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A kraft pulp mill that operated in Pictou (KPMP), Nova Scotia for more than 50 years is considered a major source of environmental pollution, although its air emissions have not been widely studied. To address this gap, this research compares air releases from the KPMP with other industrial facilities releases and with regulations. A comparison between nine different pulp and/or paper mills in Atlantic Canada between 2002-2019 suggested that pulp mills emit higher pollutant loads than those producing paper and that the highest release was fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from the KPMP. The KPMP releases were also 10 and 1000 times the releases of a tire manufacturing facility and a coal-fired power plant nearby, and results suggest that the KPMP was likely the primary source for high PM2.5 concentrations in Pictou. Air quality PM2.5 management levels in Pictou became green following the installation of a precipitator by the KPMP in 2015. Agencia Nacional de Investigación e Innovación Canadian Standards Association

The pulp and paper industry is a major contributor to water and air pollution globally. Pulp and paper processing is an intensive energy consuming process that produces multiple contaminants that pollute water, air, and affect ecological and human health. In Canada, the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) is used to assess the release of air pollutants into the atmosphere from industrial facilities (including pulp and paper mills) and provides a repository of annual emissions reported by individual facilities. This study compared annual air emissions of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, total particulate matter (TPM), PM2.5, PM10, sulphur dioxide, and volatile organic compounds from nine different pulp and/or paper mills in Atlantic Canada from three provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador) between 2002 and 2019. Results revealed that annual releases were several orders of magnitude higher than federal reporting thresholds suggested by Environment and Climate Change Canada. Pulp mills emit higher pollutant loads than those producing paper. The highest exceedance of a reporting threshold was for particulate matter (PM2.5) at Northern Pulp in Nova Scotia. The emissions of PM2.5 were on average (over a 17-year period) about 100,000% above the reporting threshold of 0.3 tonnes per year.

Global warming is a result of the increased emission of greenhouse gases. This climate change consequence threatens society, biodiversity, food and resource availability. The consequences in health involve the increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease and cardiovascular mortality. In this position paper we summarize the data from the main studies that assessed the risks of temperature increase or heat waves in CV events (CV mortality, myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, and CV hospitalizations), as well as the data concerning air pollution as an enhancer of temperature-related CV risks. The data currently supports that global warming/heat waves (extreme temperatures) are cardiovascular threats. Achieving the neutrality in the emissions to prevent global warming is essential and it is likely to have an effect in the global health, including the cardiovascular health. Simultaneously, urgent step is required to adapt the society and individual to this new climate context potentially harmful for the cardiovascular health. Multidisciplinary teams should plan and intervene in heat-related healthcare and advocate for environmental health policy change. proof epub_ahead_of_print

Copyright © 2022 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved. Air pollution is one of the main environmental risk factors for health and is linked to cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of mortality worldwide. In this position paper, we discuss the main air pollutants and how they can promote the development of cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular events. We also summarise the main evidence supporting the association between air pollution and cardiovascular events, such as coronary events (acute coronary syndromes/myocardial infarction; chronic coronary syndromes), stroke, heart failure and mortality. Some recommendations are made based on these data and the European Society of Cardiology guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention, acknowledging that it is important to increase awareness and literacy on this topic in Portugal. publishersversion published

Using waste paper as fuel for domestic heating is a beneficial recycling option for small island developing states where there are lacks of resources for energy and waste treatment. However, there are concerns about the impact of air pollutants emitted from the burning of the self-made paper briquettes as household air pollution is recognised as the greatest environmental risk for human. In this study, combustion tests were carried out for paper briquettes made in one Pacific island and three commercial fuels in Australia including wood briquettes, kindling firewood and coal briquettes in order to: 1) characterise the emissions of three criteria air pollutants including particulate matters, CO and NOx including their emission factors (EF) from the tested fuels; and 2) compare the EFs among the tested fuels and with others reported in the literature. The results showed that waste paper briquettes burned quickly and generated high temperature but the heat value is relatively low. Paper briquettes and coal briquettes produced higher CO concentration than the others while paper briquettes generated the highest NOx level. Only PM2.5 concentration emitted from paper briquettes was similar to kindling firewood and lower than wood briquettes. Burning of paper briquettes and wood briquettes produced particulate matter with large average count median diameter (72 and 68 nm) than coal briquette and kindling firewood (45 and 51 nm). The EFs for CO, NOx and PM2.5 of paper briquettes were within the range of EFs reported in this study as well as in the literature. Overall, the results suggested that using paper briquettes as fuel for domestic heating will not likely to generate higher level of three major air pollutants compared to other traditional fuels.

Air pollution is one of the main environmental risk factors for health and is linked to cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of mortality worldwide. In this position paper, we discuss the main air pollutants and how they can promote the development of cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular events. We also summarise the main evidence supporting the association between air pollution and cardiovascular events, such as coronary events (acute coronary syndromes/myocardial infarction; chronic coronary syndromes), stroke, heart failure and mortality. Some recommendations are made based on these data and the European Society of Cardiology guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention, acknowledging that it is important to increase awareness and literacy on this topic in Portugal. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Pulp and paper mills are known large emitters of air pollution creating potential environmental challenges and human health impacts. This study assesses air pollution and associated impacts from connected pulp and paper facilities which operate in Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada, and Madawaska, Maine, United States (US). Despite operating within two regulatory jurisdictions on both sides of the international border (in Canada and the US), the mills have exceeded their approvals to operate and national air quality regulations multiple times between 2010 and 2017. Previous studies have linked many types of cancer as well as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases to air pollution emitted by pulp and paper mills, making this an important regional issue in Canada and the US. While potential environmental and community impacts are likely similar on both sides of the international border, emissions from each side are not reported on the other, and few studies have been conducted on either side. Historic and ongoing lack of local epidemiological health and environmental impact studies and recommendations for improvements to mill operations to improve environmental and human health are presented.

