Latest news with #airquality
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Resident raises concerns with Cenovus well leak in Saskatchewan
PAYNTON — Cenovus Energy Inc. is facing questions over a well leak at a thermal facility in western Saskatchewan, where an area resident says some are concerned about their health. Mylan Tootoosis of Poundmaker Cree Nation says the Rush Lake site in Paynton, Sask., is releasing a strong stench and some are getting headaches, watery eyes and sore throats. He says they want the company to provide air quality data and remediate the issue. Cenovus says in a statement it's working to resolve the leak, which has been releasing an odorous water vapour since early May. It says it does not know the cause but believes it may be a problem with a well casing. Saskatchewan's energy ministry says in a statement the fluid being released is mostly muddy water and steam, but it includes hydrogen sulfide gas. The ministry says air quality monitoring shows the gas is not posing an immediate risk to public health. The Canadian Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
a day ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Efforts to reduce dust from dry Owens Lake bed are helping, report finds
The dry bed of Owens Lake has long been a major source of dust in the Owens Valley, but mitigation efforts have reduced those emissions to a point that other dust sources in the surrounding desert now cause most of the poor air quality days in the area, according to a new report. Owens Lake was left desiccated after Los Angeles began tapping the eastern Sierra watershed for its own needs more than a century ago. But the amount of dust coming from the lake bed has been declining in recent years as the L.A. Department of Water and Power has taken mitigation measures such as spreading water on parts of the lake bed. 'This is a success story in process,' said Ted Russell, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology and chair of the Owens Lake Scientific Advisory Panel. 'You want to be able to understand where these sources are, such that you can better control them.' The panel, which was established in 2018 by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, released its report this week detailing research and data on off-lake sources of dust — also known as PM10, particulate matter that measure 10 microns or smaller, and that penetrate into the lungs and can cause health problems. Read more: A century after Owens Valley aqueduct protest, event marks tense time in L.A. water history The team said in the report that significant dust sources in areas around the lake include land where floods have left deposits of sand and debris, the Keeler Dunes, the Olancha Dunes, alluvial fans and areas where soil has been disturbed for road infrastructure. The scientists said some of these areas are naturally sources of dust, while others are emitting more of it because of diversions of water or alterations of the landscape by people. Russell said research shows that the DWP's dust control efforts have been successful in reducing PM10 emissions from the lake bed, as well as the frequency of exceedances of air quality standards. The DWP has invested about $2.5 billion in dust mitigation projects on the dry lake bed, using methods including the shallow flooding of the lake bottom, placement of gravel, tillage that roughens the soil and the planting of vegetation that serves as a windbreak. The days with air quality exceedances caused by sources other than the lake have gone up and down in recent years, without a clear trend, Russell said. 'Off-lake sources in this arid environment are significant and are driving a large number of the PM10 exceedances at this time,' Russell said. He said that means bringing the area into attainment with national air quality standards will require additional effects to control the dust sources other than the lakebed. The report was sponsored by the DWP and the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District, which regulates air pollution in an area of about 32,000 people. The DWP had no immediate comment on the panel's findings. Read more: L.A.'s quest for water leaves costly bill: Higher rates for customers, choking air pollution The scientists noted that on the northeastern side of Owens Lake, the Keeler Dunes transitioned during the last century from a 'largely vegetated dune system' to one that releases more dust. They wrote that 'increased sand transport following the diversion of water from Owens Lake destabilized the Keeler Dunes.' The scientists said ongoing efforts to stabilize the Keeler Dunes have been effective in mitigating dust. The work there has included arranging bales of straw on the sand, which has enabled native shrubs to take root and begin to keep down the blowing dust. The panel said these and other efforts to establish native vegetation hold promise to control dust in other areas and further improve air quality in the Owens Valley. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
BBC News
a day ago
- Health
- BBC News
Bradford Council teaches children on city's pollution risks
Children in Bradford have been celebrating on Clean Air Day as the council attempts to reduce the risk posed to young people by vehicle emissions. Bradford Council hosted pupils from 13 schools to learn about air quality, the environment and how air pollution affects researchers found that GP visits for lung health in Bradford had reduced by 25% since the city's Clean Air Zone (CAZ) was implemented in September council said children growing up in urban areas were particularly at-risk and that pollutants traced to vehicles could lead to respiratory infections, decreased lung function, heart problems, and can worsen symptoms of asthma. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
CBS News
2 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Heat advisory issued for Denver area and other parts of Colorado as record breaking heat dome approaches
