehyde testing, in the hope of tracking possible emissions to the source.
“We will have a hand-held formaldehyde monitor in the community... in two weeks,” Fuller said. “The Ministry of Environment is using the Cadillacs of testing. We’re going to have the Volkswagen. But we need more Volkswagens in Prince George.”
People in Prince George, particularly the Millar Addition area, have reported headaches, nausea, asthma attacks, nosebleeds, itchy skin and other symptoms on days with strong air odours, Fuller said.
“The pollution in Prince George is making people sick, there is no question about that.”
Northern Health regional health officer Dr. William Osei said acute formaldehyde exposure can cause irritation to the nose, throat, eyes and skin. Very high levels can cause sneezing, coughing, nasal cancers and even respiratory failure and death.
Formaldehyde is most often a concern with indoor air quality because many glues, wood products, carpets, insulation, industrial cleaners and disinfectants, permanent-press clothing and other household products can release formaldehyde into the air.
“The level of formaldehyde reported, if it is true, was about the same as a home with new carpets. That can cause irritation of the nose and throat,” Osei said. The message is formaldehyde is surrounding us already.”
Environmental expert professor Kenneth Parker said the most common source of atmospheric formaldehyde is incomplete combustion, particularly from diesel engines.
“Environment Canada estimates that over 11,000 tonnes per year of formaldehyde is released by automobiles. Sixty per cent of that is from diesel vehicles,” Parker said.
Industrial sources like pulp and paper mills and petroleum refineries emit about 1,340 tonnes per year.
Parker said many of the symptoms reported to PACHA could be caused by formaldehyde in the air.
“If there is one compound which could cause all those symptoms, formaldehyde is it,” Parker said. “It’s intensely allergenic.”
Some residents at the meeting were not satisfied with the answers, apology and commitment by the Ministry of Environment, PGAIR and PACHA.
“The Ministry of Environment is responsible to protect our environment. That to this day they still haven’t acted on this to determine if this is an anomaly or not is not acceptable,” Graber said.
“This is the toxic capital of B.C. and we’re not getting any help,” one person said.
“You’ve had this for 10 months in a form you can understand and we’re still waiting for answers? It’s reprehensible,” another said.
Source: Prince George Free Press
Author: Prince George Free Press
The Ministry of Environment, Prince George Air Improvement Roundtable (PGAIR) and PACHA plan to begin retesting Prince George air for formaldehyde in three to four weeks.
