Environmental Health & Hazards
Air Quality in Hamilton
Air Monitoring in Hamilton
Air monitoring collects outdoor air quality data that is used to identify local sources of air emissions and evaluate potential health impacts on Hamiltonians.
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Air quality is a vital part of our health and well-being, with direct impacts on how we live and work. The Air Quality Health Index, or AQHI, is a scale to report on air quality. It tells us how clean or polluted our air is, and what effects it might have on our health. The AQHI uses a scale from 1 to 10+ to show the level of risk to health from air quality in an area.
Ontario maintains a two-level air quality alert system in partnership with Environment and Climate Change Canada. These alerts are based on the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI).
Special Air Quality Statement (SAQS) - The first level is a Special Air Quality Statement (SAQS), which informs the public of the potential for degrading air quality and is issued if an AQHI of 7 or greater is expected to last for 1 or 2 hours (short-term, transient event).
An SAQS is also issued for areas where forest fire smoke is expected to cause deteriorating air quality. The SAQS serves as a notification for Ontarians, especially those at risk, for potentially degrading air quality and to adjust their activities if adverse health effects are observed.
Air Quality Advisory (AQA) - The second level is an Air Quality Advisory (AQA). An Air Quality Advisory (AQA) is issued when the AQHI is forecast to reach, or has reached, the very high-risk category (AQHI of 10+) due to wildfire smoke.
Air quality alerts are issued via the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks’ air quality website, Environment and Climate Change Canada’s website, and through email air quality alert notifications. Subscribe to air quality alert notifications.
To receive updates about your local AQHI, download Environment Canada's WeatherCAN app and sign up for custom AQHI notifications.
If you prefer email, you can subscribe to the Province's Air Quality Alert Email Notifications for your region.
At Risk Populations
Some people are at a higher risk of health problems when exposed to air pollution:
| Health Risk | AQHI | At-risk Population | General Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 1 - 3 | Enjoy your usual outdoor activities. | Ideal air quality for outdoor activities. |
| Moderate | 4 - 6 | Consider reducing or postponing intense outdoor activities if you are having symptoms. | No need to modify your usual outdoor activities unless you experience symptoms such as coughing and throat irritation. |
| High | 7 - 10 | Reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors. Children and the elderly should also take it easy. | Consider reducing or rescheduling strenuous activities outdoors if you experience symptoms such as coughing and throat irritation. |
| Very High | 10+ | Avoid strenuous activities outdoors. Children and the elderly should also avoid outdoor physical exertion. | Reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors, especially if you experience symptoms. |
Air Quality and Health
Clean air has a direct impact on public health and overall quality of life. High levels of air pollutants can lead to breathing concerns and worsened health for those most at risk. As a hub for industry, Hamilton faces unique challenges when it comes to air quality.
Hamilton's air quality is improving. Over the past decades, a number of policies, programs, and campaigns have led to a decrease in emissions, air pollution levels, and health impacts. However, despite improving, air quality remains a constant challenge, and more needs to be done.
Air quality and climate change are linked. Poor air quality, caused by pollutants and gasses from burning fossil fuels, not only harms human health but also adds to the greenhouse effect, driving global warming. Climate change can worsen air quality by increasing the amount and size of wildfires and altering other weather patterns, leading to higher amounts of harmful pollutants. Tackling both air quality and climate change together is required to protect public health and the environment. Learn more about what Hamilton is doing to address climate change.
The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is a tool that describes the health risk associated with local air pollution in an area. When the Air Quality Health Index reading rises, the following actions can be taken to reduce health risk:
- Reduce or reschedule outdoor physical activities
- Watch for symptoms, such as trouble breathing, coughing, or itchy eyes.
- Follow a doctor’s advice to manage existing conditions such as heart or lung disease
Wildfire Smoke
In Canada, wildfire season occurs between April and October each year and can overlap with periods of extreme heat. When wildfires burn through forests and grasslands, they produce smoke. Smoke from wildfires in forests and grasslands can be a major source of air pollution for people in Canada. Wildfire smoke can be carried thousands of kilometres from the fire zone. This means smoke can impact air quality in areas close and far from the wildfire.
When there is an extreme heat event at the same time as wildfire smoke, focus on staying cool, because heat-related illness can be a more serious threat to our health.
The best way to protect your health is to reduce your exposure to wildfire smoke.
Pay attention to the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI), special air quality statements or other indicators of smoke levels in your community. If necessary, limit outdoor activity and strenuous physical activities. If you feel unwell have difficulty breathing, stop altogether. This information can be found on:
local weather forecasts
Stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed. If it is too warm, turn on the air conditioning if possible. If you do not have air conditioning and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek out indoor cooling or cleaner air spaces.
Use the best quality air filter that your ventilation system can handle based on manufacturers’ recommendations. Be sure to run the fan mode and put the system on recirculate.
