August 27, 1999

To:Board of Health

From:Dr. Sheela V. Basrur, Medical Officer of Health

Subject:Air Quality: Canada-wide Standards for Particulate Matter and Ground Level Ozone

Purpose:

To provide comments to the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment and the Canada-Wide Standards Development Committee for Particulate Matter and Ozone on the proposed standards.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1) the Board of Health request the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment to adopt the following:

(a)establish Canada-wide standards for particulate matter (PM) and ozone as recommended by Toronto Public Health

(i) PM₁₀: 50 g/m³ by 2010, 40g/m³ by 2015 (24 h averaging)

(ii)PM_2.5: 25 g/m³ by 2010, 20g/m³ by 2015 (24 h averaging)

(iii)Ozone: 82 ppb by 2010, 70 ppb by 2015 (1 h maximum)

(iv)Ozone: 68 ppb by 2010, 60 ppb by 2015 (1h, 4^th highest)

(v) Ozone: 60 ppb by 2010, 50 ppb by 2015 (8 h equivalent, 4^th highest)

(vi) Achievement measures

PM: 98^th percentile, averaged over three consecutive years

Ozone: 4^th highest value, averaged over three consecutive years,

and develop mechanisms to ensure that actual emission and ambient level reductions are demonstrated by 2005;

(b)facilitate immediate implementation of the preliminary actions identified by each jurisdiction to achieve the standards;

(c)continue to invite and fund a representative group of public health professionals and health organizations to participate in consultation/workshop(s) in future Canada-wide standard setting exercises;

(d)request the Canadian Public Health Association to facilitate further consultation/workshop(s) on socioeconomic analysis relating to particulate matter and ozone;

(e)facilitate the establishment of dedicated funding, legislation and policy to develop, improve and expand an integrated public transit system(s) within the Windsor-Toronto-Quebec corridor;

(2) the Board of Health forward this report to the Ministers of the Environment, Transportation, and Energy, Science and Technology in Ontario, to encourage these ministries to implement the preliminary actions identified for Ontario and to report publicly on their progress;

(3) the Board of Health forward this report for information to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, and the Greater Toronto Area Services Board;

(4) the Board of Health forward this report to other municipalities in Ontario with a population greater than 50,000 and request that they endorse these recommendations;

(5) the Board of Health recommend that City Council endorse this report and recommendations.

Background:

The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) is an intergovernmental council consisting of 13 ministers of the environment for the federal, provincial and territorial governments in Canada. The purpose of the Council is to establish a forum for discussion and joint action on environmental issues of national, international and global concern. On January 29, 1998 the CCME (with the exception of Quebec) signed an accord designed to harmonize environmental programs and policies. The Canada-wide Accord on Environmental Harmonization defines the common vision, objectives and principles that will govern the partnership between jurisdictions to achieve the highest level of environmental quality for all Canadians.

Canada-wide standards for particulate matter (PM) and ground level ozone (ozone) are being developed under the Canada-wide Environmental Standards Sub-Agreement under the Canada-wide Accord on Environmental Harmonization. This sub-agreement provides a framework to address key environmental protection and health risk reduction issues that require common standards across the country. The CCME has established a process for developing Canada-wide standards (CWS) for a number of substances of national interest. Each signatory jurisdiction is responsible for implementing the CWSs. Public input is a key feature in the development process. Common principles will be used to develop the standards, although the way in which each standard will be developed and the opportunities for public participation, is determined on a case-specific basis.

The Canada-Wide Standards Development Committee for Particulate Matter and Ozone, consisting of representatives from federal/provincial/territorial governments, was formed to oversee the standard setting process for Particulate Matter (PM) and ozone. After examining the analyses of various expert reports and background information, the Development Committee has put forward a paper, titled "Discussion Paper on Particulate Matter (PM) and Ozone Canada-Wide Standard Scenarios for Consultation", in May 1999 for stakeholder consultation. The discussion paper presents a variety of specific "scenarios" on PM and ozone CWSs for possible adoption in Canada at this time. The Development Committee will consider stakeholders' views in preparing its recommendations for consideration by CCME in the fall of 1999. Toronto Public Health participated in the stakeholder consultation workshop and submitted comments directly to the Development Committee in June 1999 (available upon request).

