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Background Paper on Reporting
of Particulate Matters from Road Dust
1. Introduction
In 2000, Environment Canada (EC) and the Ontario Ministry of Environment (MOE) initiated a Pilot Working Group (PWG) to harmonize the administration and reporting requirements of the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) and Ontario's Airborne Contaminants Discharge Monitoring and Reporting Regulations (O.Reg 127/01). Efforts of the PWG have been instrumental towards the development of the harmonization process. A consultant, retained by the PWG, produced a report entitled "Review of Differences and Development of Harmonization Options between Ontario's Airborne Contaminant Discharge, Monitoring and Reporting Regulation (O.Reg.127/01) and the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) Report". This report summarized the differences between the two programs. Based on the findings of this report, the PWG created a Joint Stakeholders Sub-group (JSG). The JSG was composed of some members of the NPRI Multi-stakeholders Work Group on substances and O.Reg 127/01 Stakeholders Work Group. The mandate of the JSG was to make recommendations on the steps to harmonize the two programs.Analysis of the differences for harmonization was based on grouping the differences under three sub-categories: definitions, list of substances and facilities exemptions. In the list of substances sub-category, one of the issues to be addressed was the reporting of particulate matters (PM) from road dust (PM, PM10, and PM2.5) resulting from vehicular traffic, within facility roads.
Particulate matter is a component of smog and a form of air pollution for which significant adverse environmental and health effects have been identified. Elevated concentrations of PM are found year-round in all regions. As a result, PM2.5 has been declared toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999). In order to minimize risks associated with PM, a long-term management plan for PM and ozone was established pursuant to the 1988 Canada-Wide Accord on Environmental Harmonization of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) and its Canada-Wide Environmental Standards Sub-agreement. PM encompasses many different substances originating from a myriad of different sources. It is usually categorized according to particle size. The term PM10 refers to particles with a nominal aerodynamic diameter <= 10 micrometers (μm), while PM2.5 refers to a subset of PM10 representing particles with diameters < =2.5 μm. Particles up to 100 μm in diameter are called total suspended particulate or TSP.
Currently, the PM portion of the road dust is not required to be reported under the NPRI. However, under the O.Reg 127/01, Ontario facilities meeting the MOE reporting requirements are required to include PM emissions from road dust in their report.
2. Road dust: Environmental and Human Health Impacts
Road dust represents a significant source contributing to the generation and release of PM into the environment.PM10 and PM2.5 have been associated with a range of adverse health effects including hospitalization for lung and heart problems, increases in emergency room visits for lung problems, increases in days of restricted activity in adults and school absenteeism in children, increases in respiratory symptoms, and small reductions in measures of lung function. Increases in particle concentrations are also associated with the increased risk of premature death. A review of medical studies has shown that there is no apparent lower threshold for adverse health effects related to PM10 or PM2.5, and has prompted governments to review and strengthen air quality criteria for PM to reduce the risks to Canadians (WGAQOG, 1999a).
In 2000, the Canada-Wide Standards (CWSs) for PM and Ozone were ratified by the CCME. Although in most areas of Canada ambient levels of PM and/or ozone are below the specified CWS levels, they are still above the levels associated with observable health effects. As a consequence, the levels established under the CWS are only the first step to subsequent reductions towards the lowest observable health effects levels. Keeping this in mind, jurisdictions recognize that polluting "up to a limit" is not acceptable and that the best strategy to avoid future problems is keeping clean areas clean (CCME, CWS, 2000).
PM is directly related to broad issues of environmental concern, such as smog, acid deposition, decreased visibility and climate change. PM has the potential to cause unnatural biochemical interactions, soil effects, the smothering of leaves by blocking stomata, and reduction of visibility in wilderness as well as urban environments. PM may also cause degradation of inorganic materials resulting into corrosion, erosion, soiling and discoloration.
PM2.5 also contributes to degradation in visibility. All particles scatter light. However, particles with diameters near the wavelength of natural light (~0.4 to 0.7 μm) are particularly efficient at scattering light, resulting in a reduction in visual range, and affecting the colour, clarity and contrast of scenes (Malm, 2000).
