On the morning of May 26, an air quality monitoring station situated in the Hillcrest Baptist Church parking lot on the west side of Saint John detected abnormal readings. In a residential area near two schools, the levels of fine particulate matter started to increase significantly around 10 a.m. after commencing the day at levels below the threshold of concern for environmental officials.
By 2 p.m., the station indicated that the air’s fine particulate matter content was double the safe exposure limit for a 24-hour period, particularly posing risks to children, seniors, and individuals with respiratory issues. Fine particulate matter comprises tiny particles from various sources such as vehicles, industries, chemical reactions, and natural occurrences like forest fires.
Melanie Langille, NB Lung’s CEO, emphasized the challenges of detecting these spikes at ground level, highlighting the severe health implications for individuals with conditions like asthma, emphysema, and heart disease. Despite the environment department’s observation and immediate investigation into the spike on the west side, no specific source has been identified as of yet.
The department’s belief is that activities at the Irving Pulp & Paper mill, located slightly over a kilometer from the monitoring station, could have contributed to the elevated readings. Although J.D. Irving Ltd. stated no definitive evidence linking them to the incident, they adjusted their operations as a precautionary measure.
The air quality returned to normal levels by 5 p.m., about seven hours after the spike began. While provincial officials deemed the event’s short duration as not necessitating public notification, local advocate Gordon Dalzell disagreed, citing potential health risks, especially for vulnerable individuals.
Similar one-day spikes in fine particulate matter have occurred in recent years, raising concerns among residents in both the west and east side neighborhoods near the monitoring stations. Dalzell stressed the importance of informing individuals with health vulnerabilities about air quality issues, even if these spikes are brief.
The availability of tools like the federal Air Quality Health Index and the province’s online portal allows individuals to monitor air quality, albeit with limitations. Dalzell proposed implementing public alerts tied to individual monitoring stations to ensure timely notifications of concentrated spikes.
Despite existing limitations, Langille emphasized the significance of public education and awareness regarding air quality issues. She recommended utilizing available tools to stay informed and suggested incorporating air quality conditions and forecasts in weather reports to raise awareness among the public.