Physicians start important conversation on air pollution

SUNDAY MORNING EDITORIAL — Chalk one up for the Kamloops Physicians for a Healthy Environment.

The local doctors’ group published what they called a “Fact Sheet,” along with a four-page illustrated brochure late last week. It was, basically, a white paper outlining why they believe the Ajax open-pit mine would increase air pollution in Kamloops and what that would do to the health of its citizens.

It backed up its contention with a list of references. Spokesperson Dr. Jill Calder said comprehensive data shows industry is having a greater effect on air quality than, say, wildfires and auto exhaust. “We stand behind our fact sheet,” she said.

KGHM International initially indicated it wouldn’t have anything to say about the Kamloops Physicians’ claims but, a couple of days latter, responded by offering up one of its air-quality consultants to talk with CBC Radio about why the company disputes the conclusions of the KPHES.

That move was significant, for KGHM International doesn’t like to engage in direct thrust and parry, preferring the more controlled environment of its favourite tool, the open house. Indeed, it held three of them this week to unveil its proposed new Ajax footprint for public review. No doubt, the physicians had that in mind when they released their paper.

The spokesperson picked by KGHM International to refute the physicians was Peter Reid of Stantec. He told CBC’s Shelley Joyce that Kamloops air is “very clean” and questioned the rigor of the doctors’ analysis. Reid said Kamloops has some of the best air quality on the North American continent.

Then, on Friday, New Gold entered the debate by releasing a statement saying the National Pollutant Release Inventory quoted by the physicians is in error. The NPRI report for 2012 said New Gold’s New Afton mine was the third largest air polluter in Canada but, said New Gold, the emissions were over-estimated.

“New Afton understands that the errors in the 2012 NPRI report has led to a misunderstanding and we apologize for any confusion this has caused,” the company said.

So, not only did the physicians draw KGHM into the open, but brought New Gold into the discussion as well.

There’s another thing the physicians have accomplished — increasing the public’s understanding of what air pollution is all about. Prior to last week, most people didn’t have a clue what PM2.5 was, much less PM10.

Now we know PM2.5 is fine particulate matter like smoke, dust and other particles in the air that we might not even be able to see, and that it’s bad for our health. And that PM10 is the bigger stuff, less dangerous but still of concern.

And that it’s all worth knowing and having a conversation about.