St. Johns Air Quality2016

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Air Pollution vs. Air ToxicsAir Pollution - carbon monoxide,

ozone, particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and lead

Air Toxics - air pollutants known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health problems

Red text indicates levels of concern for Portland

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Air ToxicsInclude: diesel soot, benzene,

polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (tar-like by-products from auto exhaust and other sources), and metals including manganese, nickel, and lead

Sources: cars and trucks, all types of burning (including fireplaces and woodstoves), businesses, and consumer products such as paints

Source:http://www.deq.state.or.us/aq/northwest/

Source: http://projects.oregonlive.com/pollution/

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Sources of Air Toxics

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Air Pollution in the Press• Bullseye Glass, Southeast Portland• Mercury breaks story, February 2016• DEQ – Cease and desist – May 2016 (lead)• Issues - Lead, cadmium, chromium and

arsenic• Cadmium levels raised potential cancer risk

from 1 in 1,000,000 to 1 in 10,000• Uroboros Glass, North Portland• Cadmium Hot Spot – ceased using colored

glass• Precision Castparts, Southwest Portland• Nickel Hot Spot

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USA Today – Smokestack Effect

Source: http://content.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/smokestack/index

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USA Today – Smokestack EffectGeorge Middle – 1st Percentile

◦The air is worse at 437 schools across the nation

Sitton Elementary – 3rd Percentile◦The air is worse at 2,185 schools

across the nationJames John Elementary – 3rd

Percentile◦The air is worse at 2,350 schools

across the nationSource: http://content.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/smokestack/school/74416

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What we learned: Portland’s air is dirtier than we thought As of March 2016, Portland had one permanent

air quality monitor (more monitors now) The state of Oregon knew about some of the

issues for over a year, and has been receiving complaints about Bullseye since the 1980’s

Elevated levels of metals have potentially increased cancer to 1 in 5,000 (want 1 in 1,000,000)

NO permit required for heavy metal discharge for glass manufacturing facilities

Source: http://www.opb.org/news/article/7-things-you-need-to-know-about-portlands-toxic-air-situation/

Source: http://www.opb.org/news/article/7-things-you-need-to-know-about-portlands-toxic-air-situation/

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The Positive Side: Urban moss being used to reveal

“hot spots” throughout Portland with concentrations of toxic heavy metals like cadmium, arsenic, nickel, and lead◦Been using moss and lichen for years ◦Forest Service researchers in Portland

are the first to do so on a city-wide scaleTwo top DEQ officials, including the

department director stepped down

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Cadmium Concentrations in Moss

http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/research/moss/

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The Portland Air Toxics Solutions project produced a technical study that included an analysis of available monitoring information and computer model estimates of Portland’s expected pollutant levels in the year 2017.

Air Toxics by Pollutants – Diesel, Acrolein, PAH-15

Source: http://www.deq.state.or.us/aq/toxics/patsmaps.htm

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Source – Industry, including gas stations and dry cleaners

Source: http://www.deq.state.or.us/aq/toxics/patsmaps.htm

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Source – Residential Wood Combustion

Source:http://www.deq.state.or.us/aq/toxics/patsmaps.htm

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Source – Cars and Trucks

http://www.deq.state.or.us/aq/toxics/patsmaps.htm

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North Portland UpdateAs of September 2016:

◦ Moving air monitoring station from North Roselawn Street to a site approximately one fourth mile to the southwest at the Humboldt School property, 4915 N Gantenbien Ave.

◦ The new site is in an open area near playgrounds, schools, and high density housing.

◦ Moved and operational by October 2016 http://www.deq.state.or.us/aq/north

west/docs/NPortlandmonitors.pdf

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Moving Forward….Steps for St. Johns Air Quality Improvements Meet with Eastside Air Pollution – formalize SJ plan Permit list

◦ Active permits – status of these permits Current, violations, etc.

◦ Facilities in need of permits – prioritized◦ Research current requirements for permits

Stationary sources Mobile sources

Testing and available technology◦ Mobile sources◦ Stationary sources◦ Related Costs and time required

Community Information / Updates◦ Write-ups review◦ Forums / Work-groups