Overview

The Cumulative Effects Assessment in Air Approvals policy improves how we consider the cumulative effects on air quality from multiple air pollution sources of benzene and benzo[a]pyrene in the Hamilton/Burlington area and benzene in the Sarnia/Corunna area.

This policy is part of our made-in-Ontario environment plan to:

  • help protect and conserve our air, land and water
  • address urban litter and waste
  • increase our resilience to climate change
  • help all of us do our part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

As a result of this policy, industry proponents may now be required to obtain pre-submission requirements for Environmental Compliance Approvals in the following circumstances:

The application is for a new facility or for an expansion of an existing facility.

The facility emits or is proposed to emit:

  • benzene and/or benzo(a)pyrene in the Hamilton/ Burlington area, or
  • benzene in the Sarnia/Corunna area

The maps of the Hamilton/Burlington and Sarnia/Corunna areas below can be used to find out if a specific location or address has pre-submission requirements.

Before submitting an Environmental Compliance Approval application

Industry proponents should refer to this map to determine their pre-submission requirements before submitting any Environmental Compliance Approval applications to the ministry in the following circumstances:

  1. the application is for a new facility or for an expansion of an existing facility
  2. the facility emits or is proposed to emit:
    • benzene and/or benzo(a)pyrene in the Hamilton/ Burlington area
    • benzene in the Sarnia/Corunna area

Industry proponents may be required to use best available control technology or technologies to achieve the lowest possible emission rates, depending upon the levels in an area.

Under the policy, enhanced air pollution controls may be required even if the facility meets the air standard under Ontario Regulation 419/05: Air Pollution - Local Air Quality, depending on the action level identified.

How to use the maps

Start your search by entering a location. After searching, you can drag the map marker to refine your location. Your location entry can be:

  • Address: For example, 2 Main St E, Hamilton, ON
  • Postal Code: For example, L8N 2B7
  • Latitude, Longitude: For example, 43.25579, -79.87128 or 43°15'20"N, 79°52'16"W
  • UTM Coordinates: The input must be three numbers, which represents UTM Zone(N), Easting, Northing. For example, 17, 591640, 4789841
  • Geographic Township: For example, Barton TWP or Barton Township
  • Geographic Township with Lot and Concession: For example, Barton TWP Lot 15 Con 3

Your search result will provide instructions regarding any pre-submission requirements for facilities in that location.

Map of the Hamilton/Burlington area

Map of Sarnia/Corunna area

Action levels

An action level is a concentration of a contaminant or contaminants that may trigger specific actions by regulated facilities. Action levels for benzene and benzo[a]pyrene were established by the ministry based on additional risk of cancer in a theoretical continuous lifetime exposure.

Action levels are based on a lifetime incremental cancer risk, based on the Ontario's Ambient Air Quality Criteria for benzene and benzo[a]pyrene. They are informed by the ministry's framework for managing risk under the local air quality regulation.

  • Action level 1: 1 in 1 million
  • Action level 2: 10 in 1 million
  • Action level 3: 100 in 1 million

Under the Cumulative Effects Assessment in Air Approvals policy, more actions are required as concentrations increase through the various action levels.

Pre-submission requirements for action levels

Facilities newly locating or expanding their operations in action level 2 or action level 3 areas will be provided with information to understand options and requirements to ensure that the cumulative effects of benzene and benzo(a)pyrene emissions in those areas do not pose an increased risk to the public.

Action Level 1

  • No further action for industry proponents.
  • Triggers periodic evaluation (by ministry) to determine if the action level changes.

Action Level 2

  • A pre-submission meeting with the ministry is required to determine application requirements.
  • Environmental Compliance Approval applications for new or expanding facilities may be required to include:
    1. a technology benchmarking report with some exceptions
    2. best available pollution control method.

Action Level 3

  • A pre-submission meeting with the ministry is required to determine application requirements.
  • Environmental Compliance Approval applications for new or expanding facilities may be required to include:
    1. a technology benchmarking report with some exceptions
    2. pollution control methods to achieve the lowest possible emission rates as compared to an existing pollution source of the same kind globally

How to schedule a pre-submission meeting

Industry proponents that are required to attend a pre-submission meeting must contact the ministry at least nine months before submitting their Environmental Compliance Approval application to discuss application requirements.

To schedule a pre-submission meeting, contact us by:

How the maps were developed

A multi-source modelling exercise was carried out to estimate geographic areas where ambient air concentrations/risk levels of benzene and benzo[a]pyrene were likely to be above the action levels based on the multiple sources in the area. The modelling included both industrial and non-industrial sources.

