Environment Minister Leona Dombrowsky revealed the details of a provincial smog plan for Ontario, placing strict limits on the release of nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide emissions and extending the current scheme from electricity and non-ferrous smelting sectors to the cement industry and others.
“This government recognises that reducing industrial emissions is long overdue,” she said. “Our five-point plan for industry will help us meet our goal of cleaning up our air, including reducing smog-causing air emissions.”
Key points in the plan include:
• Bringing down nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide limits in the near future.
The plan aims to reduce nitrogen emissions to 21 below 1990 levels and sulphur dioxide emissions 46 per cent below 1994 baseline levels.
• A new approach to setting and implementing air standards more quickly.
• A better picture of industrial emissions by updating air dispersion models. The current models have been used for more than 30 years and will be updated with recent versions used by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
• New and updated standards for 29 harmful pollutants. Standards would be effects-based, i e based on health and environmental impacts rather than technical or economic factors.