Existing estimates of the economic costs of air pollution do not account for its effect on inventive output. Using two weather phenomena as instruments, we estimate this effect in a sample of 1,288 European regions. A decrease in exposure to small particulate matter of 0:17 g=m3 – the average yearly reduction in Europe – leads to 1.7% more patented inventions. After ruling out reallocation of human capital, inventor mortality and R&D expenditures as drivers of the effect, we conclude that air pollution’s harm to economic output increases by at least 10% when accounting for innovation. ispartof: FEB Research Report MSI_2113 issue:MSI_2113 pages:1-34 status: published

Accurate and quantitative profiling of air particulate matter (PM) compositions is essential for assessing local pollution information. The method combining mobile aerial sampling using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and prompt analysis excels in this regard as it allows spatiotemporal mapping of air pollution, especially in the vertical direction. However, applications of the method are still scarce as it is limited by a lack of sampling reliability due to insufficient aerial sampling time and a lack of accurate, portable quantification techniques. In this work, by integrating mobile aerial sampling with in-flight tethered charging and smartphone-based colorimetric analysis in a cost-effective paper microfluidic device, we present a method for quantitative, reliable profiling of spatiotemporal variation in air PM compositions. The method extends aerial sampling time to 12–15 flight hours per deployment, thereby significantly improving sampling reliability while maintaining the maneuverability of the UAVs. Also, smartphone-based colorimetric analysis combined with paper-based microfluidics enables portable, economically efficient analysis and is well-suited for using in low-resource settings. We demonstrated the utility of the method by carrying out a spatiotemporal variation study of air PM trace metal components (Fe, Ni, and Mn) at 4 geographical locations in Fuzhou, China, for a period of 21 days, and the results were in good agreement with results obtained from using a commercial instrument. Beside air PM composition study, this method is universally applicable and holds great potential to be extended to multipollutant analysis, such as prompt detection of airborne viruses, bacteria, and others.

Rapid on-site analysis of airborne trace metals has been heavily favored over traditional methodologies because air pollutants can be altered by environmental, behavioral, and social patterns at any given time and location. However, existing portable approaches are either not capable of performing integrated on-site analysis or not yet practically applicable. Exploiting graphene oxide (GO) in enhancing the analytical performance of paper-based colorimetric detection, for the first time, this paper reports the development of a practically useful portable system for accurate, sensitive on-site characterization of trace metals in ambient particulate matter (PM). The system consists of GO-nanosheet-coated paper devices, unmanned aerial vehicle multiaxial sampling, and cellphone-based colorimetric detection. The increased specific surface area and the homogeneity of color distribution from the coating of GO improves the accuracy and sensitivity of the assays. Additionally, by leveraging a Wi-Fi camera, a self-developed app and a sample pretreatment cartridge, metal in PM samples can be readily processed and characterized on-site within 30 min. The effects of chip geometric design, pH, reaction volume, and metal interference on detection results have been studied. The detection limits of the system were calibrated to be 16.6, 5.1, and 9.9 ng for metals Fe, Cu, and Ni, respectively, which are comparable to the detection limits of commercial inductively coupled plasma (ICP) instruments, thus making our portable system practically useful. Finally, the system was used for airborne trace-metal study at 6 locations in Fuzhou City (China), and the results obtained using our system demonstrated good agreement with those obtained by the ICP. The significance of our system in supplementing air pollution study and furthering research on rapid, accurate, on-site air toxicity assessment was demonstrated. Heavy metals in air can now be promptly and accurately quantified on site. Monitoring the amount of trace metals in air is an important component of environment control, as heavy metals such as Fe, Zn, Mn, and Ni are a health concern when present in large concentrations. While accurate equipment is available for measuring trace metal content in air, most of these are not portable, which makes measuring transient conditions difficult. Now, teams led by Hao Sun from Fuzhou University and Yuan Jia from Southeast University, China, report a portable system that makes use of the large surface area of graphene oxide nanosheets for detecting trace metals. These “paper” devices are paired with a highly portable aerial vehicle and a cell phone application developed by the authors, enabling accurate environmental monitoring at specific sites.

Alkaline residuals, such as wood ash and lime mud generated from pulp and paper mills, could be recycled as liming agents in sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) forests affected by soil acidification. The objectives of this study were (1) to evaluate soil chemistry, in particular soil acidity, after the application of three alkaline residuals from the pulp and paper industry, and (2) to determine if these alkaline residuals altered soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as a result of the change in soil pH or due to their chemical composition. Soil properties and GHG fluxes were monitored for two years after alkaline residuals were applied to six forest sites dominated by sugar maple in southeastern Quebec, Canada. Each site received six treatments: wood ash applied at 5, 10 and 20 t ha−1, lime mud (7.5 t ha−1), a mixture of slaker grits and green liquor sludge (7 t ha−1) and an unamended control. These treatments had acid-neutralizing power from 0 to 9 t ha−1. All alkaline residuals buffered soil acidity as a function of their neutralizing power, and more neutralization occurred in the forest floor layer than in the underlying mineral soil. In the forest floor, the alkaline residual treatments significantly increased pH by more than one unit, nearly doubled the base saturation, and reduced exchangeable acidity, Al and Fe concentrations compared to control plots. The CO2 and N2O fluxes were lower after application of alkaline residuals, and this was related to the soil pH increase and the type of alkaline residual applied. Lime mud was more effective at reducing GHG fluxes than other alkaline residuals. We conclude that these alkaline residuals can effectively counteract soil acidity in sugar maple forests without increasing soil GHG emissions, at least in the short term.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that 90% of people worldwide breathed polluted air in 2014 that exceeded the WHO limit of 10 μgm−3. Ambient air pollution was responsible for 4.2 million premature deaths in 2016 globally. Lancet noted that 92% of deaths associated with pollution is in developing countries among marginalized groups, particularly women and children. In Tanzania almost one fifth (19%) of annual deaths were associated with impacts of pollution-related diseases, equivalent to 74,170 deaths in 2016. In addition, a proportion of Death and Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) attributable to communicable diseases, which includes airborne diseases, accounted for 62% in in the same period. This chapter provides a review of the regulatory frameworks governing environmental issues, the contribution of air pollution from burning rice straw in rice fields, and the prospects of converting rice straw into pulp and paper products as a business solution to air pollution.

International audience; For a long time, limestone has been massively used in stone building and monuments because of its easy extraction and common presence in the landscape. On ancient monuments, mostly built in urban areas, it is exposed to urban-borne pollutants responsible for specific alteration mechanisms and weathering kinetics. Especially, the dissolution of calcite and the precipitation of new phases will affect the limestone pore network, modify the stones capillary properties, and influence the further alteration. In order to better understand these processes, an altered limestone sample from 'Tribunal Administratif' (TA) in Paris was studied. The main secondary phase was found to be syngenite, which can be explained by the location of the sample close to the soil, a potential source of K (fertilizers). This phase is more soluble than gypsum that is commonly found on altered limestone. In order to assess the reactivity of the system (limestone and new phases), oxygen and hydrogen isotopes were used to trace the transfer of water ((D2O)-O-18) and identify the location of the reactive areas (susceptible to alteration). For that, TA samples were exposed in a climatic chamber to relative humidity (RH) cycles (25% RH for 2.5 days and 85% RH for 4.5 days) for 2 months with a (D2O)-O-18 vapor to simulate alteration occurring in conditions sheltered from the rain. Results have shown that the water vapor easily circulates deep in the sample and reacts preferentially with syngenite the most reactive phase (compared with calcite and quartz). This phase could evolve in gypsum when exposed to an environment different from the one resulting in its formation.

