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Time of India
16-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Heavy Metals Slip Through Air Gap In City
New Delhi: There are no standards defined to monitor the level of heavy metals in ambient air quality. This was highlighted in a report submitted to the National Green Tribunal by the Central Pollution Control Board . This lack of standards makes it difficult to reach conclusions about the findings from a 2024 study of the air in east Delhi. On Sept 29 last, TOI, in a report titled 'New study reveals air quality concerns in east Delhi', highlighted the presence of heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic, chromium, copper, zinc, molybdenum and lead in the ambient air. The study also noted the presence of similar heavy metals in cities like Jaisalmer, Patiala, Ludhiana, Visakhapatnam and Panchkula. When NGT sought an explanation, CPCB explained that monitoring of heavy metals was not conducted due to the absence of defined standards for their presence in the air. It also stated that no countries or eco agencies monitored air for heavy metals except a province in Canada. "It is submitted that countries/agencies such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the European Union, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Japan and the World Health Organization (WHO) have not proposed standards/guideline levels for chromium, copper, zinc and molybdenum," CPCB told the tribunal. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ótimas notícias para os cidadãos brasileiros! Leia mais Undo It also pointed out that the mean values for zinc, copper, molybdenum and chromium reported in the study in east Delhi last year ranged, respectively from 119.9 to 1,364.5 microgram per cubic metre, 112.8 to 1,614.5 mg/m3, 40.6 to 376.3 mg/m3 and 68.7 to 244.4 mg/m3. The reported values exhibited high variation, CPCB said. The pollution board added that the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, had monitoring on 12 parameters, including arsenic and nickel, but there were no parameters for chromium, copper, zinc and molybdenum. It, however, said that the ministry of environment of Ontario, Canada, had developed the Ambient Air Quality Criteria (AAQC) that are now used in environmental assessments, special studies using ambient air monitoring data, assessment of general air quality in a community and annual reporting on air quality in Canada. AAQC is not a regulatory value, but a reading on the concentration of a contaminant in the air. The index was used to assess general (ambient) air quality resulting from all sources of a contaminant to air. The AAQC standard for zinc is 120 micrograms per cubic metre, for copper 50, for molybdenum 120 and for chromium, 0.5 micrograms per cubic metre. Kanhaiya Lal, the scientist who conducted the research in 2024, remarked, "Standards are generally created when the source that might resuspend heavy metals in air increases. Since such sources are also increasing, like mining and road construction, the chances of resuspension are also increasing. In the future, monitoring them might be important, but it will depend on how strictly these emissions are monitored by different institutes. "
Hamilton Spectator
08-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Benzene alert blamed on ‘messaging system error'
An alert issued this week by INEOS Styrolution about elevated benzene levels at its Sarnia facility has since been retracted, with the company citing a 'messaging system error.' A follow-up clarification was issued today, stating that no exceedances occurred on May 5. The original message, distributed through the Sarnia-Lambton Alerts system on May 5, stated that 'hourly benzene emissions on-site have been detected above 0.021 parts-per million (67.5 µg/m³).' That figure matches the company's internal 'proactive alert' threshold — a level set below Ontario's regulatory one-hour ambient air quality criterion (AAQC) for benzene of 90 µg/m³ (approximately 0.028 ppm). A second message, issued at 7:06 a.m. on May 7, repeated the same language from the original alert and described the notification as a 'proactive precaution.' INEOS stated that emissions reduction efforts would be identified if abnormal conditions were present, and emphasized that no adverse effects were expected. Later that same day, a correction was issued at 3:01 p.m., reading: 'CORRECTION to the notifications sent May 5th [10:53 and 11:09 a.m.] Due to a messaging system error, two community notifications were incorrectly distributed yesterday. We would like to clarify that no on-site emissions at our Sarnia facility have exceeded 0.021 parts per million (67.5 µg/m³) on May 5, 2025.' INEOS has not explained why the May 7, 7:06 a.m. alert repeated the exceedance language just hours before issuing the correction. As of publication, no retraction or clarification has appeared on the BASES (Binational Air Quality and Environmental Strategy) public notification platform, where the original alert was posted. In response to questions from The Sarnia Journal, INEOS said the company uses a proactive alert threshold of 0.021 ppm to notify the public before reaching Ontario's regulatory limit. The company confirmed that no exceedances occurred on May 5, 6, or 7 and that emissions remained below the 90 µg/m³ limit. However, it did not address questions about whether that threshold was exceeded on other dates, the cause of the messaging error, or what safeguards exist to prevent similar notification issues in the future. OOntario's one-hour air quality limit for benzene, the maximum amount allowed in outdoor air over a one-hour period, is 90 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³). INEOS's internal alert threshold (67.5 µg/m³) represents approximately 75% of that regulatory limit and is described by the company as a proactive measure to inform the community in advance of any regulatory breach. Benzene is a volatile organic compound used in petrochemical processing and plastics manufacturing. It is listed as toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and is classified as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Long-term exposure can increase the risk of leukemia and other blood disorders, while short-term exposure to high levels may cause symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, or drowsiness. The alerts were issued during INEOS Styrolution's ongoing benzene removal plan at the Sarnia site, which includes pipeline transfers and the emptying of an on-site benzene tank. The company has stated that emissions controls are in place and no off-site health impacts are anticipated. This article was created with support from advanced editorial tools and reviewed by our team to ensure accuracy and fairness. Learn more .
