A University of Alberta study is clearing the air in Wood Buffalo. A recently published study says air quality in Fort McMurray, Fort McKay and Fort Chipewyan isn’t a threat to public health.
School of Public Health Professor, Warren Kindzierski, led the study. His team looked at daily, seasonal patterns and 15-year trends from 1998-2012. Researchers analyzed levels of nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and fine particulate.
In an interview with the university, Kindzierski says air quality in the communities is “quite good” compared to larger Alberta cities and those across the globe. The professor noted small changes caused by both population growth and oil production.
“Small increasing concentration trends were observed for nitrogen dioxide (< 1 ppb/year) at Fort McKay and Fort McMurray over the period consistent with increasing emissions of oxides of nitrogen (ca. 1000 tons/year) from industrial developments,” the study says. “Emissions from all oil sands facilities appear to be contributing to the trend at Fort McKay, whereas both emissions from within the community (vehicles and commercial) and oil sands facility emissions appear to be contributing to the trend at Fort McMurray.”
Researchers say there’s no indication that oilsands expansion should be stopped in the region.