The US pulp and paper (PNP) industry utilizes a variety of fuels to provide energy for process needs, resulting in air emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO(2)), nitrogen oxides (NO(X)), particulate matter (PM), and greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO(2)). Emissions from this sector have largely declined and continue to decline steadily since the mid-1990s, reflecting changes in fuel types used and their sulfur content, fluctuation in PNP production, increase in the volume of recycling, efficiency gains throughout the sector, and capital investments for compliance with regulations. Because of the above factors, recent market trends favoring the use of natural gas over coal, and more demanding regulatory limits, it is reasonable to expect that air emissions from the sector will continue to decline in the near future. Boilers have been the dominant source of SO(2), NO(X), PM, and CO(2) emissions for the sector. It would, therefore, be of interest to understand how air pollution controls have been applied to date on new, existing, and replaced units, as well as the cost and emission reductions associated with expanding their use throughout the sector. In the work described here, the Universal Industrial Sectors Integrated Solutions (UISIS) model developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is used to examine the emission reduction potential and cost of controls. This paper briefly characterizes air emissions from boilers operating in the PNP sector and reviews the menu of air pollution control technologies applicable to the sector. Then, after describing the UISIS PNP model, modeling results are presented, in which several illustrative air emission reduction strategies are assessed, including fuel switching, installation of air pollution control equipment, and implementation of energy efficiency measures.

This study reports on the concentrations of airborne fungi in a waste paper and cardboard recycling factory (WPCRF) in Tehran, Iran. Sampling occurred every six days during winter at nine locations. The following order was observed in all processing units: Penicillium sp. (92 ± 6 CFU m−3) > Cladosporium sp. (74 ± 7 CFU m−3) > Aspergillus niger (19 ± 9 CFU m−3). In the processing units, the lifetime average daily dose ranged from 1.49 × 10−3 to 7.8 CFU (kg.d)−1 for the inhalation route and from 2.74 × 10−6 to 6.29 × 10−6 CFU (kg.d)−1 for the dermal route.

International audience; To reduce pollution emissions and achieve a cleaner production in paper industry, it is essential to understand the inner links between concentrations of gaseous pollutants, types of final products and production techniques. In this study, the concentrations of four potential gaseous pollutants, total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), formaldehyde (HCHO), hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), and hydrocarbon compounds (C x H y), in the ambient air on thirty sampling points of five pulp and paper mills were detected and analyzed. The results were summarized with respect to the following aspects: (1) Levels of four gaseous pollutants on all the sampling points in five mills. It was obvious that the situation of gaseous pollution from pulp mill was much more serious than those from paper mills. (2) Gaseous pollutant distinctions due to different production processes. The levels of gaseous pollutants from five mills were greatly influenced by the utilized raw materials and the applied paper chemical agents (flavor, coating materials and additives) in mills. (3) Gaseous pollution comparisons at common points. At the two common points in five mills, i.e. the wet end of paper machine and the wastewater treatment process, TVOC and HCHO, C x H y and H 2 S were the main gaseous pollutants, respectively. In addition, some feasible measures to realize a cleaner production in pulping and papermaking process were also put forward in the article.

The NASA/Smithsonian Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO; tempo.si.edu) satellite instrument will measure atmospheric pollution and much more over Greater North America at high temporal resolution (hourly or better in daylight, with selected observations at 10 minute or better sampling) and high spatial resolution (10 km2 at the center of the field of regard). It will measure ozone (O3) profiles (including boundary layer O3), and columns of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrous acid (HNO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), formaldehyde (H2CO), glyoxal (C2H2O2), water vapor (H2O), bromine oxide (BrO), iodine oxide (IO), chlorine dioxide (OClO), as well as clouds and aerosols, foliage properties, and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. The instrument has been delivered and is awaiting spacecraft integration and launch in 2022. This talk describes a selection of TEMPO applications based on the TEMPO Green Paper living document (http://tempo.si.edu/publications.html). Applications to air quality and health will be summarized. Other applications presented include: biomass burning and O3 production; aerosol products including synergy with GOES infrared measurements; lightning NOx; soil NOx and fertilizer application; crop and forest damage from O3; chlorophyll and primary productivity; foliage studies; halogens in coastal and lake regions; ship tracks and drilling platform plumes; water vapor studies including atmospheric rivers, hurricanes, and corn sweat; volcanic emissions; air pollution and economic evolution; high-resolution pollution versus traffic patterns; tidal effects on estuarine circulation and outflow plumes; air quality response to power blackouts and other exceptional events.

On-site spatial variation study of airborne trace metals has been known to be the key to providing a comprehensive evaluation of air pollution information at any targeted location. However, the existing portable approaches either do not allow sample analysis in the longitudinal direction or is not yet practically applicable due to due to the lack of a portable detection method. In this paper, by integrating paper based colorimetric detection via cellphone and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in-air sampling, we present an approach for on-site multiaxial quantification of airborne trace metals in an arrayed format. Using a self-built sampler mounting on a UAV, our approach enables automatic, multiaxial air PM sampling. In addition, by relying only on a cellphone and a custom-made field reaction kit, samples collected in-air can be readily processed, detected in an arrayed format and interpreted on-site within 30 min. Finally, an ultrafast batch-to-batch paper microfluidic chip fabrication protocol enables 48 chips to be fabricated under 30 s at a cost of 1.92 $, making the approach well-suited for disposable on-site use. Our system was first calibrated for 6 metals commonly found in airborne PM (i.e. Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Cr and Ni), and the corresponding metals detection limits were found to be 8.16, 45.84, 1.86 × 102, 10.08, 1.52 × 102 and 80.40 ng. The validity of our approach was then demonstrated by characterizing 6 metals commonly found in air PM using a certified ash sample, and the experimentally determined metal weight percentage showed a good agreement with the manufacture certified value. Finally, the approach was used for on-site airborne trace metals spatial variation study at 4 difference locations in Fuzhou City (China), thus demonstrating the significance of our approach in supplementing air pollution information gathering and progressing rapid, on-site air toxicity assessment research.

