This information from Ministry
Health File #35
- Particulate Matter, Air Pollution...
..... The first step should be to determine the actual level of small
particulates in the community, and identify their sources. Once you know
what your local situation is, appropriate steps can then be taken if necessary
to deal with it. For example, Cranbrook already has an air monitoring
program in place, and "air advisories" are announced in the
local media when particulate pollution is especially serious. Air
monitoring can also be used to identify significant industrial sources of
airborne particulates.
Williams Lake -- another example -- used to have a serious wood smoke pollution
problem. Now, their local industries not only burn wood properly, but use
it to generate "clean" electrical energy. In both of these communities,
local provincial and municipal government officials were able to work cooperatively
to find and implement programs which addressed their communities' particular
circumstances. Cooperative action involving both municipal and provincial
governments and the private sector is often effective in developing innovative
solutions to the particulate problems of individual communities. These agencies
may help supply the necessary measuring equipment, for example, or
provide information on typical small particles emitted from various sources
in a specific area....