Several days of record-breaking heat are expected in Denver, and the National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory that will go into effect on Friday. The advisory extends into Saturday, and it's for the Denver metro area as well as parts of Colorado's Front Range to the north and south and for much of eastern Colorado as well. Temperatures will be in the range of 100 to 103 degrees as a dome of unseasonably warm heat covers most of the western United States. Those highs will be by far the hottest temperatures of the year so far. Because of the dangerous heat, both Friday and Saturday will be First Alert Weather Days. There's also an air quality alert in place for all of Colorado's Front Range. The heat will elevate ozone levels around Denver and the urban corridor of the Front Range making the air unhealthy for sensitive individuals with breathing issues. Currently that alert is set to last through Thursday at 4 p.m. but it may be extended beyond that period for the duration of the heat wave. File photo of Denver in 2020 Getty Images/iStockphoto The heat wave first oozes into the central Rocky Mountain region on Thursday. Expect temperatures in the upper 90s. Thursday's record is 98 degrees, and the projected high for Denver Thursday is 97. With wind coming into the state out of the southwest there will also be a red flag warning on Thursday in far western Colorado. The heat records in Denver for both Friday and Saturday are 99. Denver's high on Friday is projected to be 101 and the high temperature on Saturday is projected to be 100. Each day, the hottest temperatures will be between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. It's advised to stay hydrated if you have to be outdoors during this time, and to find shade. Otherwise, finding a cool place to stay indoors is recommended.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Welsh government urged to improve air quality
The Welsh government needs to set more ambitious targets for improving air quality in order to tackle pollution around schools, according to comes as research from Friends of the Earth Cymru suggests more than 200 schools in Wales may be situated in areas where chemicals in the air exceed World Health Organisation (WHO) thirds of those schools were in Cardiff, but the council has urged caution and said individual measurements at some locations showed lower levels of pollutants in Welsh government said it will soon start consulting on promoting awareness of its air pollution delivery plan. Environmental campaign group Friends of the Earth Cymru has analysed figures from the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) which suggested nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM2.5) is too high for 65,000 Welsh on the eco committee at Roath Park Primary School in Cardiff said they did what they could to encourage their friends and parents to reduce car use to help the 11, said she was concerned air pollution would affect herself and her friends with asthma as "children's bodies are still growing"."They can get ill and it can affect their bodies and get into their bloodstream which can seriously damage their lungs," she said. Fatima, 11, said she encouraged her parents and friends to find environmentally friendly ways of getting around."I usually tell my parents off for driving the car too much, and ask them to walk to school instead of drive. "I live a bit far - but it's not too far so I just walk."Seren, 11, said she and her fellow committee members were growing plants to try and improve air quality."It would be better if we could all do something like plant more plants or make more cars on the road electric so they don't produce the fumes that go into the atmosphere," she said. Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, Haf Elgar, said she wanted everyone to take action to reduce air pollution."This data proves that we've got a real crisis in air pollution in Wales, particularly in our cities in terms of what we've measured here," she said. "The list of 200 schools makes it obvious that we need to do more. The government has a duty as well as the local authorities and us as individuals. There's a responsibility on everyone."New legislation was passed last year to clean up the air in Wales, but Ms Elgar said that should be just the start of the process."We now need to set targets in legislation so that everyone knows what we're aiming for," she said."That we've got ambition to reduce our air pollution and that leads to action across all government departments." Cardiff council said all monitoring locations in the city currently meet existing legal air quality objectives and all schools monitored by the local authority recorded concentrations "significantly less" than the Friends of the Earth Cymru research. The local authority added it welcomed the report as "Cardiff is very much aware of the health concerns from poor air quality and its potential impact on our children". A spokesperson for the council added: "It should be noted that the WHO guideline values are based solely based on scientific conclusions about public health aspects of air pollution. "The guidelines do not take into consideration the technical feasibility or the economic and social aspects of achieving these levels." Joseph Carter from Healthy Air Cymru, a coalition of partner organisations in Wales working to improve air quality, said air pollution was linked to asthma in children, with a growing number of people living with the condition in Wales. "Air pollution is a terrifying thing. The more time goes on, the more we learn about what it could cause," he said. Mr Carter said individuals and organisations needed to make real changes and called for legislation to prevent cars idling while waiting at the side of the road."We need to think about how we work, how we live and what society looks like here in Wales," he said. The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) said there was "no safe level" of air pollution and is calling on the Welsh government to take urgent Hilary Williams, vice-president for Wales at the RCP, said: "The number of preventable deaths attributable to poor air quality makes clear that this is a public health crisis that cannot be ignored. "For people living with asthma, poor air quality directly affects their risk of hospital admission and impacts everyday activities, and we're learning more how it contributes to other conditions including dementia, heart disease and cancers. "Clean air is a right, not a privilege and improving air quality must be treated as a core public health priority." The Welsh government said it was providing funding to local authorities to improve air quality through its Local Air Quality Management Support Fund."This year, the fund will provide £1m to support a range of activity across the country, including initiatives at schools," they said. "This summer we will consult on our Promoting Awareness of Air Pollution Delivery Plan, which has been developed in partnership with stakeholders. Through the plan we will support national communication campaigns, educational resources, and guidance, enabling positive change and ensuring people have the information they need to take action."Raising awareness of air pollution issues with children and young people has been a key consideration in the development of our draft plan."