OBJECTIVES In China, news media are useful for educating the public about the health threats of air pollution. To explore the potential gaps between scientific findings and the public's understanding of them, the characteristics of news media articles and their corresponding scientific papers were analysed. METHODS We used 22 articles relating to the health outcomes of exposure to outdoor air pollution published on Baidu News over the past year. An assessment tool developed by Robinson et al was used to evaluate the quality scores of news articles. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to measure the relationship between news media reporting and the characteristics of scientific papers. Misleading reporting, interpretation, or extrapolation in headlines and text bodies of news articles were examined. RESULTS The quality scores of the news articles ranged from -4 to 8, with an overall median score of 3. Correlation results showed that the scientific papers citation in Twitter (r = .88, P < .001) and Facebook (r = .64, P < .01) were significantly and positively associated with their citations in news stories. Media misunderstanding of scientific findings was common: 15 news headlines were identified with at least one spin (misrepresentation of scientific results), and 12 news articles had seven types of spin in the body texts. CONCLUSION Little media attention has been paid to scientific findings by Chinese researchers. Therefore, researchers and science journalists in China should make a better effort to engage in accurate and informative public discourse on domestic research.

Air toxics are airborne pollutants known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects, including certain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), prioritized by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). While several EPA-designated air toxics are monitored at a subset of Canadian National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) sites, Canada has no specific "air toxics" control priorities. Although pulp and paper (PP) mills are major industrial emitters of air pollutants, few studies quantified the spectrum of air quality exposures. Moreover, most NAPS monitoring sites are in urban centers; in contrast, rural NAPS sites are sparse with few exposure risk records. The objective of this pilot study was to investigate prioritized air toxic ambient VOC concentrations using NAPS hourly emissions data from a rural Pictou, Nova Scotia Kraft PP town to document concentration levels, and to determine whether these concentrations correlated with wind direction at the NAPS site (located southwest of the mill). Publicly accessible Environment and Climate Change Canada data (VOC concentrations [Granton NAPS ID: 31201] and local meteorological conditions [Caribou Point]) were examined using temporal (2006-2013) and spatial analytic methods. Results revealed several VOCs (1,3-butadiene, benzene, and carbon tetrachloride) routinely exceeded EPA air toxics-associated cancer risk thresholds. 1,3-Butadiene and tetrachloroethylene were significantly higher (p 0.05) when prevailing wind direction blew from the northeast and the mill towards the NAPS site. Conversely, when prevailing winds originated from the southwest towards the mill, higher median VOC air toxics concentrations at the NAPS site, except carbon tetrachloride, were not observed. Despite study limitations, this is one of few investigations documenting elevated concentrations of certain VOCs air toxics to be associated with PP emissions in a community. Findings support the need for more research on the extent to which air toxics emissions exist in PP towns and contribute to poor health in nearby communities.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important and highly prevalent arrhythmia, which is associated with significantly increased morbidity and mortality, including a four- to five-fold increased risk for stroke,1,2 a two-fold increased risk for dementia,3,4 a three-fold risk for heart failure,2 a two-fold increased risk for myocardial infarction,5,6 and a 40–90% increased risk for overall mortality.2,7 The constantly increasing number of AF patients and recognition of increased morbidity, mortality, impaired quality of life, safety issues, and side effects of rhythm control strategies with antiarrhythmic drugs, and high healthcare costs associated with AF have spurred numerous investigations to develop more effective treatments for AF and its complications.8 Although AF treatment has been studied extensively, AF prevention has received relatively little attention, while it has paramount importance in the prevention of morbidity and mortality, and complications associated with arrhythmia and its treatment. Current evidence shows a clear association between the presence of modifiable risk factors and the risk of developing AF. By implementing AF risk reduction strategies aiming at risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and obstructive sleep ap-noea (OSA), which are interrelated, we impact upon the escalating incidence of AF in the population and ultimately decrease the healthcare burden of associated co-morbidities of AF. To address this issue, a Task Force was convened by the European Heart Rhythm Association and the European Association of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, endorsed by the Heart Rhythm Society and Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society, with the remit to comprehensively review the published evidence available, to publish a joint consensus document on the prevention of AF, and to provide up-to-date consensus recommendations for use in clinical practice. In this document, our aim is to summarize the current evidence on the association of each modifiable risk factor with AF and the available data on the impact of possible interventions directed at these factors in preventing or reducing the burden of AF. While the evidence on AF prevention is still emerging, the topic is not fully covered in current guidelines and some aspects are still controversial. Therefore, there is a need to provide expert recommendations for professionals participating in the care of at-risk patients and populations, with respect to addressing risk factors and lifestyle modifications. Health economic considerations Atrial fibrillation is a costly disease, both in terms of direct, and indirect costs, the former being reported by cost of illness studies as per-patient annual costs in the range of US $2000–14200 in North America and of €450–3000 in Europe.9 In individuals with AF or at risk of developing AF, any effective preventive measure, intervention on modifiable risk factors or comorbidities, as well as any effective pharmacological or non-pharmacological treatment has the aim to reduce AF occurrence, thromboembolic events and stroke, morbidity and, possibly, mortality related to this arrhythmia. Apart from the clinical endpoints, achievement of these goals has economic significance, in terms of positive impact on direct and indirect costs and favourable cost–effectiveness at mid- or long-term, in the perspective of healthcare systems.10–12 In view of the epidemiological profile of AF and progressive aging of the population,13 an impressive increase of patients at risk of AF or affected by AF,14 also in an asymptomatic stage, is expected in the next decades, inducing a growing financial burden on healthcare systems, not only in Europe and North America, but also worldwide.15,16 In consideration of this emerging epidemiological threat due to AF, it is worth considering a paradigm shift, going beyond the conventional approach of primary prevention based on treatment of AF risk factors, but, instead, considering the potential for ‘primordial’ prevention, defined as prevention of the development of risk factors predisposing to AF in the first place.17 This approach, aimed at avoiding the emergence and penetration of risk factors into the population, has been proposed in general terms for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases17 and should imply combined efforts of policymakers, regulatory and social service agencies, providers, physicians, community leaders, and consumers, in an attempt to improve social and environmental conditions, as well as individual behaviours, in the pursuit of adopting healthy lifestyle choices.16 Since a substantial proportion of incident AF events can be attributable to elevated or borderline levels of risk factors for AF,18 this approach could be an effective way to reduce the financial burden linked to AF epidemiology. In terms of individual behaviour and adoption of a ‘healthy lifestyle’, it is worth considering that availability of full healthcare coverage (through health insurance or the healthcare system) may in some cases facilitate the unwanted risk of reducing, at an individual level, the motivation to adopt all the preventive measures that are advisable, in line with the complex concept of ‘moral hazard effect’.19 Patient education and patient empowerment are the correct strategies for avoiding this undesirable effect.

