Home / Environment / Saint John Air Quality: Benzene Levels Hit Record Highs
Saint John Air Quality: Benzene Levels Hit Record Highs
29 Mar
Summary
- Benzene levels in Saint John reached their highest annual average since 2000.
- New Brunswick is reviewing its Clean Air Act, potentially regulating benzene.
- Experts debate the significance of increased cancer risk from benzene exposure.
In Saint John, New Brunswick, the Champlain Heights air quality monitoring station recorded its highest annual average benzene levels at 0.528 parts per billion in 2024, a peak not seen since 2000. Benzene, a volatile organic compound deemed cancer-causing by the WHO, is not currently regulated under New Brunswick's Clean Air Act. Ontario's benchmark of 0.14 ppb is used for comparison in provincial reports.
Environmentalists are pressing for benzene to be included in the upcoming revision of the Clean Air Act. While one expert suggests the increased cancer risk is minor compared to other health factors, others argue that health-based benchmarks, like Ontario's, are well-founded and should not be dismissed. They stress the need for industrial operations, including the nearby Irving Oil Refinery, to implement measures to reduce benzene emissions.
The New Brunswick government has acknowledged the cancer risks associated with benzene and is considering setting annual average emission levels at Ontario's benchmark. Federal regulations enacted in March also aim to reduce volatile organic compound emissions from industrial sites. These regulatory updates offer optimism for a reduction in benzene and other harmful emissions in the future.
