On June 7 and 8, the City of Toronto hosted the 7th annual Smog Summit and Best Practices Exchange to improve air quality in Ontario. Initiatives included the expansion of street sweepers to reduce road dust and the use of solar panels at community centres. The Varsity takes an inside look at smog and its effect on life in the city.
7:45 a.m.: It is a Smog Alert Day in Toronto. Thousands of vehicles sit on the DVP during the morning rush hour, sputtering nitrogen oxide into the air. Meanwhile, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from gasoline, power plants, construction sites, and pesticides accumulate in the sky.
11:29 a.m.: Under the scorching summer sun, UV rays breaks down nitrogen oxide and VOC’s into ground level ozone, which mixes with particulate matter (PM) like road dust, forming a static haze of smog. Among the PM are dust and acid aerosols containing microscopic droplets of sulphuric acid or nitric acid, easily able to penetrate the human lungs. Curiously, smog has been shown to block UV rays from reaching ground level, thus decreasing our risk of skin cancer, but other factors like cloud cover, stratospheric ozone, and the presence of reflective surfaces also play a role.
3:12 p.m.: Ozone and sulphur dioxide have accumulated to the highest levels of the day, making outdoor exercise a serious health danger to even the young and healthy. Increased respiration rates during exercise outdoors will admit PM into the body where it lodges deep in the lungs and inflames the tissues there. In combination with extreme heat, the respiratory system is stressed in its efforts to supply oxygen and cool the body, leading to headaches, wheezing, and weakness. As a result, hospitalizations due to heart or lung disease have increased to around 6,000 cases a year and 1,700 people die prematurely.
9:45 p.m.: With nightfall, smog levels drop as the evening rush hour peters down. The cooler temperature and better air quality make it safer to be outside, but the remains of the day’s smog can last for weeks before rain or wind clears it. Be sure to check for smog advisory warnings on the news or radio before you start your day.
