Clean Air Sudbury

Preliminary Information

 

Clean Air Sudbury participated in a street-level air quality study initiated by the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario in 2009-2010. The study involves measuring ground-level ozone and respirable particulate matter (PM2.5), two major components of smog, near major roadways and in public areas in a number of Ontario communities. Short-term sampling at five major intersections in Greater Sudbury during the summer of 2009 indicated that:

 

· PM2.5 concentrations were, at times, substantially higher than those measured at the regional air quality index monitoring station on Ramsey Lake Road;

· ozone concentrations were similar to concentrations at the regional monitoring station; and

· at all times, the Ministry of Environment criterion for ground level ozone and the Environment Canada reference level for PM2.5 were not exceeded.

 

The results of this study represent only a “snapshot” in time and are very weather dependent. However, they suggest that air quality determined from PM2.5 measurements near major roadways, at times, may be poorer than indicated by regional monitoring stations.

 

Clean Air Sudbury participated in a second round of sampling in the summer of 2010 to obtain more information about air quality during peak traffic times at three major intersections.  Similar results were found. 

 

For a complete description of this province-wide initiative, read the Environmental Commissioner’s Annual Report (Section 4.4).

 

For more information on the 2009 and 2010 sampling programs in Greater Sudbury, download  the Street Level Sampling 2009 Report and 2010 Report.

 

New Project in 2011

Greater Sudbury Mobile Air Monitoring Study

 

Building on the information learned from the Environmental Commissioner Study summarized above, Clean Air Sudbury has initiated a mobile street level monitoring study.  During the month of July, 2011, a mobile air monitoring van belonging to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment travelled along the streets of Greater Sudbury measuring air quality at street level which is impacted by tailpipe emissions and road dust.  

 

For more information, download our Summer 2011 Newsletter.

Although monitoring stations in Greater Sudbury provide useful information about general air quality, there is currently little or no information on air pollutant concentrations at street level and in high traffic areas of the city. Clean Air Sudbury is actively working to fill this data gap by participating in a pilot study in 2009-2010 and a mobile sampling program in 2011.