British government loses landmark air pollution case

Air pollution is a killer, experts say.

The Government will be forced to urgently clean up illegal air pollution in British cities, after a ruling at the European Court of Justice.

Following the case, brought by environmental group Client Earth, individuals will now be able sue the Government for breaching EU pollution laws, while ministers will be forced to prepare and implement plans to improve air quality “as soon as possible”.

In a slap-down for the Government, the court overwhelmingly dismissed a long-stated policy of seeking to comply with EU air pollution laws by simply appealing to Europe for more time.

Alan Andrews, Client Earth's lawyer, said: “Thousands of people die because of air pollution every year. This ruling will save lives by forcing the government to finally take this issue seriously. They will now have to come up with an urgent plan to rid our towns and cities of cancer-causing diesel fumes”.

In July the Government admitted that several British cities were set to meet toxic nitrogen dioxide gas limits within by 2010, at the same time in emerged NO2 legal limits were exceeded in 40 of the UK’s 43 urban zones in 2010.

Air quality campaigner Simon Birkett, founder of Clean Air in London, said “This is a massive win for Client Earth on all counts in a landmark environmental case that could be the most important in a generation."

He added: “This judgement means early next year the Supreme Court must take any necessary measure to require Defra to produce a meaningful new air quality plan that ensures the excedance period for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) limit values beyond 1 January 2010 is ‘as short as possible’. The judgement also makes clear that these limit values are absolute ‘obligations’."

Campaigners say the ruling could see many diesel cars and commercial vehicles banned from city centres to cut pollution.

These are the biggest producers of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a harmful gas linked with heart attacks and asthma.

A clampdown could lead to policies like the London Mayor's plans for an “ultra-low-emission zone” being adopted across the country.

The focus of campaigners will now shift to the UK Supreme court which is expected to interpret what the time frame should be next year.

This should see the UK Supreme Court ordering the government to take action to meet limits in a much shorter time frame.

In the London Assembly Green Party member Jenny Jones called on Mayor Boris Johnson to “urgently review” his air pollution polices in light of the ruling.

She said: “This is great news for Londoners’ health. This judgment shatters the Mayor’s complacency on air pollution. The Mayor must urgently rewrite his strategy and reinstate emergency measures to bring pollution down from its dangerous and illegal levels.”

Source: The Independent

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Chemical plant odors worries residents

A chemical leak was to blame for the strong
odors affecting nearby citizens.

Residents living near the Imperial Oil refinery and chemical plant are wondering why a hydrocarbon gas leak sent workers to safe havens within the plant while citizens were left to go about their routines despite a strong odor wafting through much of the southwestern Ontario city.

Warning sirens went off at the Imperial site after a vapor release began at 3 p.m. Friday, caused by a release of “light hydrocarbons,” according to a company news release.

The leak came from a small pipe in the site’s chemical plant.

Imperial’s air monitoring showed no measurable levels of hydrocarbon or hydrogen sulfide, the release said.

A strong odor wafted over the city, prompting a rash of 911 phone calls, said Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley. Calls were also fielded by a local radio station.

The leak was contained immediately and did not go off-site, according to Sarnia police news release, and Imperial Oil staff ensured that the odor smelled by neighbors was in no way toxic or harmful.

The all-clear was given at 8:30 p.m. Friday, according to the company.

Company officials should have warned the city that the leak would have an effect on people outside the site, the mayor said Saturday.

Imperial has not specified what the leaked material was or how much of it leaked. An investigation is underway, said a spokesman, but he did not know how long that might take.

Regulatory authorities, including the provincial Environment Ministry, have been notified.

Source: The Star

Working or living near a chemical plant can be a health risk. That is why Electrocorp has designed industrial and commercial air cleaners with activated carbon walls and HEPA air filters to remove toxic chemicals, gases, fumes, odors, particles, dust and other contaminants from the ambient air. Electrocorp offers air cleaners for chemical manufacturing plants, offices and many other workplaces where chemical odors and fumes may be a concern. Contact Electrocorp for more information. 

Wastewater treatment plants need safety measures in place

OSHA cites NY contractors for safety violations at Canastota Wastewater Treatment Plant

SYRACUSE, NY – Serious workplace safety violations were found in connection with the September 2013 explosion at the Canastota Wastewater Treatment Plant that killed one worker and injured another.

