Case Study - "Sampling Program for Residential Wood Heating, Study Report: 1999 to 2002, carried out in a residential area of Montreal"
Residential Wood Heating
A study, conducted by Environment Canada, the Ministère de l'Environnement du Québec and the City of Montreal assessed the impact of wood burning from 1999 to 2002. The study compared levels of air pollutants in a residential area of Montreal, where wood is commonly used to heat homes, to levels in downtown Montreal, an area primarily influenced by car traffic. The study shows that the concentrations of certain pollutants are significantly greater than those recorded at the downtown control site and much greater in winter than in summer. The results show:
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are twice higher than in downtown and five times higher than in summer. Concentrations are higher during winter nights and weekends.
- 1.7 times as much dioxins and furans than downtown.
- A 10% increase and more in PM2.5. Maximum values observed around 9 pm during winter weekends.
- Similar VOC values but from different sources; and
- A 40% increase in potassium, which is a wood combustion tracer.
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