The peculiarities of the radial growth of pine in the conditions of air pollution in the Arctic zone are considered. The results of measurements of the width of annual rings of pine growing at different distances from the emission source are presented. The variability of annual radial growth of pine trees varies in a wide range: from moderate to very high. Age changes in the width of annual rings of pine are corresponding to the regularities of the curve of the "large growth". The average annual radial growth begins to decrease in plants older than 70 years. The dependence of the average annual radial growth of pine on age is approximated by an exponential equation. The accuracy of the approximation (coefficient of determination) is very high. Comparative analysis of the width of the annual rings and the value of gross emissions of the APPM in the year of formation of the annual layer did not show a clear synchronicity or asynchrony in the dynamics of these indicators for all plots. In most cases, the relationship between the total annual emissions of the APPM into the atmosphere and the width of the annual rings of pine was insignificant. The analysis of dendrochronology did not reveal a significant influence of atmospheric emissions of the Arkhangelsk pulp and paper mill on the growth of pine. The correlation coefficients between total annual atmospheric emissions and radial annual increments did not show a relationship between them, both when comparing these parameters year-on-year and with a delay of one year. For the period from 2001 to 2018 significant direct or delayed negative effect of emissions from Arkhangelsk pulp and paper mill in the atmosphere in the investigated areas of pine forests have not been identified.

Purpose The aim of this work is to compare greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from producing tissue paper from virgin pulp (VP) or recycled waste paper (RWP). In doing so, the study aims to inform decision makers at both company and national levels which are the main causes of emissions and to suggest the actions required to reduce pollution.

This paper quantitatively investigates the compositions of the gaseous pollutants in the ambient air of a secondary fiber paper mill. Total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), formaldehyde (HCHO), sulfur compounds (H2S), and hydrocarbon compounds (CxHy) were analyzed on six sampling sites with photo-ionisation detector, acetylacetone spectrophotometric method, and gas detector. The results revealed that, the high levels of TVOC and CxHy were detected at the wet end of paper machine and the office area, respectively; all the H2S contents on the six sites exceeded the limit (0.06 mg m(-3)) seriously; the HCHO concentrations at other five sites were out of the limit (0.10 mg m(-3)) except for the wastewater treatment plant. Furthermore, the necessary discussions about the possible pollution sources were considered on the process flow, the chemical agents used, and the ambient conditions in the paper mill. For the sake of air pollution control in paper mills, these remarkable results and analysis lay some technical basis in the following researches that should attract more attentions.

Urbanization generates increased amounts of solid wastes in cities and as a consequence leads to high air pollution levels. As a result of these trends, the subject of air quality management for sustainable concept of cities has received increasing attention. This work characterized volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and health effects at different processing stages in a recycling facility for waste paper and cardboard. The highest total VOC levels were observed in the conveyor belt line one (5.23 ± 0.33 mg/m3), followed by a baling machine (1.38 ± 0.07 mg/m3), conveyor belt line two (1.34 ± 0.08 mg/m3), tipping floor line one (1.22 ± 0.07 mg/m3), and manual separation line one (1.20 ± 0.06 mg/m3). Hence, exposure to VOCs lead to high health risks in this PCSWRF, especially at the manual separation stage (HQ = 2.7–3 and lifetime cancer risks (LTCRs) = 1.11 × 10−4 - 1.03 × 10−4), and strategies such as adjustment of the factory to enclose the conveyors, designing proper ventilation and air conditioning systems, minimization of VOC-contaminated waste generation (pre-treatment), and using personal protective equipment should be considered to eliminate pollutants and to protect workers from the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic effects.

Air pollution has been found to have direct and indirect effects on forest passerines, but there is very little information on the effects of emissions from the pulp and paper industry. This long-term (7 y) study compares breeding parameters of Great tits in industrial and rural sites in maritime pine forests on the west coast of Portugal. We found that Great tits bred earlier, laid more eggs, and produced more fledglings in the industrial area, where we also found a higher biomass of caterpillars, an important food source for tits. There were also differences in ground arthropod numbers, the industrial area having more beetles and millipedes and the rural area more spiders and silverfish. Our results suggest that there are no direct toxic effects of emissions from the paper industry on the study species. However, invertebrate food availability is clearly related to pollution levels, which indirectly affect the breeding performance of the Great tit. Il est connu que la pollution atmosphérique a des effets directs et indirects sur les passereaux forestiers, mais il existe très peu d’information sur les effets des émissions polluantes de l’industrie des pâtes et papiers. Cette étude à long terme (7 ans) a comparé les paramètres de reproduction de mésanges charbonnières dans 2 pinèdes maritimes, l’une située dans un secteur industriel et l’autre dans un secteur rural, sur la côte ouest du Portugal. Nous avons observé que les mésanges charbonnières s’accouplaient plus tôt, pondaient plus d’oeufs et produisaient plus de jeunes dans les sites industriels, où nous avons également observé une plus grande biomasse de chenilles, une importante source de nourriture pour les mésanges. Il y avait aussi des différences dans les quantités d’arthropodes terrestres, les sites industriels ayant plus de coléoptères et de millipèdes et les sites ruraux plus d’araignées et de lépismes argentés. Nos résultats suggèrent qu’il n’y a pas d’effet toxique direct des émissions de l’industrie des pâtes et papiers sur l’espèce à l’étude. Cependant, la disponibilité des invertébrés est reliée de façon évidente au niveau de pollution, ce qui a un effet indirect sur la performance de reproduction de la mésange charbonnière. published

On-site measurement of methanethiol (CH 3 SH) was performed for three years on ships and cars near a pulp and paper plant standing on the shore of Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia, to investigate the behavior and impact of atmospheric CH 3 SH emitted from a point source. Despite its strong odor, there are few reports on atmospheric CH 3 SH, while many investigations have been carried out on dimethyl sulfide (DMS). In this work, CH 3 SH and DMS were measured every 15 min by a recently developed automated instrument based on single column trapping/separation and chemiluminescence measurement. Hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide and ozone were also measured simultaneously by individual instruments. Of these sulfur compounds, CH 3 SH was dominant and its concentration sometimes reached several tens of ppbv. The concentration of CH 3 SH was high at night, because of the lack of photodecomposition and local winds from the mountain to the lake. Such time variation was marked in the summer. The CH 3 SH level decreased significantly downwind, while decreases in concentrations of other compounds such as DMS and SO 2 were relatively small. From these temporal and spatial variations, the behavior of CH 3 SH is described in this paper. The impact of CH 3 SH near the Siberian big sources is discussed with the presented data.

