Two aspects of Environmental Information Air Quality Indicator Air Quality Index

1. Two aspects of Environmental InformationAir Quality Indicator Air Quality Index Phil Blagden AQRB Mid-term Review October 27, 2004

2. Environmental information is the foundation for an competitiveness and environmental sustainability framework • We are seemingly awash in information, but remain without an integrated information base that is current, efficiently managed and accessible to users” North Star Report , June 2004 • Canadians are getting parts of a picture – they need a comprehensive, coherent and understandable picture of environmental conditions • Canadians from all sectors need the tools to readily locate, access and use environmental data • Federal-provincial-territorial cooperation on environmental information is showing promise but could be more cohesive • A single unifying environmental policy framework will act as a catalyst

3. But before the EPF/CESF two air quality information initiatives were in play • Indicators of Natural Capital – Martin Speech in 2001 - NRTEE report • 2004 Budget promise to develop three indicators selected from NRTEE report Air Quality, Water Quality, GHG emissions • Primary objective is to track trends in a way that can be conceptually related to measures such as GDP • Air Quality Forecast Program of which the Air Quality Index is a element • Communication tool • Primary objective is public health protection • Tool to provide information/advice sensitive people can use to protect themselves • Side benefits- • emission reduction opportunities • Public information, issue awareness, national context

4. National Round Table Report

5. National Air Quality Indicator Start with Ozone • Problems with multiple pollutant indicator for trends primarily to do with weighting • Historical PM dataset not considered adequate • Population weighting to make indicator fit with concept of depletion of natural capital i.e. human health • Environmental impacts not considered Move to Multi-pollutant • Health Canada proposal Health Impact Indicator could track effectiviness of air quality management measures • Further design and testing required Data currency is an Issue • Desire to have annual indicator out immediately or beforehand

6. Evolving indicator package • Budget commitment for Indicators $15M ($5M 2004/2005 $10M 2005/2006) • Split between Reporting Air and Water and between EC, HC and SC • Lead into overall CESF Information package • Air Commitments • Initially annual reporting of ozone with background infromation • Increased support to NAPS and CAPMoN –equipment, processing and analysis • Engagement of provinces • gather information to improve characterization urban and regional spatial distribution of air pollutants • develop statistical and analytical methodologies to allow integration of air quality monitoring and health surveillance information for application to the indicator

7. Current Air Quality Index Structure • Greatest use is for real time reporting • Most effective use is in forecasts and advisories • We still see some use as a trend indicator • Based on air quality management targets i.e. (objectives, standards or inferred values) with “breakpoints” at 25 (32) 50 100 used to define ranges • Separate sub-index for each pollutant • Recent improvements • Inclusion of PM2.5 • Use of 3 hr averages • Updated health Messaging • Improved Air Quality Forecasts mean AQI can be implemented in a more protective way

8. PM and Ozone Drive the AQI • Currently under the IQUA formulation • Ozone – national 80 ppb ozone (1hr. av.) = 50 PM at various jurisdictional values. Quebec/Montreal 35 ug/m3 PM2.5 (3hr. av.) = 50 Ontario 45 ug/m3 PM2.5 (3hr. av.) = 50 Alberta 80 ug/m3 PM2.5 (1hr. av.) = 50 British Columbia/GVRD 50 ug/m3 PM10 (24hr. av.)= 50 Atlantic Provinces, Man. & Sask are all examining Quebec formula • Jurisdictions currently reporting daily AQIs with PM2.5 included, Montreal, Quebec, Ontario and Alberta. Vancouver reports PM10

9. Health Risk Based Index Proposal • Calculate relative risks for different pollutants from Canadian medical (mortality and morbidity) and air quality databases • Create a formula that calculates the combined health risk of several pollutants and scales values from 0-10 (open ended) • Develop appropriate format and content for health information, action messages, advisories etc.

10. Health risk based formula has been rate determining step in the process • Corroborative time series analysis of mortality risk • Continuing the work on morbidity health risk estimates and supporting evidence for short term health outcomes • Testing formula to apply to national and local datasets • An emerging recommendation for a 4 pollutant formulation (PM2.5, O3, NO2 and SO2) and a 3-hour averaging period • Looking at ways to estimate NO2 and SO2 contribution to index

11. The formula we are currently testing AQI=(10/10.4174577)*100* (((EXP(0.0007*O3))-1) + ((EXP(0.00087*PM))-1) + ((EXP(0.000919*NO2))-1) + ((EXP(0.001149*SO2))-1)) These do not indicate the relative toxicity or importance of the pollutants only There significance as surrogates measures for the factors that determine the health risk due to air pollution

13. NO2 responsible for differences

17. Ozone 9-32-19 ppb NO2 31-14-24 ppb

18. A National Health Risk Based AQI Requires • Agreement on health based formula • Ability to forecast multiple pollutants (03 PM2.5 and probably SO2 and NO2) • Cooperation with partners to adopt new formulation for the real-time AQI • A well-organized and well-supported transition from the old formats