Chemical gases and fumes pose health
risks at wastewater treatment plants.

Joy Process Mechanical Inc. of East Syracuse and M. Hubbard Construction Inc. of Mottville were hired by the plant to replace piping inside a methane gas dome, a confined space.

The Joy Process Mechanical worker was welding inside the dome when the explosion occurred, burning him and a Hubbard Construction worker who was standing atop a stepladder opening to the confined space.

"This tragedy could have been prevented had basic safety precautions been implemented," said Christopher Adams, OSHA's area director in Syracuse. "Confined spaces and hazardous atmospheres pose dangerous risks to workers. Employers must provide the equipment and safeguards that prevent workers from getting hurt."

Investigators from OSHA's Syracuse Area Office found that both employers failed to ensure safeguards and to train workers on the hazards associated with methane gas and confined spaces. Workers were not provided with a meter to measure the presence of combustible gas.

The confined space also lacked adequate ventilation and a retrieval system for swift exits in an emergency. Hubbard Construction was also cited for ladder misuse and for using electrical equipment that had not been rated safe in a hazardous atmosphere.

As a result, Joy Process Mechanical was issued three serious citations with $14,700 in proposed fines. Hubbard Construction was issued seven serious citations with $31,020 in fines. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance.

Source: OSHA

Methane gas is just one of the many indoor air pollutants at wastewater treatment plants. Electrocorp offers industrial air cleaners with activated carbon and HEPA to remove sewage odors, VOCs, gases and other contaminants from the ambient air. Contact Electrocorp for more information.

Life after gas stations – watch out for vapor intrusion

Abandoned gas station in Illinois. Photo by Dual Freq

Thousands of U.S. gas stations have been abandoned in the past 20 years, often remaining vacant and boarded up.

Apart from being an eyesore, these closed-up gas stations can also become a health and environmental hazard, leaking petroleum into the soil and water supplies underneath.

According to the National Association of Convenience Stores, more than one quarter of the 200,000 nationwide gas stations have closed since 1991.

Higher oil costs and stiff competition from big-box retailers have pushed smaller stations out of business.

And while many of these abandoned stations sit on desirable land close to busy streets and communities, it is no wonder that so many remain boarded and locked up.

Converting former gas stations into a thriving new business opportunity may be challenging, if the ground has been contaminated. Cleanup costs are high and state and federal assistance is limited.

The contaminated soil can lead to vapor intrusion on new construction and in nearby buildings, elevating cleanup costs even further.

Small lot sizes and people’s persisting  perceptions are other big challenges, developers say.

Still, others see the potential and turn old gas stations into electric charging pump stations, office space or modern coffee shops.

Source: New York Times

Air cleaners for petroleum chemicals and more

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Natural gas wells may leak twice as much gas as previously thought

Gas wells leak up to
4% of methane gas.

A new study is raising concerns about the air quality near natural gas wells and their impact on the climate.

The study shows that wells in Colorado have leaked about twice as much gas into the atmosphere as previously thought.

Natural gas is mostly made of methane and while it gives off less carbon dioxide than coal when burned, methane in the atmosphere is a strong contributor to global warming and can have a big impact on the climate.

The study appeared in the Journal of Geophysical Research.

The researchers measured the air quality near Denver using a 300-meter tower, in an area where more than 20,000 gas wells are being used.

While some of the methane detected by the sensors can come from landfills, cattle feedlots and waste-water treatment sites, the researchers could identify methane from gas wells by other components that accompanied the readings.

The study finds that about 4 percent of the methane in gas wells was leaking.

The researchers previously found that higher-than-expected levels of methane were being released from wells used in the hydraulic fracturing process.

Middle class schools closest to gas wells: Study

In a separate study in Texas, researchers found that socially vulnerable areas tend to have more gas wells near schools, meaning some communities could be burdened more with health or social costs.

In fact, the study shows that middle class neighborhoods (not rich or poor ones) had most gas wells near elementary schools.

The researchers looked at proximity because there is a lack of other studies on health effects or pollution when it comes to the effect of shale gas production on communities, they said.

They focused on children because they are such a vulnerable group, they added.

Sources: Science News, Denton Record-Chronicle

Provide cleaner indoor air in schools and other buildings

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