Air pollution, climate change, and reduced biodiversity are major threats to human health with detrimental effects on a variety of chronic noncommunicable diseases in particular respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The extent of air pollution both outdoor and indoor air pollution and climate change including global warming is increasing-to alarming proportions particularly in the developing world especially rapidly industrializing countries worldwide. In recent years, Asia has experienced rapid economic growth and a deteriorating environment and increase in allergic diseases to epidemic proportions. Air pollutant levels in many Asian countries especially in China and India are substantially higher than are those in developed countries. Moreover, industrial, traffic-related, and household biomass combustion, indoor pollutants from chemicals and tobacco are major sources of air pollutants, with increasing burden on respiratory allergies. Here we highlight the major components of outdoor and indoor air pollutants and their impacts on respiratory allergies associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis in the Asia-Pacific region. With Asia-Pacific comprising more than half of the world's population there is an urgent need to increase public awareness, highlight targets for interventions, public advocacy and a call to action to policy makers to implement policy changes towards reducing air pollution with interventions at a population-based level., Key Points 1. Epidemiological studies show that indoor and outdoor pollutions affect respiratory health, including an increased prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases. Global warming will increase the effects of outdoor air pollution on health.2. The Asia-Pacific is the most populated region in the world, with a huge burden of both outdoor and indoor pollutants, including PM2.5, PM10, SPM, CO, O3, NO2, SO2, NO and household pollutants including biomass and tobacco.3. The risk factors for the epidemic rise of allergic diseases in the Asia-Pacific are due to the increasing urbanization, environmental factors of air pollution and climate changes in recent decades than in the other parts of the world.4. In light of the different environmental exposures in different countries of the Asia-Pacific region, strategies to combat allergic disease in this region should be focused on active government policies to fight air pollution based on the local conditions.5. Substantial efforts need to be implemented with a concerted strategy at legislative, administrative, and community levels to improve air quality.6. Abatement of the main risk factors for respiratory diseases, in particular, environmental tobacco smoke, indoor biomass fuels, and outdoor air pollution, as well as better control of asthma and rhinitis will achieve huge health benefits.

Air emissions from the U.S. pulp and paper sector have been federally regulated since 1978; however, regulations are periodically reviewed and revised to improve efficiency and effectiveness of existing emission standards. The Industrial Sectors Integrated Solutions (ISIS) model for the pulp and paper sector is currently under development at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and can be utilized to facilitate multi-pollutant, sector-based analyses that are performed in conjunction with regulatory development. The model utilizes a multi-sector, multi-product dynamic linear modeling framework that evaluates the economic impact of emission reduction strategies for multiple air pollutants. The ISIS model considers facility-level economic, environmental, and technical parameters, as well as sector-level market data, to estimate the impacts of environmental regulations on the pulp and paper industry. Specifically, the model can be used to estimate U.S. and global market impacts of new or more stringent air regulations, such as impacts on product price, exports and imports, market demands, capital investment, and mill closures. One major challenge to developing a representative model is the need for an extensive amount of data. This article discusses the collection and processing of data for use in the model, as well as the methods used for building the ISIS pulp and paper database that facilitates the required analyses to support the air quality management of the pulp and paper sector.

This paper presents a time-series analysis of SO2 air concentration and the effects of particulates (either PM2.5 and PM10) concentrations and meteorological conditions (relative humidity and wind speed) on SO2 trend in Tehran for the period from 2011 to 2020. The source data were obtained from 21 monitoring stations of Air Quality Control Company and meteorological stations in Tehran. To predict the status of future concentration of SO2, PM2.5 and PM10, a Box–Jenkins ARIMA approach was used to model the monthly time series. Considering the whole period of ten years, a somewhat downward trend was noted for SO2 air concentration, even though a slight rising trend was observed in 2020 year. Monthly sulfur dioxide concentrations showed the lowest value in June and the highest value in January. Seasonal concentrations were lowest in spring and highest in winter. Then, in the ArcGIS software, the IDW method was used to obtain air pollution zoning maps. As a result, the highest average concentration of SO2 occurred in the north and southwest of Tehran. In the last step, Relations between the SO2 concentration and particulate matters and relative humidity and wind speed were calculated statistically using the daily average data. We finally concluded that the combined effect of particulate matters and relative humidity with the increasing role of Sulfur dioxide overcomes the decreasing role of wind speed. This study can contribute to a better understanding of the SO2 air pollution in Tehran affected by meteorological conditions and the rapid urbanization and industrialization, followed by the possible combustion of fuel oil in power plants and health problems.

Exposure to high molecular weight sensitizers of biological origin is an important risk factor for the development of asthma and rhinitis. Most of the causal allergens have been defined based on their reactivity with IgE antibodies, and in many cases, the molecular structure and function of the allergens have been established. Significant information on allergen levels that cause sensitization and allergic symptoms for several major environmental and occupational allergens has been reported. Monitoring of high molecular weight allergens and allergen carrier particles is an important part of the management of allergic respiratory diseases and requires standardized allergen assessment methods for occupational and environmental (indoor and outdoor) allergen exposure. The aim of this EAACI task force was to review the essential points for monitoring environmental and occupational allergen exposure including sampling strategies and methods, processing of dust samples, allergen analysis, and quantification. The paper includes a summary of different methods for sampling and allergen quantification, as well as their pros and cons for various exposure settings. Recommendations are being made for different exposure scenarios.

In cooperation with the world’s second largest manufacturer of beverage cartons (SIG Combibloc®) for liquid foodstuffs an innovative off-take for neutralisation of reactive gas in a paper laminating machine was constructed. A great challenge during engineering work was ensuring a high concentration of the reactive gas where needed and at the same time minimising work place impact in a machine basically without housing. Preliminary 2D-models of the machine geometry proved to be insufficient in describing all the governing flow phenomena. A simplified 3D-geometry containing all important parts of the complex machinery was necessary for accurate predictions. It was found that the driving force of air movement and transport of reactive gas (which acts as an adhesive agent) from the reaction zone in the interior of the laminating machine to the outside is a boundary flow caused by the rapid movement of carton material and rotating cylinders. A physically correct simulation result of the boundary flow is a premise for correct prediction of air flow in and around the machinery. Lacking experimental data (due to an inaccessible geometry) a worst case scenario was constructed by generating a grid and using turbulence models that maximised mass transport in the boundary layer region and thus emission of (tracer)gas from the machine. CFD simulations were done using the geometry preprocessor Gambit ™ , and the finite volume solver Fluent ™ . The results of the analysis of the emission paths from the machine were surprising and led to the construction of an effective off-take relatively far away from the emission source. The chosen position ensures low disturbance of highly sensitive flow patterns inside the machine and diffusive mixing, dilution and contamination of the surroundings. The effect of the new off-take is an immediate and significant rise in air quality in the vicinity of the laminating machine and ensures maximum allowed concentration in the plant area. The product quality furthermore is uncompromised by the working off-take which was another important goal of this work.