Comments:

PM and ground level ozone (ozone) are two important constituents of smog. Smog alerts issued when the Ontario Ministry of the Environment calls an Air Quality Advisory are often due to elevated levels of ozone and/or PM and are typically regional in nature, encompassing the Windsor-Toronto-Quebec corridor. PM and ozone cause adverse respiratory effects in humans. The severity of the effects depends on the level of exposure of individuals. Increases in premature death rates, hospital admissions and emergency room visits have been shown to be associated with elevated PM and ozone levels.

As part of the continuing effort to improve air quality for Toronto residents, Toronto Public Health has been actively involved in the development process of CWSs for PM and ozone. Toronto Public Health has reviewed the scientific assessment document for ozone, and was sponsored to attend the National Multi-Stakeholder Consultation Workshop on the Development of Canada-Wide Standards for PM and Ozone in May 1999, in Calgary.

Canada-wide standards include a numerical limit (e.g. ambient, discharge and/or product standard), a commitment and timetable for attainment, a list of preliminary actions to attain the standard, and a framework for reporting to the public. For PM and ozone, the CWSs define the maximum levels allowed for these chemicals in the ambient outdoor air. Although CWSs by themselves are not legal instruments, governments may choose to use both legal and non-legal instruments in implementing the standards.

PM and ozone are known to pose significant threat to human health with no apparent threshold (i.e. the level below which no adverse health effects occur) for their effects. Since effects are observed at current ambient air levels, it is important to take actions to reduce the ambient air levels and develop health protective CWSs.

Canada-wide standards are based on the current state of health and environmental knowledge and are intended to be achievable targets. Other aspects such as social and economic impacts, and technical feasibility also are considered in the process. Toronto Public Health has made several recommendations to the Development Committee after considering the various scenarios proposed by the Development Committee as well as the background information, including a health impact assessment, a social, economic and technical feasibility analysis.

Recommendation for Numerical Limits

Toronto Public Health's recommendation for PM and ozone standards is presented in Table 1. These numbers are to be adopted according to the implementation schedule identified. These recommendations are consistent with the position developed and presented by the Health Caucus at the May 1999 Consultation Workshop in Calgary. While the initial targets are being set for 2010, in order for progress to be achieved, plans must be developed and implemented much sooner. Toronto Public Health strongly urges that interim targets be set such that actual emission and ambient level reductions (curve bending) are demonstrated by the year 2005.

Table 1Toronto Public Health Recommendations for Canada-wide Standards for Particulate Matter and Ozone

^aachievement statistics: 98^th percentile annually, averaged over 3 years

^bfor achievement statistics: 4^th highest annually, averaged over 3 years

^cNAAQO B National Ambient Air Quality Objective

Although the numbers proposed for ozone and PM do not vary substantially from existing National Ambient Air Quality Objectives, Canada's air quality will improve because CWSs include actions which jurisdictions have committed to implement in order to achieve the standards, which has not been the case in the past. It is these actions that will lower the ambient levels of PM and ozone leading to better air quality.

Toronto Public Health ideally would like to see standards adopted that are closer to the lowest health effect levels of 25 g/m³ (24-hour averaging) for PM_10, 10 g/m³ (24-hour averaging) for PM_2.5 and 25 ppb (maximum 1-hour) for ozone. However, Toronto Public Health recognizes that these numbers are not achievable at this time due to the cost-prohibitive nature of currently available emission control technologies and a high background ozone level in the region. Therefore, the levels recommended should be seen only as the first step in an ongoing process to strengthen the standards towards the no-effects and/or background levels. Because of the considerable uncertainty concerning achievability of more stringent standards, the standard adopted should be reviewed periodically, e.g. every 3 to 5 years, leading up to and beyond the current target dates.