3. Analysis of Particulate Matters from MOE Road Dust Data
The MOE reporting threshold for PM, PM10 and PM2.5 are 20,000 kg, 500 kg and 300 kg respectively. Generally, PM emissions from road dust are either measured or predicted using an established estimation factor and/or using established models. In 2002, 13,345 tonnes of PM, 4,645 tonnes of PM10 emissions, and 1,045 tonnes of PM2.5 emissions from road dust were reported by 281, 733 and 612 facilities respectively. Estimated emissions of PM, PM10 and PM2.5 from road dust, represented 24%, 15% and 7% of total facility emissions respectively.The summary of MOE PM emissions from road dust for 2002 and 2003 reporting years are shown in Table 1. For all those Ontario facilities that reported PM, PM10 and PM2.5 emissions from both road dust and process emissions, PM emissions from road dust accounted for a substantial portion of process emissions. For example, emissions of PM, PM10 and PM2.5 from road dust were reported to be 30%, 17% and 7% of the process emissions respectively.
| Substances | # of reported facilities | Emissions from road dust (t) | Emissions from process (t) | Sum of facilities total emissions (t) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | ||||
| PM | 281 | 13,345 | 42,515 | 55,861 |
| PM10 | 733 | 4,645 | 25,721 | 30,366 |
| PM2.5 | 612 | 1,045 | 14,860 | 15,905 |
| 2003 | ||||
| PM | 318 | 13,148 | 42,421 | 55,569 |
| PM10 | 796 | 4,781 | 27,365 | 32,146 |
| PM2.5 | 676 | 1,137 | 15,769 | 16,906 |
The analysis of the 2002 MOE PM emissions from road dust data is shown in Table 2. Emissions of PM, PM 10 and PM 2.5 associated with facilities in urban areas are estimated to be 73%, 79% and 78% of the total PM emissions from road dust respectively. As a result, PM emissions from road dust in urban areas should not be ignored, considering impact on the environment and human health in populated urban centers.
| Contaminant | 2002 | 2003 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rural | Urban | Unclassified | Total | Rural | Urban | Unclassified | Total | |
| PM | 3,423 | 8,075 | 1,847 | 13,345 | 3,057 | 8,111 | 1,980 | 13,148 |
| PM10 | 962 | 2,993 | 690 | 4,645 | 771 | 3,282 | 728 | 4,781 |
| PM2.5 | 222 | 663 | 160 | 1,045 | 186 | 781 | 170 | 1,137 |
For 2004, 53,736 tonnes of PM were emitted by Ontario facilities comprising 56 major industrial sectors.
PM released from road dust in 2004 can be broken down as follows (see also Table 3):
- 13,069 tonnes from 335 facilities (24%) of TPM
- 4,966 tonnes from 809 facilities (12%) of PM10
- 1,141 tonnes from 676 facilities (5%) of PM2.5
| NAICS 4 | NAICS Description | No. of Facilities |
|---|---|---|
| 3311 | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferro-Alloy Manufacturing | 8 |
| 2123 | Sand and Gravel Mining and Quarrying | 198 |
| 5622 | Waste Treatment and Disposal | 78 |
| 2122 | Nickel-Copper Ore Mining | 31 |
| 3274 | Lime Manufacturing | 5 |
| 3221 | Chemical Pulp Mills | 13 |
| 3211 | Sawmills (except Shingle and Shake Mills) | 21 |
| 3241 | Asphalt Paving Mixture and Block Manufacturing | 84 |
| 2211 | Fossil-Fuel Electric Power Generation | 26 |
| 3273 | Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing | 111 |
| Others | 245 | |
| TOTAL | 820 |
4. EC Proposal
For the purposes of harmonization between O. Reg. 127/01 and the NPRI, EC is proposing the addition of PM from road dust, resulting from the vehicular traffic on unpaved surfaces, to the NPRI for the 2007 reporting year. Road dust is a major source for the generation of PM. Because PM is known to impact adversely to the environment and human health, the PM2.5 portion of the PM has been declared toxic under CEPA 1999. The listing of PM emissions from road dust will encourage voluntary action to reduce emissions of PM; allow tracking of progress in reducing emissions; and improve public understanding of the substance. The addition of this substance to the NPRI would be linked with its removal from O.Reg. 127/01 to avoid double reporting. EC is, however, proposing that reporting of road dust be limited to facilities which are known to generate significant emissions of PM. Furthermore, EC is proposing that reporting of road dust be limited to vehicles traveling one kilometer on unpaved road surfaces. EC will provide guidance on reporting tools, such as estimation methods and/or models, to assist facilities and ensure that the quality of data submitted to the NPRI is adequate.Based on the MOE database, the projected number of facilities in Canada which may report PM emissions from road dust is 410. This number is a preliminary estimation only.
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