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Tiny Particles, Big Health Risks Near City Airport
21 Apr
Summary
- Ultrafine particles from airport and highway cause health concerns.
- Airport expansion plans increase worries about air quality.
- Regulators are urged to set standards for these pollutants.
Residents near Toronto's Billy Bishop Airport face elevated levels of ultrafine particles (UFPs), microscopic pollutants linked to significant health issues. Joan Prowse and Brenda Roman, who suffer from respiratory ailments, highlight concerns in their Bathurst Quay neighbourhood, situated between the airport and the Gardiner Expressway. Research from the University of Toronto confirmed high UFP concentrations, with the airport identified as a major source, especially during takeoffs and landings.
These UFPs are a thousand times smaller than a human hair and can penetrate deep into the lungs, potentially entering the bloodstream and affecting organs like the brain. Studies in the Netherlands and Canada have shown associations between UFP exposure and premature deaths, lung cancer, and respiratory illnesses. Despite this growing body of evidence, UFPs are not regulated as strictly as PM2.5.
Plans by Ontario Premier Doug Ford to expand Billy Bishop Airport and introduce larger jets have intensified community anxiety. Experts predict this expansion will further increase UFP concentrations, posing greater risks. While Health Canada acknowledges the evolving science on UFPs, it notes challenges in isolating their specific health effects. Researchers advocate for proactive measures to reduce UFP exposure nationwide, emphasizing that current evidence warrants action.