Health-based Goals

While a number of wide-ranging measures are needed to solve air quality problems, vehicle emissions are a major source for ambient PM and ozone. It is unlikely that substantial decreases in PM and ozone ambient levels can be achieved without reducing traffic density on the roads. Therefore, improvement of air quality will also require behavioural shifts, such as less reliance on personal vehicles and increased usage of public transit. The public may perceive that there are no health effects at air levels below the recommended air standards. Hence, Toronto Public Health recommends that the lowest health effect levels be adopted as health-based goals used to better inform and educate the public. These health-based goals can serve as tools to guide individuals in making personal decisions to avoid adverse health effects and to minimize personal contribution to poor air quality.

Action Plan

The CWSs include a list of preliminary actions to attain the standard. It was recommended during the Calgary meeting that each jurisdiction should use a multi-stakeholder process to identify actions that need to be implemented so that the CWSs can be achieved by the target dates. While the full implementation plan should be identified by June 2000, a list of preliminary actions has to be ready for consideration by CCME in the fall of 1999. Toronto Public Health supports this recommendation and urges all jurisdictions to immediately implement the preliminary actions they have identified, and to report on their progress at regular intervals (e.g. every year) according to the reporting protocol developed for PM and ozone. These reports must be made public, allowing the public to monitor how well the Ministers of the Environment are meeting their commitment.

In order that the ultimate goal of reducing the ambient levels of PM and ozone towards the lowest health effects levels can be achieved, Toronto Public Health supports setting up a research program as part of the Canada-wide standards action plan. This program should focus on developing pollution prevention strategies, alternative industrial processes and more efficient emission reduction technologies. This research program will pave the way for making tougher Canada-wide standards achievable in the future.

The Windsor-Toronto-Montreal corridor has been identified as the region in Canada that will have significant difficulty achieving the 8-hour ozone standard of 60 ppb by 2010. Toronto Public Health recommends that the federal and provincial governments target this region with the necessary support to achieve these levels. For example, the federal and provincial governments, facilitated through the CCME, can develop legislative and policy actions that would encourage municipal and regional governments to develop long-term transportation plans that result in reduced vehicle emissions. To establish a dedicated fund to develop an efficient public transit system(s) within the Windsor-Toronto-Montreal corridor can be one of the first such actions. The provincial government can also establish air emission caps for the electrical sectors, which would substantially reduce air emissions from coal-fired plants producing electricity for Canadian consumers. Taking action to reduce self-generated emissions in the region will lend support for a stronger negotiating position with the United States on transboundary transport of air pollutants.

Conclusions:

Increased premature death, hospital admission and emergency room visits have been shown to be associated with elevated PM and ozone levels. It is imperative that PM and ozone air standards that are protective of human health are developed and implemented. Canada-wide standard development is one process by which standards are developed. Toronto Public Health has a keen interest in the development process because Toronto is in a region with high PM and ozone ambient levels associated with demonstrated adverse heath effects. Because of the size of the impacted population, Toronto Public Health participates in this and other federal/provincial process(es) to advocate for health-protective standards and a course of action to improve air quality in Toronto.

Contact Names:

Connie Clement

Director, Public Health Planning & Policy

Toronto Public Health

Tel:392-7463

Fax:392-0713

Angela Li-Muller, Ph.D.

Research Consultant

Health Promotion & Environmental Protection

Toronto Public Health

Tel: (416) 392-6788

Fax: (416) 392-7418

Dr. Sheela V. Basrur

Medical Officer of Health

References:

(1)Canada-Wide Standards Development Committee for PM and Ozone, 1999. Discussion Paper on Particulate Matter (PM) and Ozone. Canada-Wide Standard Scenarios for Consultations. May, 1999. pp. 40 + appendices.

(2)CEPA Federal/Provincial Working Group on Air Quality Objectives and Guidelines, 1999. Ground-level Ozone Science Assessment Document. Consultation Draft. A Report by the Federal-Provincial Working Group on Air Quality Guidelines and Objectives. March, 1999.

(3) CEPA Federal/Provincial Working Group on Air Quality Objectives and Guidelines, 1997. National Ambient Air Quality Objectives for Particulate Matter. Part 1. Science Assessment Document. A Report by the Federal/Provincial Working Group on Air Quality Guidelines and Objectives. October, 1997.