Changes in material use, energy use and emissions profiles of industry are the result of complex interrelationships among a multitude of technological and economic drivers. To better understand and guide such changes requires that attention is paid to the time-varying consequences that technology and economic influences have on an industry's choice of inputs and its associated (desired and undesired) outputs. This paper lays out an approach to improving our understanding of the dynamics of large industrial systems. The approach combines engineering and econometric analysis with a detailed representation of an industry's capital stock structure. A transparent dynamic computer modeling approach is chosen to integrate information from these analyses in ways that foster participation of stakeholders from industry and government agencies in all stages of the modeling process-from problem definition and determination of system boundaries to generation of scenarios and interpretation of results. Three case studies of industrial energy use in the USA are presented-one each for the iron and steel, pulp and paper, and ethylene industry. Dynamic models of these industries are described and then used to investigate alternative carbon emissions and investment-led policies. A comparison of results clearly points towards two key issues: the need for industry specific policy approaches in order to effectively influence industrial energy use, fuel mix and carbon emissions, and the need for longer time horizons than have typically been chosen for the analysis of industrial responses to climate change policies.

The artificial dry silica used as dry aggregates in domestic is collected increasing every year. It is required drying process for the production of dry aggregates, therefore, it is main culprit of the cost up of aggregates and air pollution by using fossil fuel for the solution, it is developed alternative aggregates for the replacement of dry aggregates very ungently. In this article, the patents and papers for the recycling technology on the high-efficiency rapid cooling method of ladle furnace slag were collected and analyzed. The open patents of USA (US), European Union (EP), Japan (JP), and Korea (KR) and SCI journals from 1977 to 2013 were investigated. The patents and journals were collected using key-words and filtered by the definition of the technology. The patents and journals were analyzed by the years, countries, companies, and technologies and the technical trends were discussed in this paper.

This study identified and quantified the main chemical compounds--the substances responsible for the disagreeable odors--and the bioaerosols emitted during the biological treatment of paper mill effluents. It also identified the characteristics of the process that effects the generation or diffusion of these substances. All treatment stages were evaluated. Measuring sites were located as closely as possible to the potential emission sources. Measurements were taken in the summer in 11 paper mills during a 2- to 3-day period in each mill. Chemical compounds were evaluated by direct-reading instruments; bioaerosols were sampled by impaction and counted. Sulfur compounds, emitted into the air when the effluent or the sludge is stirred, had the highest concentrations; their presence was attributable to such things as kraft-type paper pulp. Next in concentration were the carbon and nitrogen oxides, ammonia, and some organic acids, produced by the action of microorganisms. These acids are found mainly in the sludge environment. Terpenes, which come from wood, are present at various locations in paper mills. Odor perception thresholds for most of these substances are much lower than those established to protect the health of workers. Significant concentrations of total bacteria, total molds, and endotoxins were measured at several sites. Gram-negative bacteria were high at only one site, whereas the mold Aspergillus fumigatus was occasionally present at low concentration. No actinomycetes bacteria were detected. The highest concentrations were measured where there was water or dust aerosolization. Emissions are therefore controlled by controlling the operations that lead to the dispersion of water and particles into the air.

Актуальность исследования обусловлена необходимостью оценки уровня воздействия крупного целлюлозно-бумажного предприятия, расположенного к северу от г. Сыктывкара, на основе экохимического анализа зимних атмосферных осадков (снега), продемонстрировать целесообразность применения такого подхода в экологических исследованиях. Цель: показать динамику аэротехногенной нагрузки на территорию вблизи АО «Монди СЛПК» по данным о химическом составе снежного покрова за период мониторинга. Объекты: образцы снежного покрова, отобранные в зоне воздействия предприятия и на условно фоновых территориях. Методы: снегосъемка с использованием трансект на постоянных пунктах отбора проб, применение аналитических методов согласно руководству по контролю загрязнения атмосферы (РД 52.04.186-89), картографические методы оценки распространения загрязнения в снежном покрове с использованием метода интерполяции (метод обратных взвешенных расстояний), применение алгебры карт для расчета площадей зон воздействия. Результаты. Представлены результаты экохимического мониторинга снежного покрова в зоне воздействия выбросов АО «Монди СЛПК» за многолетний период. Дана общая характеристика распределения компонентов выбросов относительно источника эмиссии. Мониторинг снежного покрова в импактной зоне предприятия позволил провести анализ динамики аэротехногенной нагрузки. Результаты расчета поступления веществ на территорию предприятия в 2019 г. показали наиболее низкий уровень загрязнения снежного покрова за весь период наблюдений, 66 % относительно объемов 2002 г. Отмечено снижение поступления загрязнителей, начиная с 2016 г. после реконструкции предприятия. Концентрации примесей в талой воде за пределами санитарно-защитной зоны не превышали санитарно-гигиенических нормативов. По данным мониторинга снежного покрова показан тренд к снижению аэрогенного воздействия. The relevance of the research is caused by the need to assess the level of impact of a large pulp and paper enterprise located north of the Ezhvinsky district of Syktyvkar on the basis of ecochemical analysis of winter precipitation (snow), to show the feasibility of using this approach in environmental studies. The main aim is to show the dynamics of the aerotechnogenic load on the territory near the Syktyvkar timber industry complex based on the data on snow cover chemical composition during the monitoring period. Objects: snowpack samples, selected in the zone of influence of emissions of Mondi Syktyvkar JSC and conditionally background areas. Methods: snow survey using transect, adhering to constant sampling points, application of analytical methods according to the air pollution control manual (GD 52.04.186-89), cartographic methods for estimating the spread of pollution in the snow cover using the interpolation method (inverse weighted distance method), application of map algebra for calculating the areas of impact zones. Results. The authors present the results of ecochemical monitoring of snow cover in the zone of aerotechnogenic impact of emissions Mondi Syktyvkar JSC for a multi-year period. A general description of the distribution of individual components of emissions relative to the emission center is given. Long-term monitoring of snow cover in the impact and sanitary protection zones of the enterprise allowed us to analyze the dynamics of the aerotechnogenic load on the territory. The results of the calculation of the modules of substances entering the territory of the enterprise in 2019 showed the lowest level of contamination of the snow cover for the entire observation period, 66 % compared to the volumes of 2002. A significant decrease in the content of components in the snow was noted, starting in 2016 after the reconstruction of the enterprise. Samples of snowmelt water outside the territory of the sanitary protection zone do not exceed the sanitary and hygienic standards for fisheries reservoirs for all components. In general, based on the results of ecochemical monitoring of snow cover, the trend towards reducing the aerogenic impact of the enterprise on the adjacent territory is shown.

