Saskatchewans Air Modelling and Odour Guidelines Imran Maqsood, - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Saskatchewan’s Air Modelling and Odour Guidelines Imran Maqsood, Ph.D., P.Eng. Ministry of Environment Air Quality in Saskatchewan, Saskatoon January 17, 2014

Outline • Part 1: Air Modelling Guideline • Part 2: Odour Guideline

Part 1 AIR MODELLING: GENERAL INFORMATION

Why Do We Need Guideline? • To ensure consistency in conducting air modelling in Saskatchewan • Regulatory approvals are treated equitably • Promote efficient use of resources

How was Guideline Developed? • Draft prepared in 2010 • Reviewed internally & externally in 2011 • First official guideline released in 2012 • Review and update guideline periodically

Is Guideline Flexible? • Ministry supports innovation • We are open to new or improved methods • Any deviation should be justified • Pre-consultation with the ministry is recommended to discuss variations

Is it Consistent with Other Guidelines? • Efforts were made to maintain consistency with modelling approaches in AB and BC • New West Partnership between SK, AB & BC

What Standards to Use? • Saskatchewan Air Quality Standards • National or CCME • Alberta Environment • Ontario Ministry of the Environment • Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

Part 1 AIR MODELLING: TECHNICAL GUIDANCE

What is Air Modelling? • Mathematical simulation of how air pollutants disperse in atmosphere • Meteorology, site configuration, emission and terrain impact transport of pollutants

Why is Modelling Conducted? • Approval or permit applications • Predict pollutant concentration • Stack design • Select monitoring sites • Design plans for air quality management

What is SK’s Modelling Approach? Screening • Simple facility • Limited number of sources Modelling Refined • Complicated facility • Multiple sources & contaminants Modelling Specialized • Complex terrain, Land/water interface • Chemical transformation, traffic Modelling

Screening Refined Specialized    Simple facility More complicated facility Complex terrain    Limited number of sources Multiple emission sources Land/water interface   Multiple contaminants Chemical transformation  Road or rail traffic SCREEN3 AERMOD CALPUFF  AERSCREEN Worst case emissions refine CALQ3HCR refine refine  Worst case emissions  Limited number of sources Compliant? Compliant? Compliant? no no yes yes yes Stop Stop Stop

Air Modelling System

Meteorological Data for SK Free of Cost Download Regional Met Data Files Ministry website www.environment.gov.sk.ca Or Use AERMET to generate site specific files

North Central Zone AERMOD-Ready Regional Meteorological Data Files Partially Surface/ Surface Fully Processed Data Processed Upper Air Class Files AERMET Stage 3 Station Input File Surface Stage 3 Nipawin Forest Profile The Pas Surface Agricultural Profile Urban Surface Profile

Terrain Data for Saskatchewan • Free download from GeoBase website • www.geobase.ca • Use 1:50,000 terrain data for improved accuracy

SK’s Background Concentrations Compare (Model Results + Background) to Standards Background Concentrations For Air Dispersion Modelling Averaging Pollutant Percentile Period Northern North Central Central Southwestern Southeastern 90th 572.0 572.0 687.0 1 Hour Carbon Monoxide 99th 915.0 1030.0 1260.0 (µg/m3) 90th 572.0 458.0 687.0 8 Hour 99th 1030.0 1145.0 1260.0 90th 11.3 32.0 39.5 35.7 41.4 1 Hour Nitrogen Dioxide 99th 28.2 58.3 69.6 69.6 80.9 (µg/m3) 90th 9.4 28.2 32.0 30.1 37.6 24 Hour 99th 16.9 45.1 48.9 48.9 60.2 Annual 50th 3.8 5.6 15.1 9.4 18.8 90th 0.0 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.6 1 Hour Sulphur Dioxide 98th 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 7.9 (µg/m3) 90th 0.0 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.6 24 Hour 99th 2.6 2.6 5.2 5.2 5.2 Annual 50th 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Fine Particulate Matter 90th 6.5 6.6 7.5 6.6 8.3 24 Hour (PM 2.5 ) (µg/m 3 ) 99th 13.9 14.3 13.9 8.4 14.7 Annual 50th 3.1 3.0 3.3 3.3 3.7 Particulate Matter 90th 23.1 36.3 24 hours (PM 10 ) (µg/m 3 ) 99th 49.1 63.3

Modelling Report Check List AMBIENT IMPACT SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION IV Electronic Files  List and description of electronic files  Required e-files to be submitted with report o Input & output files for models IV.A o Input & output files for pre-processors (if applicable) o Input & output files for post-processors (if applicable) o Digital terrain files o Plot files o Final report IV.B Report shall include a discussion on deviations from the modelling checklist

Part 2 ODOUR GUIDELINE

Did you know? The human genome has • 1 gene for hearing • 3 genes for seeing • 12 genes for tasting • ? genes for smelling? • 1,000

Why odour is not an ordinary air contaminant? • Odour is a complex mixture of compounds • It is the results of a perception • Perception and tolerance vary from individuals • Individual compounds cannot represent the actual impact of a mixture • Because of synergies, chemical measurements cannot be used to quantify odour • Best tool of measuring odour is still the human nose

How is Odour Measured? • Odour is measured using air dilution equipment and an odour panel • Olfactometer dilutes an odour sample with odour-free air to various levels • Diluted odorous air is presented to panel • When half of odour panel can detect odour, it is called odour detection threshold or dilution ratio

Odour concentration can be expressed as: • D/T - Detection Threshold or Dilution to Threshold • OU - Odour Unit or Odour Unit per volume (OU/m 3 ) • For example, 500 OU/m 3 means when 1 volume of odour sample is diluted with 500 volumes of fresh air and it can be detected by 50% of a panel.

• All units have same conceptual meaning • Different methods used to measure odour result in different units • Use OU when measured by olfactometers • Use D/T when measured by scentometers Scentometer / Nasal Ranger (D/T) Olfactometry Lab Method (OU) Odour measured at receptor location Odour measured at source location

Why is Odour Guideline Needed? • No odour guideline in place • Residents are less tolerant to odour and its impact on property value • Guideline defines reference criteria to which odour impacts can be judged • Guideline defines the process to demonstrate compliance with odour criteria

Odour Criteria for Field Investigation Odour criteria Averaging time Land use 2 D/T Residential/Urban zone 2 tests not less than 15 minutes apart nor Mixed residential and 4 D/T more than 60 minutes commercial/Rural zone apart 7 D/T Industrial/Agricultural zone Nasal Ranger (D/T) Odour measured at receptor location

Odour Criteria for Modelling Averaging Annual Odour Criteria Land Use Time Frequency 1 OU/m 3 Urban residential zones Urban commercial zones or mixed 2 OU/m 3 residential and commercial zones Industrial or restricted business zones 1 hour* 99.5% 4 OU/m 3 and rural zones with mixed utilisation Industrial or agricultural zones with 6 OU/m 3 predominantly agricultural utilisation Olfactometry Lab Method (OU) Odour measured at source location

Odour Assesement Process Odour complaint received Conduct field odour investigation using Scentometer Yes No Complaint Stop verified? If measured odour level is 2 Yes If 3 or more verified complaints levels higher than the criteria exceed odour criteria in 30 days Quantify source odour emission using olfactometry method Conduct odour modelling

Next Steps • Validation of odour criteria study is in progress • Criteria will be used as a “guideline” - a tool for odour management in Sask. • Guideline will be reviewed periodically

Questions?

For more information, please contact: Imran Maqsood, Ph.D., P.Eng. Manager, Air Science & Monitoring Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment imran.maqsood@gov.sk.ca (306) 787-1372