A sudden spike in poor air quality on the west side of Saint John went completely unannounced to the public this past May. The incident raises serious questions about how you receive alerts regarding the air you breathe.

On the morning of May 26, a provincial monitoring station at Hillcrest Baptist Church registered unusual readings. Fine particulate matter levels climbed sharply around 10 a.m. By 2 p.m., the station recorded pollution at twice the safe 24 hour exposure limit. These levels pose significant risks to children, seniors, and anyone with breathing problems.

The Invisible Threat

According to CBC News, fine particulate matter consists of tiny airborne particles from vehicles, industrial facilities, and chemical reactions. Melanie Langille, CEO of NB Lung, notes these spikes are difficult to detect at street level but carry serious health implications for people with asthma, emphysema, and heart disease.

“Fine particulate matter is very challenging because it is invisible,” Langille said. “You do not see it, you do not smell it, but it gets really deep inside our lungs and it can have a whole host of whole body effects.”

Tracking the Source

The provincial environment department watched the spike develop and launched an immediate investigation. Officials point to operations and maintenance work at the Irving Pulp and Paper mill, located just over a kilometre away, as a contributing factor.

Department spokesperson Jennifer MacNeil stated that staff observed smoke impacts coming from the mill. She attributed the event to unusual weather trapping pollutants at ground level combined with higher emissions during a cleaning cycle at the facility.

J.D. Irving Ltd. spokesperson Anne McInerney stated there is no clear evidence the company caused the poor air quality readings. However, the company proactively adjusted mill operations at the time to minimize any potential contribution.

Current Alert Systems Fall Short

By 5 p.m., air quality readings returned to normal. Provincial officials decided the brief duration did not warrant a special public notice. Local clean air activist Gordon Dalzell strongly disagrees.

“What about the asthmatic walking around the west side breathing this,” Dalzell said. “It triggers an attack ending up in hospital or worse.”

Dalzell points out this is not an isolated incident. Similar single day spikes happen at monitoring stations on both the west side and the east side near the Irving oil refinery.

You have a few ways to stay informed, but the current tools have limitations. The federal Air Quality Health Index app provides citywide readings. This averaging process minimizes the severity of localized events. The provincial environment department offers an online portal for individual station readings, but it lacks a push notification system for sudden spikes.

Dalzell advocates for public alerts tied to individual monitoring stations. Langille recommends you familiarize yourself with the available tools and suggests weather forecasts include air quality projections.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is fine particulate matter?

Fine particulate matter is a mixture of tiny airborne particles originating from industrial facilities, vehicles, and natural sources. It is invisible but penetrates deep into the lungs and causes severe health issues.

Why did the province not issue an alert on May 26?

Provincial environment officials determined the poor air quality event was too brief to warrant a special public notice.

How do I check the air quality in my specific neighbourhood?

You must use the provincial environment department online portal to check readings at individual monitoring stations. The federal app only provides a citywide average.