Submitted
Road dust may just seem like a rite of spring, and a temporary nuisance.
Certainly in Golden people are used to smoky and dusty air periods throughout the year.
Should this be a cause for concern?
At the very least, a lot of dust in the air can be unpleasant. One cyclist recently commented that she was “choking on the dust” while attempting to enjoy an early spring ride around Golden. Cleaning windows is also not everyone’s favourite pastime, and the more dust there is in town, the more often that has to be done.
However, dust really is more than a minor annoyance. Studies have shown that exposure to the fine particulates produced by road traction materials will significantly increase acute respiratory illness such as asthma attacks, and increase hospital visits. There is no doubt that high levels of dust are a health hazard, especially for more vulnerable people including children and seniors.
And rather than being just a passing risk as dust levels rise in the spring, exposure to all types of air pollution can have cumulative effects on our health. So the smoke through the winter with wood stoves, diesel fumes with trains and trucks idling, slash burning, and summer wildfires all add up over time.
Several air quality advisories were issued by the B.C. Ministry of Environment for Golden in March. This is done when pollutant concentrations exceed acceptable limits, or when degraded air-quality episodes are expected to continue or worsen.
The purpose of the advisories is to help people make informed choices about reducing their exposure to elevated concentrations of air pollutants. When dust levels are high it is recommended that we should “stay inside and keep the windows closed.” It is suggested that we avoid going outside and breathing the air.
Every year, Golden consistently has among the highest PM10 levels (particulate matter 10 less than 10 micrograms in diameter) associated with road dust among B.C. communities. Is this the best we can do for our community?
It is possible to greatly reduce the amount of dust production from roads by using harder traction materials that break down less easily, and contain less fine silt to start with. The City of Prince George has significantly reduced dust problems by changing the traction material used. The cost can be higher, but this can be offset since less road grit is then needed, and streets need to be sprayed and cleaned less often.
This week, representatives from the Golden and District Air Quality Committee, local and regional government departments, and road maintenance contractors are meeting to discuss how to solve this problem in Golden. They will discuss reasonable, cost-effective solutions to reduce the dust in Golden.