Use a portable air purifier to filter particles in the air. To learn how to select a portable air purifier that works for your needs, refer to the "Using an air purifier to filter wildfire smoke" factsheet.
Reduce sources of indoor air pollutants and protect indoor spaces from wildfire smoke getting inside.
If you need to work outdoors, check with your provincial occupational health and safety associations or your employer about wildfire smoke and workplace safety.1
If you need support during a wildfire event, contact the City of Hamilton to learn where to find indoor cooling or cleaner air spaces at recreation centres, libraries, and shopping malls.
Take care of your mental health during a wildfire smoke event. Anyone who is having trouble coping with symptoms of stress, anxiety or depression should seek help from a health professional. These resources are available free of cost to anyone experiencing mental health problems. Don’t be afraid to reach out if you need help:
If you must spend time outdoors, a well-fitted respirator type mask (such as a NIOSH-certified N95 or equivalent respirator) that does not allow air to pass through small openings between the mask and face, may help reduce your exposure to the fine particles in smoke. These fine particles generally pose the greatest risk to health. However, respirators do not reduce exposure to the gases in wildfire smoke. It is important to listen to your body and reduce or stop activities if you are experiencing symptoms. If you need to remove your respirator, try to move to an area with cleaner air before removing it.
Respirators should not be used by:
children under 2 years of age
individuals who have trouble breathing while wearing the respirator
individuals who have difficulty removing the respirator
1 Additional information on understanding the health risks of wildfire smoke and workplace safety may be found on the Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) website.
Reducing Air Pollution
Air pollution in Hamilton results from a number of sources. These include industrial, transportation, and residential sources, as well as transboundary emissions that travel to Hamilton from sources in the United States. Review the below actions you can take to reduce air pollution.
On Days when High Particle Levels are Expected, Such as Days with Wildfire Smoke:
- Reduce the number of trips you take in your car.
- Reduce or eliminate fireplace and wood stove use.
- Avoid burning leaves, trash, and other materials.
- Avoid using gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.
Indoor and outdoor wood burning emits many pollutants, including fine particles. Wood smoke can trigger symptoms such as:
Wood smoke can affect everyone’s health. Those most sensitive to smoke and its health effects include:
Children
Pregnant individuals
Seniors
People with asthma, allergies, heart problems or lung conditions
Those who work, play sports or exercise outdoors are also at risk.
The best way to reduce exposure to wood smoke is to avoid burning wood. If you do burn wood, consider switching to an electric fireplace.
Replace older wood burning equipment with new, high-efficiency, low emission units
Buy a wood stove approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency and certified by the Canadian Standards Association
Start fires with newspaper and dry kindling
Try a mix of different hardwoods and softwoods in your fire
Burn only clean, dry wood and newsprint
Do not burn garbage, cardboard, plastics, painted or treated wood, particleboard, plywood or glossy magazines - these release toxic chemicals into the air
Keep fires small and hot
Remove ashes regularly from your woodstove and place in a metal container stored outside your home. Once cooled, place ashes in paper bags and dispose in your Green Bin
Have your chimney inspected and cleaned at least once a year
Install and regularly check smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, including battery life
Ensure that new stoves and fireplace inserts are professionally installed by a technician certified under the Wood Energy Technical Training (WETT) program
If you live in a neighbourhood where wood-burning is common, keep your windows closed and seal areas where drafts occur
Ask your neighbours if your wood smoke is affecting them
The City of Hamilton's open air by-law requires a permit for open air burning.
When completing DIY construction projects, use best practices to reduce dust and particulate matter. Read Clean Air Hamilton's Homeowners Environmental Handbook.
Burning fuel for transportation is a large contributor to air pollution. You can limit your contribution to air pollution by finding alternate means of commuting. Active & public transportation reduce single occupancy vehicle traffic-related air pollution. Traffic-related air pollution has been linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, obesity and mental health-related outcomes.
Find active ways to commute to work, get together with others, and get errands done.
Consider electric or hybrid/hybrid plug-in vehicles when upgrading personal vehicles and when purchasing home maintenance tools such as lawnmowers.
Do not idle your vehicle. Leave your home prepared for the weather so you do not need to use your vehicle to keep you warm during the winter or cool during the summer.
Try to plan trips to avoid driving in traffic congested areas, especially during rush hour.
Consider purchasing a smaller or light-weight vehicle that uses less fuel.
Maintain your vehicles, check your oil and tire pressure regularly.
Where possible, carpool with other to reduce the number of vehicles on the road.
Common Air Pollutants
Outdoor air pollution comes from a variety of sources, and even at low levels, has an impact on human health. It leads to disease, increased hospitalizations and even premature death.
Outdoor air pollution is a complex mixture of gas and particles, including:
Particulate matter (PM)
Ozone
Sulphur oxides
Nitrogen oxides
Volatile organic compounds (VOCS)
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHS)
For more information visit cleanairhamilton.ca
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