Alberta Capital Airshed

Annual Report 2012-13

Table of Contents

Message from the President 02

Introduction 03

Board of Directors 05

Membership 05

Air Quality Monitoring 06

Technical Working Group 07

Innovative Monitoring 08

Air Quality Health Index 09

Regional Initiatives 10

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Message from the PresidentThe past year has been an exciting one for the Alberta Capital Airshed. In the first year of our multi-year strategic plan, we embarked upon new areas around air quality – particularly in air quality monitoring but also through re-focussing our energies in air quality management and education. We also spent time increasing our capacities as a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization so that we can better serve the interests of all stakeholders in air quality.

This past year has been the most successful in the history of the local airshed movement. Today the ACA is recognized as a truly viable and vital Airshed for the Alberta Capital Region.

• Now anyone interested in the air that they breathe, can visit our website and see live air quality monitoring data.

• All stakeholders have a place to come together and discuss air quality issues.

• Through our outreach, and partnership with government and other organizations, we are connecting with audiences who want to know more about air quality and the issues within our region.

I’d like recognize my colleagues on the Board of Directors for their vision over the past year. It’s not always an easy task building a multi-stakeholder organization but with a very supportive and cooperative spirit, we have achieved much. My thanks also goes to our Executive Director, Gary Redmond for guiding the Board and entire organization through such tremendous growth this past year. Supporting Gary is our Administrator, Brenda Barber and a number of committees who rolled up their sleeves and ensured we gained success. Together we have achieved so much and the future for the ACA looks very bright indeed!

Brent Korobanik President, ACA Board of Directors

Annual Report 2012-13

IntroductionThe Alberta Capital Airshed is a not-for-profit, multi-stakeholder organization that monitors, manages and provides information on air quality. We are one of nine Airsheds in Alberta, who together serve as the air monitoring partnership for Albertans.

Air quality monitoring in our area is done by three of our members – Strathcona Industrial Association (5 stations), Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (3 stations), and Lehigh Cement (1 station) – and as of early 2013, the live data from these stations is available to anyone via our website (www.capitalairshed.ca).

Later in 2013, the ACA will be taking on direct management of two ESRD Stations - Edmonton Centre and Edmonton South.

As the local multi-stakeholder Airshed, we also have the role to facilitate dialogue and multi-stakeholder recommendations regarding air quality management, and additional monitoring to support management activities. We work with neighbouring airsheds, government and other stakeholders in addressing issues across the larger Capital Air Partnership region.

Due to our multi-stakeholder foundation, that includes industry, government and non-governmental organizations, we are looked upon as a primary source of credible air quality information in the community. Through the web, school presentations, and public events, the ACA reaches out to anyone with an interest in the air that we breathe.

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Board of DirectorsACA’s Board of Directors is composed of representatives from government, industry and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and operates in accordance with the guiding principles of consensus decision-making amongst all stakeholders.

ACA’s current Board of Directors are:

Industry - Brent Korobanik, Lehigh Cement - Frederic Picard, Strathcona Industrial Association

Government - Lisa Avis, Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD)

- Darcy Garchinski, Alberta Health Services - Mike Mellross, City of Edmonton - Jocelyn Thrasher-Haug, Strathcona County

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) - Klay Dyer, NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology)

- Raquel Feroe, Eco-Air - Trina Innes, University of Alberta

MembershipThe ACA is an organization composed of representatives from municipal, provincial and federal governments, industries, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals. The ACA’s current membership includes:

Industry - Lehigh Cement - Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. - Strathcona Industrial Association - West Fraser Mills

Government - Alberta Environment & Sustainable Resource Development

- Alberta Health Services - City of Edmonton - City of St. Albert - Strathcona County

NGO - EcoAir - Lung Association - MacEwan University - NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) - University of Alberta

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Air Quality MonitoringWhat are we monitoring and whyAir quality is a marker of how clean our air is. This is determined by the rate at which pollutants are emitted into the atmosphere and how effectively the atmosphere can disperse those contaminants. This, in turn, is affected by wind (speed and direction), temperature (at various heights) and turbulence, with local topography (e.g., valleys and hills) having an impact on each of those.

Air pollutants can come from a variety of sources, such as:

• Vehicle emissions – “Non-point sources”

• Industry (e.g., oil and gas, manufacturing) – “Point sources”

• Homes (e.g., heating systems) and commercial operations – “Area sources”

Air pollutants that are monitored include:• Carbon monoxide

• Nitrogen oxides

• Ozone

• Sulphur dioxide

• Hydrogen sulphide

• Particulate matter (e.g., smoke)

• Total hydrocarbons

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (e.g., gasoline)

• Methane

• Ethylene

• Ammonia

• Meteorology

Types of monitoring technology include:• Continuous monitoring stations – measure

different combinations of pollutants, depending on the individual station’s monitoring objectives. They provide near instantaneous measurements. Substances typically measured are: carbon dioxide, ammonia, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, hydrogen sulfide, total reduced sulphurs, nitrogen oxides, ozone, particulates and sulphur dioxide.

