Air quality results given for Bolton and Caledon
By ALAN LICZYK Staff Reporter

Tests done by the Ministry of the Environment's environmental monitoring and reporting branch found the air quality in Bolton and Caledon is very similar to that in Brampton and Newmarket.

The results of a fourweek regional airshed characterization survey conducted in the Town of Caledon from June 20 to July 20, 2006, were presented to Caledon council last Tuesday by Dan Orr, supervisor, Air Quality Monitoring Unit, Ministry of the Environment. He was joined by other ministry representatives.

Orr explained the study's purpose was to determine if sources such as vehicular traffic, aggregate operations or other local sources contributed significantly to the regional levels of the key Air Quality Index criteria pollutants: ozone (O3), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and carbon monoxide (CO).

Two state-of-the-art monitoring units were deployed to Bolton and Caledon by the ministry.

Many pollutants typical of vehicle exhaust were also measured, namely benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes, black carbon and particulate sulphate.

The results were compared to existing Air Quality Index stations located in Brampton and Newmarket.

Ozone and fine particulate matter are the chief reasons that smog advisories are called, Orr noted.

Caledon typically experiences moderate Air Quality Index readings based on ozone during the summer. The higher onehour ozone concentrations occurred July 1, 14 and 17 when the one-hour ambient air quality criterion was exceeded.

Daily fine particulate matter concentrations measured at Bolton and Caledon, and at fixed sites in Brampton and Newmarket, didn't exceed the 24-hour provincial reference level.

In the ministry's conclusions, Orr pointed out the concentrations for ozone and fine particulate matter measured in Bolton and Caledon were very similar to those at the Brampton and Newmarket Air Quality Index stations.

He added the hourly sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide concentrations recorded in Bolton and Caledon were also far below applicable ambient air quality criteria. Concentrations of black carbon and sulphate were negligible.

The ministry didn't issue any smog advisories during last summer's study period.

It also concluded there's no need to establish an Air Quality Index monitoring station in Caledon.

Councillor Nick deBoer said this report was good news and bad news, noting Caledon's air isn't worse than other but it isn't better either.

Councillor Richard Paterak pointed out 2,000 people live close to gravel pits in Caledon and there are days when the air is yellow.

John Budz, manager of the ministry's Halton Peel district office, replied the concern is what one doesn't see. What a person does see isn't a health concern, he told Paterak.

Budz explained most of the dust is generated by mobile sources, not stationary equipment. He added next April they will inspect some of the quarries in Caledon.

He also wanted to make it clear the ministry can deal with industry and aggregate, but it has no jurisdiction over traffic.