All experiments were carried out in a prototype vortexing fluidized bed combustor (VFBC). The dimension of the combustion chamber is 0.7 x 1.4 x 2 m, and the freeboard section is 1 m i.d. and 4 m in height. Paper sludge was used as the feeding material. Two types of coal particles were employed as the supplementary fuel. In order to understand the characteristics of the VFBC system for paper sludge incineration, the effect of various operating parameters, such as the primary airflow, excess air ratio, and secondary airflow rates, on temperature distribution, ash elutriation, combustion efficiency, and pollutant emissions were investigated.

Air pollution monitoring is though old but very useful concept in day to day life. Air pollution monitoring start from traditional way to the most sophisticated computer has been used to monitor the air quality, however the fresh air is necessary for all human being, for that various technology has been used and some of this technology is really useful in order to provide a real time air quality data. Aim of this paper is to highlight some technology which is used for air pollution monitoring and how effective of these technologies are and identify the important research in this important area.

Urban air pollution and exposure-related health impacts are being noticed and discussed very intensely in India. On the other hand, source-specific control is the primary focus for policymakers; however, diverse and complex sources make it difficult to immediately see the action and consequent impacts on better air quality. Many cities across the world have witnessed high air pollution levels at traffic junctions, more so in all Indian cities. Site-specific air pollution reduction can be a promising solution for managing the pollution level at highly polluted locations. CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, India, has designed and developed Wind Augmentation and purifYing Unit (WAYU) to remove particulate and gaseous pollutants from urban hot spots such as traffic locations. In the present study, the authors attempted to evaluate the performance of two different designs of WAYU for the removal of particulate matters from polluted air at different traffic locations in Delhi City, the national capital territory of India. The performance analyses show that the current design of WAYU removes PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations in the range of 34–49% and 19–25%, respectively from the inlet air. The total PM collected from all WAYU devices was 34.19 kg from 120,557 operating hours’ at all the sampling sites. The PM removal rate depends on the size-segregated particulate matter pollution load in the ambient air. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13762-021-03641-3.

In recent years, not only the mass media and environmental conscious parties but public in general are getting interested in environmental issues, such as global warming and acid rain in the world, and waste disposalproblems in domestic.Following the instruction by Basic Environment Plan, which was devised on Environment Basic Law, the Japanese government has been very active for revising present laws and helping to conserve environment.The paper industry in Japan has been responding to these government activities, which are introduced in this paper as follows.1. The 4 th version of Areawide Water Pollutant Emission Regulation System.2. The revision of Water Pollution Control Law and the enactment of Environmental Quality Standard on groundwater, which are for maintaining groundwater quality.3. The revision of the Air Pollution Control Law, the definition of the self control plan for hazardous air pollutants and the environment standards for HAPs, which aim to control atmospheric air quality.4. Japan Paper Association's efforts for the self control plan for HAPs, the revision of the waste disposal law, dioxin problems and the pollutant release and transfer registers.

This review of the evidence of the health effects of air pollutants focuses on research conducted in Ontario. Seven key Ontario studies are cited. These findings are highly significant for people living in the Great Lakes basin (and particularly the Windsor-Quebec corridor), where high levels of certain air pollutants (eg, ground-level ozone and ultra-fine particles) occur more frequently than in other parts of Canada. The issue is a serious one, requiring an integrated and comprehensive approach by many stakeholders, including the active involvement of organized medicine. It is important that the health effects of these air pollutants are understood. Governments must act to reduce emission levels through statue and regulation bolstered by noncompliance penalties.The findings of research have included the following: in a Toronto study, a 2% to 4% excess of respiratory deaths were attributable to pollutant levels; children living in rural Ontario communities with the highest levels of airborne acids were significantly more likely to report at least one episode of bronchitis, as well as to show decreases in lung function; and have been linked to increases in pollutants, emergency room visits and hospitalizations in Ontario.Every Ontarian is affected by air pollutants, although he or she may be unaware of the asymptomatic effects such as lung and bronchial inflammation. This health problem is preventable; while physicians know of the adverse health impacts of air pollution and they are concerned, individually they now focus on the treatment of symptoms. The major recommendations of the report are as follows:* Enactment of more stringent sulphur and nitrogen oxide emission limits, including a provincewide sulphur dioxide reduction of 75% from current cap levels, and the maximum allowable nitrogen oxides emission limits of 6000 tonnes annually from Ontario Hydro.* New transportation sector emission limits that should include California-level standards for light and heavy duty vehicles, reductions from off-road engines, an expanded vehicle inspection and maintenance program, and tougher standards for sulphur-in-fuel content.* Petitioning the United States Environmental Protection Agency administrator under Section 115 of the United States Clear Air Act to require reductions in the American emission of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which damage the health of Canadian residents and their environment.* Physician advice to patients about the risks of smog exposure, physician support for more health effects research on air pollution, and physician promotion of the development of air pollution-related health education materials.The recommendations discussed in this paper will, if acted upon, lead to a significant reduction in the overall burden of illness from air pollutants, especially in children and the elderly. These recommendations have been selected from a review of recommendations made by various authorities, and are those that the OMA feels a particular responsibility to support.

Emissions of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) from the stack flue gases, fly ashes and bottom ashes of various stationary sources were investigated. The mean total PCDD/F I-TEQ concentration of flue gas ranged from 0.00681 to 0.703 ng I-TEQ/Nm 3 . However, the emission factor of PCDD/F from various incinerators was 0.00827 to 3.50 µg I-TEQ/ton, whereas it was 5.36 µg I-TEQ/body for a crematory (CM). In addition, the mean total PCDD/F I-TEQ content in fly ash from an electric arc furnace (EAF) and a secondary aluminium smelter (secondary ALS) were 74.0, and 49.9 ng I-TEQ/kg, respectively, whereas they are 21.3 and 0.494 ng I-TEQ/kg for bottom ash. Meanwhile, the removal efficiency of PCDD/F by bag filters from EAF was –44.4% which is attributed to the “memory effect”. The indicatory PCDD/Fs of EAF, and secondary ALS have the same congeners (1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDF, 2,3,7,8-TeCDF, and 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDF). In addition, CM, joss paper-A (JP-A) and joss paper-B (JP-B) incinerators have similar indicatory PCDD/F (2,3,4,6,7,8-HxCDF, OCDF, 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD, and OCDD). The high contribution of total PCDD/F is from fly ash (61.1-95.3%) for metallurgical facilities (EAF, secondary ALS), whereas 99.9% contribution of stack flue gas is from JP-A and JP-B. In conclusion, continually monitoring various PCDD/F emission sources is necessary to understand current PCDD/F emission (flue gas, fly/bottom ash) and the related removal efficiency of existing air pollution control devices. Information about both emission factors of PCDD/Fs and indicatory PCDD/F congeners are useful for the establishment of control strategies and for use as fingerprints with regard to the dominant congeners from different emission sources.