Air Quality Management Initiatives
The following are some examples of initiatives currently underway in the region aimed at improving air quality. Most projects are collaborative efforts between the Regional District of the Central Okanagan (RDCO), District of Peachland, City of Kelowna, Okanagan University College (OUC), Environment Canada, BC Environment, Okanagan Similkameen Health Region and the BC Lung Association Regional Asthma Program.
Education
Air Quality Advisory System (1998)
The Ministry of Environment regional office in Kamloops and the Okanagan Similkameen Health Region in Kelowna jointly issue air quality advisories during periods of deteriorated air quality. These advisories are meant to educate the public about air pollution as well as to protect the health of the general population. Air quality advisories are faxed throughout the Okanagan airshed to media outlets, hospitals, health authority, municipalities, regional districts, government agencies, fire departments, industry, agriculture and other participating organizations.
A preventive advisory occurs when the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaches 25 (fair) due to airborne particles (i.e. smoke) or ozone, and forecasted weather conditions indicate that further deterioration in air quality is likely to occur. A second "action" advisory is sent out when the (AQI) reaches a reading of 50 (poor). Included in that advisory is a call to action to stop burning as well as some self-care tips. Those with health conditions such as asthma may want to take self-care action even when a "preventive advisory" is issued.
Educational Programs in School District #23
In October 1998 the City of Kelowna Environment Division introduced an interactive air quality education program, “Gliding Through the Airshed,” for the Central Okanagan School District and the general public. The free program examines the causes of poor air quality in the Central Okanagan and provides examples of ways to reduce air pollution emissions. Over 3500 students received presentations by City of Kelowna Environment Division staff during the 2000/2001 school year.
Light Duty Vehicle Emission Clinics
The free Vehicle Emission Inspection Clinic runs for three days each year and is sponsored and operated by Environment Canada in partnership with the Regional Air Quality Program. Over 700 vehicles have their vehicle emissions tested each year at this event.
The clinic consists of several steps:
1. Drivers are given general information on the impact of vehicles on the environment.
2. Information is taken on the vehicle (age, type, etc.) for Environment Canada’s national database.
3. The vehicle’s gas cap is tested under pressure to determine if it seals properly.
4. Emission levels of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons are tested using an analyzer.
Heavy Duty Vehicle Emissions Clinic
The primary objective of the clinic is environmental awareness in the transportation sector. This educational clinic has been held in the Central Okanagan for the last three years and is a partnership between the Insurance Corporation of BC and the Regional Air Quality Program. Owners of vehicles that fail the emissions test will not be fined, nor is it mandatory to have the emissions system fixed, however owners are encouraged to do so in order to maintain good air quality in the Central Okanagan.
The amount of emissions is determined by measuring the opacity from the vehicle’s exhaust stack (opacity is the measure of the amount of light that can penetrate the exhaust). The test takes approximately 10-15 minutes to perform.
Workshops for the public, politicians and community leaders
An integral component of successful air quality management plans implemented in other regions across North America was the involvement of the public and stakeholder groups throughout the process. Other plans stress the importance of public input in prioritizing air quality issues. Incorporating public opinion into an air quality management plan not only minimizes committee conflicts over what they believe the priorities should or should not be, but also encourages public support for the plan.
A series of three public workshops was conducted in a twelve month period over 1999 and 2000, moving sequentially from information, to consideration of actions, to analysis of strategies. Results of some of these workshops can be found on the website under “Workshop Summaries”.
Politics/Advocacy and Policy Development
Central Okanagan Regional Air Quality Committee
Local politicians focus on air quality communication, increasing public awareness and policy development.
Okanagan Air Quality Technical Steering Committee
Experts and professionals focus on the technical aspect of developing an airshed management plan.
Okanagan Similkameen Regional Health Board
Contribute a health effects dimension to the Regional District Air Quality Committee and the Technical Steering Committee.
Kelowna and Area Cycling Coalition
Promotes the use of bicycles as transportation.
Burning Bylaws - Venting Index (1996)
Environment Canada provides free information to help those who wish to conduct open burning in the Okanagan Valley. The Ventilation Index (VI) is a measure of the atmosphere’s ability to disperse smoke. The higher the number, the less the risk of air pollution. The index ranges from 0 to 100. A value of 55 or greater is recommended as the minimum value at which open burning should be considered. Outdoor burning permits issued throughout the Central Okanagan require that the Venting Index must be in the good range before burning starts. The Ventilation Index (VI) service started on Clean Air Day, 1996.
The winter is dominated by strong inversions, which is typically a poor time to burn in the Central Okanagan. The worst scenario occurs when the inversion lifts, but remains below the height of the local hills. While the index may be fair or even good in this situation, smoke will not be able to disperse out of the valleys and indeed will be mixed downward significantly reducing air quality.
