Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Smog? In Woodstock, it's public policy.

With wry amusement I read the "Green Tips" column by the Woodstock Environmental Advisory Committee in the July issue of What's on Woodstock (p.12), entitled "Every breath you take".
To be fair, the concerns expressed about smog, its environmental and health effects, and the suggested tips, are all valid.
Conspicuous by its absence, however, is any mention of one of our greatest seasonal pollutants: WOOD SMOKE, which is all too often in evidence on calm summer evenings.
Is it not hypocritical of Woodstock to encourage me to avoid volatile organic compounds, while forcing me to inhale the same substances from nearby fire pits?

When the current Open Air Burning Bylaw was passed in 2013, the Fire Department reported that 1,282 burn permits had been issued; that worked out to about one toxic backyard incinerator for every 30 residents of Woodstock.  The northwest corner of the city, near Cowan Park, is peppered with them:  fire pits, chimineas, and (for those with a serious commitment to burning) large outdoor masonry fireplaces (gasp).
To put this situation in context:  it's illegal in Ontario to light a cigarette within 20 metres of playground equipment or a public sports field.  But properties near Cowan Park can light backyard fires, and blanket the soccer fields with wood smoke, thus exposing young athletes and their family members to lung-clogging fine particulate matter and an assortment of toxic substances.

Open air backyard burning is illegal in many cities, including Guelph, Waterloo, Hamilton, and Toronto.
Shouldn't our elected officials be protecting air quality and our health, rather than enabling wood smoke pollution?

Those of us who value clean air can only attempt to light a (metaphorical!) fire under Woodstock Council.

Excerpts from Oxford County's website, on Open-air burning:
"Burning wood will release various pollutants into the air that may be harmful to us and the environment, including particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ozone, and water vapour. Wood smoke may also contain cancer-causing substances, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and benzene formaldehyde."

"Some of the substances found in smoke from open-air burning are so small that our noses and upper respiratory systems are not able to filter them out. As a result, they may end up settling deep within our lungs, potentially damaging cells that protect our airways. 


Breathing in wood smoke is associated with an increase in respiratory irritations and symptoms such as coughing, chest tightness, asthma attacks and shortness of breath. Exposure to wood smoke may also decrease lung function and is associated with an increased number of visits to emergency departments and hospitalizations." 

The above text was published as a UR Opinion piece on the Sentinel Review's website on July 26, 2016.

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Reply to Connie Lauder, part 2

Hello again, Councillor Lauder
If I may comment on Chris' list of cities that permit open air burning:
Cambridge and Ottawa do not permit burning in ordinary back yards.
In Cambridge, the fire MUST be 150 meters (492 ft.) from any building.
In Ottawa, fires are permitted in "mostly rural areas".
Also, in Burlington, one can complain if the smoke is a "nuisance" or if "the smell of smoke is entering your home".

I have links to their websites on the blog www.cleanairforwoodstock.blogspot.ca.
Thanks again for your attention to this.








Reply to Connie Lauder

Hello Councillor Lauder
Thank you for your reply to my concerns.

I am not asking you, or city staff, to waste time in analyzing other municipalities' motivations for allowing or not allowing open air burning.

I am asking you to apply your intellect to the issue.

There are TWO public safety concerns related to open air burning:  1) fire safety; 2) air quality.  The former has been apparent to mankind since fire first was tamed; the latter has become apparent only in recent years, but is now well documented.

Oxford County Public Health lists the pollutants produced when wood is burned, and some of the health effects, followed by the recommendation: Do not burn wood:
www.oxfordcounty.ca/Healthy-places/Air-Quality/Open-air-burning

The Lung Association has posted an expert opinion on residential wood burning:
www.lung.ca/news/expert-opinions/pollution/residential-wood-burning

The Government of Ontario informs us about fine particulate matter:
www.airqualityontario.com/science/pollutants/particulates.php

and provides us with the Air Quality Health Index:
www.airqualityontario.com/aqhi/

The Government of Canada tells us to avoid wood smoke:
healthycanadians.gc.ca/healthy-living-vie-saine/environment-environnement/air/contaminants/wood-smoke-fumee-bois-eng.php

The Public Health Agency of Canada warns those with chronic respiratory diseases:
www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/cd-mc/crd-mrc/index-eng.php

Ultimately there is one question: is it safe to breathe wood smoke?
The answer is a resounding NO.

It's just like second-hand tobacco smoke.  Our society protects us from smokers in stores, workplaces, airplanes, trains, buses, restaurants, bars (even on patios!), but it is legal here in Woodstock for my neighbours to light a fire and fill my home (MY NON-SMOKING HOME!) with smoke.

To conclude: rather than researching other cities' bylaws, perhaps staff could attempt to find some reputable sources that would assure us that it is safe for all residents (including newborns, active toddlers, seniors with heart problems, and those of any age who suffer from COPD, asthma, or allergies) to be inhaling wood smoke?
If such sources can't be found, we should not be burning wood in backyards.

Thank you for your attention to this.




Sunday, July 3, 2016

A message from the Government of Canada (e-mail to Council, July 3, 2016)

It's another smoky night in my neighbourhood, with multiple fire pits burning.  Ditto last night.

Could you spare a moment to read what your federal government has to say about wood smoke?

http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/healthy-living-vie-saine/environment-environnement/air/contaminants/wood-smoke-fumee-bois-eng.php

"Avoid wood smoke


The main pollutants in wood smoke that cause health concerns are:
  • Particulate matter - This is the term for solid or liquid particles found in the air, which help create smog. They can be very small and can travel deep into your lungs, causing breathing and heart problems.
  • Carbon monoxide (CO) - This is a colourless, odourless gas that is poisonous at high levels. It can make you feel sick and even kill you.
  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) - These are a wide range of compounds that usually have no colour, taste or smell. Some cause direct health effects, while others contribute to smog.
  • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) - These compounds are a health concern because they can cause cancer."
Do you have no concern for the poisoning of the local air, due to the Open Air Burning Bylaw?

As always, I would appreciate a reply acknowledging that you have read this.   

Replies:
Sandra Talbot, Shawn Shapton, Jerry Acchione, Connie Lauder