Hamilton board of health wants to end ArcelorMittal Dofasco's air-quality exemptions

Exemptions to Ontario's air quality rules allow ArcelorMittal Dofasco to emit higher volumes of carcinogenic chemicals than is typically allowed, but Hamilton's board of health is hoping that changes when those exemptions expire at the end of June.

The board supported a motion Monday that would see Mayor Andrea Horwath tell provincial environment minister David Piccini that the city opposes "continued special permissions for contaminants above provincially regulated general air standards."

Pitched by Ward 3 Coun. Nrinder Nann, whose ward includes part of the harbourfront industrial sector, the motion calls out ArcelorMittal Dofasco by name, stating its site-specific air standards allow for "toxic and carcinogenic pollution above provincial air quality standards [for] benzene, benzo[a]pyrene, suspended particulate matter, manganese and manganese compounds."

According to the 2021 Air Quality Progress Report, prepared by Clean Air Hamilton and presented Monday, both benzene and benzo[a]pyrene can cause cancer. The group works to improve local air quality, drawing membership from environmental groups, industry, businesses, academia, citizens and government. 

According to the report, steelmaking "coke ovens and coke oven by-product plant operations" emit benzene, as does gasoline vapour, with concentrations of the compound found in Hamilton's air "above the annual objective."

Benzo[a]pyrene is emitted by burning carbon-based fuels, including in coke ovens and vehicle engines, and its presence in Hamilton's air is increasing and also above target, says the report.

The motion passed with eight votes in favour and three against.

Those against were councillors Matt Francis (Ward 5), Jeff Beattie (Ward 10) and Brad Clark (Ward 9). Clark expressed concerns that changing the rules for the steel plants could lead them to cease operations, causing economic hardship for the city.

'There are provincial regulatory requirements for emissions for a reason'

Ward 8 councillor John Paul Danko disagreed, saying ArcelorMittal Dofasco had previously committed to getting its emissions in line with air-quality standards. He also noted that the city hasn't heard anything from the company about a desire for an extension, despite the deadline being in just a few months.

"I think we need to take a firm stance on this," he said, adding that the company's exemption allows for 22 times more benzene emissions than the provincial standard. "There are provincial regulatory requirements for emissions for a reason.

"Dofasco has a responsibility to our community to not pollute our environment with carcinogenic chemicals."

CBC Hamilton contacted ArcelorMittal Dofasco for comment on Monday but did not hear back before time of publication.

The motion will now go before city council for final approval next week. While the board of health is composed of all 15 councillors plus the mayor, five people were absent Monday, which has the potential to lead to a different result at council. 

'We need to get people out of their cars'

The Clean Air Hamilton report, which detailed air quality measurements for 2021 and compared them to previous years, showed the quantity of many of the contaminants measured — including particulate matter, benzene, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone — has decreased since 1996.

However, there was more sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, benzo[a]pyrene and particulate matter in the air in 2021 than the previous year, and levels of all chemicals measured have remained relatively steady since about 2009. 

Clean Air Hamilton chair Bruce Newbold, who presented the report, said an increase in the number of cars on the roads was likely part of the reason, noting in addition to the chemicals produced by burning fossil fuels, the breakdown of brakes and tires also adds to the particulate matter counts in the air.

He also noted that Hamilton's geographic location means much of our air pollution is not produced locally, but comes north from the United States.

Downtown Hamilton has worse nitrogen oxide recordings than five other cities listed in the report, leading Ward 2 Coun. Cameron Kroestch to ask what we could do locally to improve things.

"From a city perspective, electrifying city fleets and [light-rail transit] should have a huge impact on air quality through the downtown core by removing cars from our streets," responded Newbold, noting the transition to green steelmaking underway at ArcelorMittal Dofasco will also have a big impact. 

Coun. Maureen Wilson (Ward 1) said it was "regrettable" that the city hasn't made a strong effort connecting the dots between the LRT project, improved air quality and better health outcomes.

"The subject of air quality… has often escaped a context of equity," she said. "Those of us who have been advocating for investment in LRT, public transit, and pedestrian safety and continuous safe cycling infrastructure need to do a better job of equating it or tying it to health. 

"These things are not nice-to-haves, these things are speaking to the life and lifespan of Hamilton residents, particularly in the lower city."