Air Quality, Human Health

1
Air Quality, Human Health the Built Environment

• For Health and Social Services Committee
• Kim Perrotta, Senior Policy Analyst
• Halton Region Health Department
• February 27, 2007

2
Air Quality Acute Health Impacts

• Hundreds of studies worldwide
• Whole suite of acute health impacts
• Non-traumatic deaths, hospital admissions, asthma
  attacks
• Health Canada estimates
• Air pollution in Windsor, Hamilton, Toronto
  Ottawa responsible for 7 to 10 of all
  non-traumatic deaths

3
Air Quality Chronic Health Impacts

• Long-term studies indicate that low levels of air
  pollution cause disease as well.
• For every 10 ug/m3 increase in PM2.5
• 4 increase in deaths from all causes
• 6 increase in deaths - Heart Disease
• 8 increase in deaths - Lung Cancer
• 3-Fold Increase in Childhood Asthma in
  communities with higher air pollution.

4
Sources of Air Pollution

• Transboundary sources
• Transportation Sector
• Fuel Consumption
• Natural Gas Electricity
• Industrial/Commercial Sources
• Open Sources
• Road Dust Quarries Solvents

5
Transboundary Air Pollution

• Ontarios air is significantly affected by U.S.
  sources, particularly coal-fired power plants in
  the mid-western U.S.
• However, local emission sources also have an
  important impact on local air quality and health.
• Within the influence of Halton residents, local
  and regional governments

6
Transportation Sector Major Source of Emissions

• Significant source of air pollutants GHGs
• Traffic corridor studies - people who live beside
  high traffic roadways at increased risk for
  acute and chronic health impacts
• Need to reduce VKT as well as reducing emissions
  from individual vehicles

7
Reduce Vehicle-Related Air Pollution

• Fuel Vehicle Emission Standards
• Public transit within between communities
• Encourage complete communities - walking,
  cycling and public transit
• Develop bike paths
• Encourage car pooling
• Retrofit Refuel Fleets

8
Public Transit Improves Air Quality Health

• City of Atlanta, Olympics
• Cars to Transit Strategy
• Reduced weekday traffic by 22.5
• Reduce Daily Peak Ozone by 27.9
• Childhood Asthma Emergency Visits decreased by 11
  to 44

9
Complete Communities Reduce Air Emissions

• Complete Neighbourhood example
• Uptown, San Diego
• 340 units, 43 dwellings/acre
• Public transit, bike paths
• Few minutes to community centre grocery stores
• 20 fewer smog emissions from vehicles
• About 2.75 tons less per year

10
Fuel Consumption Major Source of Emissions

• Natural gas for space and water heating
  substantial source of air pollution GHGs
• Electricity generation significant source of
  air pollution GHGs
• Both sources are impacted by the number, size,
  and design of buildings.

11
Reducing Building-Related Air Pollution

• EnerGuide 80 buildings use by up to 35 less
  energy
• LEED standard buildings use up to 35 to 45 less
  energy
• Co-generation can reduce energy use by up to
  50
• Reduce air pollution, GHGs fuel costs
• Renewable Energies reduce emissions associated
  with energy use

12
Industrial, Commercial Open Sources

• Regulated primarily through Province
• Some influence through building permit process
  through CofA process
• Can recommend set-back distances, process
  changes, or mitigation measures
• Need information about the cumulative impacts of
  sources on air quality

13
Provincial Policy Statement

• Requires protection of human health and
  improvement of air quality
• Committed to complete communities
• Promotes alternative modes of transportation,
  alternative energies energy efficiency
• Encourages land use patterns that minimize
  negative impacts on air quality and climate change

14
Regional Official Plan

• Committed to the overall improvement of air
  quality
• Promotes alternative forms of transportation
  including walking, cycling and public
  transportation
• Committed to complete communities that
  encourage live/work relationships
• Promotes energy efficiency and alternative energy
  systems

15
Assessing Air Quality

• Air Monitoring measures actual concentrations in
  air with instruments
• Cannot identify the contribution of different
  sources to local air quality
• Air Quality Modelling uses dispersion modelling
  to estimate concentrations in air
• Can estimate the impact of new sources and new
  policies on air quality

16
Recommendations

• Develop a community-wide air quality modelling
  program that can be used to assess air quality
  across the Region and inform land use planning.
• Examine the portable air monitoring equipment
  and/or resources that could be used to assess air
  quality in micro-environments to validate
  modelling.

17
Recommendations

• Examine the policy instruments that might be used
  to support the development of complete
  communities that reduce reliance on automobiles.
• Explore the policy instruments that might be used
  to encourage the early application of the
  EnerGuide 80 standard to small residential
  buildings, the application of LEEDTM standards to
  large buildings, and the use of alternative or
  renewable energy systems in new buildings.

18
Recommendations

• Develop and implement a health promotion program
  that educates the public about the link between
  air quality, human health, climate change, and
  the built environment, and about the actions that
  can be taken by individuals, organizations and
  governmental agencies to improve air quality
  and/or retard climate change.