Download - Air Pollution Trends Opportunities
Air Pollution Trends
Opportunities
Jeffrey R. BrookSenior Scientist
Air Quality Research Division
Page 2
Air quality has improved considerably
Page 3
Long-Term Trend in “Soot”
19741976
19781980
19821984
19861988
19901992
19941996
19982000
20022004
20062008
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0E
C (µ
g/m
³)
EC derived from COH EC
-51% Decrease 1990-2006
Courtesy of Tom Dann
Ele
men
tal o
r Bla
ck C
arbo
n (m
g/m
3 )
Page 4
Decreasing Trend in PM2.5
Ann
ual M
ean
PM
2.5 (
mg/m
3 )
Ann
ual M
ean
Sul
phat
e (m
g/m
3 )
Page 5
Decreasing Trend in NOx
Ann
ual M
ean
NO
2 and
NO
(ppb
)
Page 6
An Environmental Management
Page 7
Ground-level ozone has declined since the early 2000s, however…
Large regions encompassing a large fraction of the population still exceed the new National Standard
Page 8
Hotspots may still pose risks
Ambient Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) levels increasing among monitoring sites near petrochemical industries
Page 9
Traffic Air Pollution remains an important
source of exposure for many Canadians
Air pollution effects occur down to low concentrations
Page 10
Given what has and is expected to be done to regulate emissions …
What else could be considered?
Page 11
Health Benefits of Reducing Diesel Exposure
http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/iarcnews/2012/mono105-info.php
“Scientific evidence is compelling”
Page 12
New diesels are much cleanerLegacy heavy duty diesels are potentially on and off our roads for multiple decades to come
$460M
Page 13
There are also opportunities to improve air quality in Canada through retrofits of the legacy diesel fleet
Some assessmentsSome small pilot tests
Page 14
Air pollution is a factor in asthma and allergy development and/or exacerbation and much of our exposure is “involuntary”
However, all aspects of a child’s environment need to be considered to optimize preventive strategies
Knowledge is still lacking to do this
Page 15
Viruses
Birth Cohort Examining the Origins of Asthma and Allergy
A national platform for multi-disciplinary research on environment and healthFrom asthma to other chronic diseases that develop through the life course
GeneticsImmune phenotypesClinical phenotypesStress
SES
Home environment
Pollution
Work & Schoolenvironment
Diet
Exposures
Pets
N = 3600
Page 16
CHILD is currently following children in Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver
Overall air pollution and traffic air pollution are being studied along with many other environmental factors
Stay tuned !