By knowing the frequency of good venting days one can better plan burning and thereby lessen the impact of smoke on the population. Periods of poor air quality in the region can often be correlated to the periods of poor ventilation (Source: Environment Canada, 1996).
Burning Bylaws - Burning Bans
Outdoor burning is prohibited on all properties under 2 acres in the District of Lake Country, Electoral Areas of the Regional District and the City of Kelowna. Peachland allows burning year round on all property sizes.
Regional Smoke Control Bylaw (1998)
Developed by the Central Okanagan Regional District in 1998 to reduce emissions from open burning, campfires and wood burning appliances. It is a nuisance by-law enforced through complaints only.
Research
Kelowna Regional Transit System Survey (Transportation Demand Management, spring 2000)
A public opinion survey of the Kelowna Regional Transit System. Information from this survey will be used in developing and improving transit in the Central Okanagan.
Wind and air movement in the Central Okanagan (1999)
In 1999 the Mountain Weather Services Office used a mesoscale model and display software to impart a deeper understanding of the low-level winds through the Okanagan Valley. This knowledge is necessary in order to explain the local transport and diffusion of pollutants in the airshed.
Time-lapse Video Study (Spring 1999)
A time-lapse video recorder is set up on the west side of Okanagan Lake overlooking the City of Kelowna. Video footage is recorded 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Environment Canada Mountain Weather Services Office, the Regional Air Quality Committee and the Okanagan Air Quality Technical Steering Committee are particularly interested in those days that have meteorological conditions that favor bad air pollution episodes. The data is used for educational purposes, for scientists to confirm meteorological predictions and to analyze daily pollutant development and transport. CHBC Television News plays portions of the previous week’s time-lapse film on Friday newscasts.
Time-lapse video study is beneficial because it allows the viewing time of long-term dynamic events to be reduced to a more practical time period. The videos can also be viewed at various speeds, in order to enhance the media. Time-lapse video study has been used for many applications and projects, and in other regions, has been used to study the development and transport of pollutants.
Transportation Emissions Study (1995)
In 1995 the City of Kelowna commissioned a Transportation Study on Atmospheric Emissions Modelling. Using data from the City of Kelowna Transportation Study, motor vehicle emissions of carbon monoxide, total organic gases, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter were estimated for 1991 and 2013 (Levelton, 1995).
An updated and complete transportation emission survey is needed for the entire Central Okanagan as the first study was limited to the area defined by the City of Kelowna boundaries.
Wood Residue Survey (1999)
A survey was conducted in the fall of 1999 identifying sources and quantifying the amount of wood residue materials within the Regional District of the Central Okanagan. The survey also estimated the amount of wood residue material that is burned each year in the Regional District. The overall study will assist the Regional District in developing alternative wood residue management options.
The Central Okanagan Wood Residue Survey estimates that the agriculture industry burns 5,113 tonnes/year of wood residue, land clearing for new home and commercial construction burns 1,877 tonnes/year and minor sawmills in the area burn 105 tonnes/year. The amount of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) that is released into the Central Okanagan atmosphere each year is approximately 34.9 tonnes.
Permitted Sources
The Ministry of Environment compiles permit fee data of point source emissions of air contaminants located within the Central Okanagan.
New Initiatives for 2001
Funding has been awarded to the Central Okanagan Regional Air Quality Program for several projects designed to increase our understanding of air pollution and its effect on the health and welfare of Okanagan citizens. Other projects being launched in 2001 involve action to reduce air pollution from those sources. These projects include:
Air Quality Health Effects and Costs Survey
The Okanagan Air Quality Technical Steering Committee recommends a study that determines the actual health effects and costs due to air pollution in this region. This study would link the severity of air pollution to the costs to individuals, provincial agencies and to society. The study is essential for tracking the effectiveness of emission reduction strategies and for predicting increases in health problems due to increased population, changes in industry, land use planning decisions, or due to lack of air quality controls. It will also enhance credibility of advocacy and provide direction to policy development.
Preparation for this study will involve identifying and monitoring interested individuals for whom air quality is a trigger to health problems.
Visual Opacity (Smoking Vehicles) Assessment of Diesel Powered Heavy Duty Vehicles and Light Duty Gasoline Powered Vehicles in the Okanagan
A visual study to assess the level of emissions related to the current diesel truck, bus or light duty fleet travelling within the Okanagan Valley is needed before any type of heavy or light duty vehicle emissions inspection program could be implemented here. The study would identify trucks, buses and cars that release excess smoke. The darker the smoke the more likely it is that the vehicle is operating outside allowable limits. Stationary locations would be established throughout the Okanagan Valley where survey team members would visually assess the vehicles as they drive by. Two members from ICBC are qualified in visual smoke assessment of smoke density.
