The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Manitoba Conservation has released its report on the air quality within the Flin Flon area for the second quarter of 2008 (April, May and June). The following is a summary of the findings: Continuous outdoor sulphur dioxide (SO2) monitoring and ongoing particulate matter (PM) sampling (including analysis for selected heavy metals) by Manitoba Conservation and by HBMS were maintained in the Flin Flon area during the quarter. Air quality during the second quarter of 2008 for sulphur dioxide remained mostly unchanged from previous quarters. Several days of elevated particulate matter (fine ÒdustÓ) levels were recorded both at the Barrow Provincial Building and Creighton sites due to smoke from forest fires. Sulphur Dioxide During this quarter, exceedances of the Manitoba provincial one-hour Maximum Acceptable Level (MAL) for sulphur dioxide of 0.34 parts per million (ppm) were occasionally observed across the community. In April, nine hours were determined to be above the one-hour MAL, with over three-quarters of these elevated levels recorded at most sites on the 6th and 26th. In May, nine hours were also recorded to be above the MAL, mostly in mid-month. During June, four hours were elevated and again at various locations. Most of the hours with elevated readings appear to arise from poor dispersion of the stack plume due to unfavourable weather conditions. This causes the stack plume to settle onto the community, rather than getting dispersed while traveling aloft. Fugitive gas releases associated with the tapping of matte from the reverboratory furnace and unknown causes each accounted for two hours of elevated levels. The World Health Organization (WHO) daily maximum exposure guideline of 0.05 ppm was exceeded each month for a number of days, especially during April and May. See 'Daily' on pg. Continued from pg. Particulate Matter / Heavy Metals TSP (Total Suspended Particulate) levels along with selected heavy metal concentrations and PM10 and PM2.5 (fine particulate less than 10 microns and less than 2.5 microns, respectively) statistics for all sites were tabulated. Daily TSP levels (including the larger-sized or coarse dust particles) measured in the second quarter were below the Manitoba provincial air quality objective except for one day at the Barrow Provincial Building site (mid-April). Coarse particulate matter arises mostly from wind-swept ground dust or vehicle-entrained street material. Fine particulate (PM10) levels were continuously measured 24/7 at the Barrow Provincial Building and Creighton monitoring sites. Elevated levels of PM10 above the Manitoba criteria were recorded on eight days at the Provincial Building site and one day at the Creighton site. The cause is likely street dust entrained by vehicular traffic and smoke in air from forest fires. Continuous monitoring of very fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was also conducted at the Provincial Building and Creighton monitoring sites. PM2.5 is the fraction of the total dust in air most closely associated with human health impacts. During this quarter, PM2.5 levels were above the daily Canada-wide standard for two days at the Provincial Building site and three days at the Creighton site. These levels were associated with heavy smoke in air from forest fires. Concentrations of selected heavy metals, such as lead and arsenic in air, were within the Manitoba provincial air quality guidelines at all sites, except at the Provincial Building site, where lead levels exceeded the criterion on one day (June 18th). Details on hourly and daily air concentrations of sulphur dioxide and an analysis of air quality warnings recorded compared with those issued, along with abatement actions taken by HBMS, have been filed at the Flin Flon Public Library. The next public meeting to review air quality in the Flin Flon area has been scheduled for the noon hour of Monday, October 6, at the Flin Flon Friendship Centre in Flin Flon as part of the regular monthly Healthy Flin Flon meeting.