• Passive monitors – require no power and consist of a series of filters through which air passes, and thus detect low sample amounts. They provide monthly average measurements. Four substances typically measured are: sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and hydrogen sulphide.

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Live data can be accessed at www.capitalairshed.ca/station-map

Technical Working GroupAnother important step taken in the past year for the ACA was the formation of our Technical Working Group. This committee is responsible for developing and managing a regional monitoring plan, a quality assurance plan (for air quality data) and for overseeing operations of ACA monitoring. In 2013, the ACA will be taking on the management of two stations owned by ESRD – Edmonton Centre and Edmonton South. This will mark an important step toward our vision of a robust, Airshed-managed air quality network that provides vital information to all stakeholders. We are fortunate to have as part of our membership, organizations including ESRD, SIA and Lehigh Cement that operate monitoring stations in our region and support the ACA in its emerging role in monitoring. As we move forward, the

ACA intends to broaden the network by filling in gaps and strengthening the overall understanding we have of the air quality in our region.

Members of our Technical Working Group include:

• Jeff Yanew (Chair) City of St. Albert

• Brent Korobanik Lehigh Cement

• Sean MacGregor Strathcona Industrial Association

• Alex MacKenzie Public member

• Shelley Morris ESRD

• Jocelyn Thrasher-Haug Strathcona County

Alberta Capital Airshed

Innovative MonitoringWe all want to know more about the air that we breathe but air quality monitoring is an expensive and difficult undertaking. Analyzers can cost tens of thousands of dollars and a station, hundreds of thousands. What can the average person do to help collect data? There are a number of initiatives afoot elsewhere to put personal air quality sensors in the hands of people. Alone, they are not able to provide the accuracy of data that an analyzer can. However, if enough people, hundreds or thousands, had them and they were simultaneously uploading to a website that brought the data together into averages, they may serve as another source of helpful information.

The ACA is committed to being innovative in its approach to increasing the available information in which we all need to make informed decisions about our air quality. Toward this, we have initiated a program to purchase some different sensors and test them alongside existing stations. If the data proves to be reliable, this will be another important tool for the ACA.

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Air Quality “Egg”

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Air Quality Health IndexThe AQHI 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 extremely high, the number may exceed 10, such as air quality associated with wild fire smoke.

The higher the AQHI 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 we can take to reduce our exposure.

The AQHI is a guide to the relative health risk presented by a mixture of common air pollutants known to harm human health. These pollutants are Ground-level Ozone (O3), Particulate Matter (PM2.5), and Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2).

The AQHI also forecasts health risks from air quality for today and tomorrow and provides associated health advice. The Index does not measure the effects of pollen, heat or humidity on health. You can refer to the AQHI to check the quality of outdoor air in your community before heading off to work or play, and use the forecasts to plan your activities, whether over the next hour or the next day.

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Regional InitiativesCapital Region Air Quality Management FrameworkThe ACA was actively involved in the creation of the Capital Region Air Quality Management Framework (CRAQF) and sits on the Oversight Advisory Committee of the CRAQMF. The CRAQMF is the ambient air quality management framework for the capital region, which includes 25 municipalities. There are lot of pressures on our air quality which contribute to four main air contaminants of concern: nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, fine particulate matter and ozone. Increases in air pollution can lead to increases in negative health effects.To bring together expertise and knowledge of the unique air qualitypressures, conditions and requirements of the capital region, a multi-stakeholder Steering committee was created which included the three airsheds, municipalities, industry, non-governmental organizations, and federal and provincial governments.

capital region air quality management frameworkFOR NITROGEN DIOXIDE (NO2),

SULPHUR DIOXIDE (SO2),

FINE PARTICULATE MATTER (PM2.5)

AND OZONE (O3)

PM2.5Particulate matter (PM) is either solid or liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere (the 2.5 designation is based on the size of the particles). PM can be from natural or man-made sources such as transportation, industry, home heating and a number of other sources. Air quality data from larger than normal wintertime smog events between January and March 2010, as picked up by monitors from two ACA area stations and one in Lamont have triggered a mandatory response plan that must be completed by Autumn, 2014. The ACA is working with ESRD and other stakeholders to develop the plan.

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Odour Management Workshop In 2011-12, the ACA hosted an Odour Management Workshop in Edmonton at MacEwan University. The Workshop was a forum to bring together individuals and organizations with a common interest in odour management initiatives and solutions. The success of this event led us to host a second one on March 26, 2013. In early 2013, CASA (Clean Air Strategic Alliance) announced the formation of a project team to develop of a province-wide Odour Management Framework. The ACA is participating as a representative from the Alberta Airshed Council.

Clean Air Day 2012On Clean Air Day in June 2012, Junior High students from Edmonton and surrounding area had the opportunity to compete on science projects in the areas of various air quality issues such as: sources of air pollutants, indoor and outdoor air quality, health effects arising from exposure to poor air quality, and impacts of poor air quality on athletes. ACA was on hand to be part of the judging panel.

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