Currently, BC's heavy vehicle smoke prevention program is called AirCare ON-ROAD. The program provides two mobile teams to test diesel-fueled vehicles operating on BC's Lower Mainland. Last year 794 vehicles failed the heavy-duty tests. After these vehicles were fixed, there was an average particulate reduction of 63% upon reinspection. Assuming these trucks drove an average 50,000 miles per year it is estimated that 80 tonnes of particulates were prevented from entering the atmosphere in the first year of the program.
Wood Stove and Fireplace Inventory Survey
In the Central Okanagan smoke from wood burning appliances is a major cause of air pollution and health problems in the colder months of the year. A survey would be used to determine a more accurate extent of the problem in this area. An emissions inventory is an essential airshed management tool.
The survey would determine the type of appliances used for burning, the frequency and approximate amount and type of wood burned for each area of the Region. From this information we can calculate the approximate amount of smoke emitted into the atmosphere everyday. This is essential data for determining the extent of the problem and the strategies that should be implemented to control this contaminant. With an inventory completed we can determine the best strategy for removing smoke particulate from our atmosphere. The inventory would be used to predict and track the success of implemented emission reduction strategies.
The inventory would also be used for computer modelling of our airshed so that we can understand how residential wood smoke reacts in our atmosphere. This information could show which neighborhoods are being most affected by residential wood smoke and whether the problem could be become better or worse depending on land use plans or emission reduction strategies.
Great Okanagan Wood Stove Exchange Program (February 19 to March 31, 2001)
The goal of an exchange program is to reduce wood smoke pollution through raising public awareness of the importance of smoke-free burning. Old smoky wood stoves contribute to the health problems of many Central Okanagan residents each year.
This year's inaugural Great Okanagan Wood Stove Exchange Program was a terrific success. During the six-week program, which ran from February 19th until March 31st, 2001, 174 old and inefficient wood stoves were exchanged for approved clean burning appliances.
The program’s success is readily apparent when the results are compared with a province-wide campaign held in 1995, which saw the exchange of 200 stoves. More importantly, the elimination of 174 “old smokers” means smoke particulate pollution in the Okanagan Valley will be reduced by thousands of kilograms each year.
This program allows consumers with older wood stoves an opportunity to replace them with new EPA/CSA approved wood appliances, gas appliances or pellet appliances. Cash discounts offered by participating manufacturers and distributors range from $100 to $500. The consumers receive a discount on their new stove, but only if they surrender their old stove, which must then be destroyed. A "tracking form" is used to record the family's name, address and phone number, as well as the type of stoves which went in and came out of the house. Signatures from the retailer and the scrap metal dealer provide tracking right to the end, and finally an emission inventory impact analysis is done based on the mix of replacements.
Program partners of the 2001 campaign included the Central Okanagan Regional District, City of Kelowna, North Okanagan Regional District, Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District, Okanagan-Similkameen Health Region, North Okanagan Health Region, BC Lung Association and Hearth Products Association of Canada.
Agricultural Wood Waste Feasibility Study
The orchard industry in the Central Okanagan burns more than 5,113 tonnes of wood waste material each year, which translates into 11.5 tonnes of smoke particulate emitted into the atmosphere. Orchard burning and the resulting smoke pose another serious health risk to many residents each year in the Central Okanagan.
Since the "Waste Management Act" allows farmers to burn wood waste, alternatives must be found if we want to reduce agricultural burning in this region. In the October 11th, 2000 air quality workshop held for the general public a chipping program was rated as a good way to eliminate agricultural burning. Before any type of chipping program could be implemented here or throughout the valley a feasibility study must be done to attain the true costs and benefits of such a program. A pilot project to reduce wood waste through chipping, tub grinding or other means would be set up by the Okanagan Air Quality Technical Steering Committee, BC Fruit Growers Association and other partners.
Advertising Campaign to Promote the Dangers of Wood Smoke and Vehicle Emissions
An advertising campaign promoting the health implications of wood smoke and vehicle emissions is an important step for air quality management in our region. This lets people know there is a problem in our area and there are actions that we can take to reduce the problem. Many people in our region do not know that when they drive or burn wood in their fireplaces they may be making someone sick. Advertising has a broad appeal and is effective in changing people's attitudes once they are informed about a problem.
Partners for Climate Protection Program
The goal of Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program is to support Canadian municipal governments in preparing and implementing local climate change action. The PCP is a partnership between the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). Program participants work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from municipal operations by 20 per cent and at least six per cent (the Kyoto target) within the community as a whole. The preferred goal is to try and achieve these targets within 10 years.