These maps were generated using the United States Environmental Protection Agency AERMOD air dispersion model. The model takes contaminant emission rates from industrial and non-industrial identified sources, along with local meteorological data, to predict air concentrations from the combined sources and how they are dispersed in an area.

Why Hamilton and Sarnia

The Hamilton/Burlington and Sarnia/Corunna areas were originally chosen by looking at available monitoring data from stations across the province that feature a concentration of industrial and other sources of emission.

This review identified benzene and benzo[a]pyrene contaminants that exceeded ambient air quality criteria in both the Sarnia and Hamilton areas. There were also multiple facilities reporting emissions of those substances to the National Pollutant Release Inventory in those areas.

For the Hamilton multi-source model, the emissions of benzene and benzo[a]pyrene were modelled individually and then combined to estimate the areas where the action levels would be exceeded.

Learn more about what Ontario is doing to protect our air.

Anyone with health questions regarding benzene and/or benzo[a]pyrene is advised to consult their local public health unit.

About benzene

Benzene is a volatile liquid, with a faint characteristic, aromatic odour. It is a major petroleum derivative and is found in crude oil and gasoline. Benzene is used as the basis for the manufacture of:

  • plastics
  • lubricants
  • synthetic rubber
  • dyes
  • resins

It is also a raw materials for detergents, drugs, and pesticides.

How you might be exposed to benzene in the air

Everyone is exposed to a small amount of benzene every day. People are exposed to benzene in the outdoor environment, in the workplace, and in the home, mainly through breathing air.

The major sources of benzene exposure are:

  • cigarette smoke
  • gas stations
  • vehicle exhaust
  • industrial emissions

Major sources of the industrial emissions include the iron and steel industry, petroleum refineries, chemical manufacturing, and the gasoline supply chain.

How benzene can affect your health

Several factors determine whether adverse health effects will occur, as well as the type and severity of such health effects, including:

  • the amount of benzene to which you are exposed to
  • the length of time of the exposure

Most information on the effects of long-term exposure to benzene is taken from studies of workers employed in industries that make or use benzene. These workers were exposed to levels of benzene far greater than the levels normally encountered by the general population.

In these workers, benzene affected the blood, where it:

  • can disrupt normal blood production
  • can cause a decrease in important blood components
  • may lead to anemia

Long-term exposure to benzene can cause cancer of the blood and bone marrow and lead to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Both the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have determined that benzene is carcinogenic to humans.

Anyone with health questions regarding benzene and/or benzo[a]pyrene is advised to consult their local public health unit.

For more information on benzene

About benzo[a]pyrene

Benzo[a]pyrene is one member of a large group of chemical compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (or PAHs). PAHs are formed during the incomplete burning of coal, oil, gasoline and diesel fuel, and garbage or other organic substances like tobacco, wood or charbroiled meat. They are also found in coke oven emissions.

How you might be exposed to benzo[a]pyrene and PAHs in the air

Individuals are generally not exposed to benzo[a]pyrene alone in the environment, but rather are exposed to benzo[a]pyrene within complex combinations of many PAHs. Of over 500 known PAHs, benzo[a]pyrene is the most widely studied.

Everyone is exposed to a small amount of PAHs every day. People are exposed to PAHs in the outdoor environment, in the workplace, and in the home, mainly through breathing air that contains PAHs.

Significant sources of PAHs exposure in air are:

  • cigarette smoke
  • wood burning
  • fumes from asphalt roads
  • exhaust from motor vehicles
  • industrial emissions

Major sources of industrial emissions of benzo[a]pyrene in Ontario include the iron and steel industry, and petroleum products.

How benzo[a]pyrene and PAHs can affect your health

Several factors determine whether adverse health effects will occur, as well as the type and severity of such health effects, including:

  • the amount of PAHs to which you are exposed to
  • the length of time of the exposure

Most information on the effects of long-term exposure to PAHs are from studies of workers in industries that emit PAHs. These workers were exposed to levels of PAHs far greater than the levels normally encountered by the general population.

Long-term inhalation exposure to benzo[a]pyrene and PAHs can cause cancer of the respiratory system. Both the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have determined that benzo[a]pyrene is carcinogenic to humans.

Anyone with health questions is advised to consult their local public health unit.

For more information on benzo[a]pyrene and PAHs