On the morning of May 26, an air quality monitoring station located in the parking lot of Hillcrest Baptist Church on the western side of Saint John detected unusual readings. The levels of fine particulate matter in this residential area, near two schools, began to increase significantly around 10 a.m. after starting the day at levels below the threshold of concern for environmental officials.
By 2 p.m., the station recorded fine particulate matter levels in the air that were double the safe limit for a 24-hour exposure, particularly concerning for children, seniors, and individuals with respiratory issues. Fine particulate matter consists of minuscule particles originating from various sources like vehicles, industries, chemical reactions, and natural events such as forest fires.
Melanie Langille, CEO of NB Lung, emphasized the health risks posed by these spikes in fine particulate matter, especially for individuals with asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or heart conditions. Despite the concerning readings, there was no specific public alert issued regarding the spike on the west side of Saint John.
An investigation into the cause of the elevated readings on May 26 pointed towards potential emissions from the Irving Pulp & Paper mill, located slightly over a kilometer away from the monitoring station. While the exact source of the spike remains undetermined, the department suspected that operational activities and maintenance work at the mill could have been contributing factors.
Following the incident, air quality levels returned to normal by 5 p.m., indicating a short-lived event. However, local clean air activist Gordon Dalzell disagreed with the decision not to issue a public notice, citing potential health risks for vulnerable individuals exposed to poor air quality.
This incident was not isolated, as similar spikes in fine particulate matter emissions have been observed in the past two years at monitoring stations on both the west and east sides of Saint John. Dalzell stressed the importance of public awareness regarding air quality issues, particularly for those living near industrial facilities.
While tools like the federal Air Quality Health Index and the provincial monitoring portal provide information on air quality, Dalzell advocated for public notifications associated with individual monitoring stations to ensure timely awareness of localized spikes in pollutants. Langille echoed the importance of public education and urged for the integration of air quality forecasts into weather updates to raise awareness about potential health risks related to air pollution in communities.