Too little too late.. This little cover-up by our MLA's is not going to work.

I can't believe that this can happen. I wonder how this well affect our already high cancer rates in Prince George in the future. Someone is accountable for this going on way too long and not addessing earlier. I can see why people do not want to move here and the people living here want out. Unbelievable!

Bell and Bond, where the hell were you yesterday? Unbelievable! Are you speaking up because to many people questioned where you were? Pathetic attempt to show that you care. Just stand back and WE the people who elected you will look after this mess. I do not trust either one of you.

If the Millar addition had some smart enterprisers there back when the formaldehyde was floating around, they could have purchased a few cheap trailer loads of urea and made themselves a fortune manufacturing insulation. You do remember urea formaldehyde a few years ago, doncha?

I'm curious if anyone thought to look for a meth lab in the area

I am not defending Bell or Bond but where all the clean air people. Oh I know busy trying to get all those evil backyard fire pit polluters.

Bell and Bond go back to your Liberal hide out and quit feeding us your bull. You need to be proactive not reactive to this government cover up.

To the people of this area who keep electing these fools wake up!!!!

Itr is about time a few heads rolled at the local ministry. Where is the accountability control at thenext level up from there? A few more heads to roll there.

This is a compromised airshed. Utter stupidity on the part of those in charge to not follow things up properly in such a location.

Some peope say trust has been lost some time ago. Well ..... now it is sure to have been lost.

Where is the City in all of this? I want a statement from the Mayor that this City is dependent on the MoE and the MoH to ensure the population of this City is safe and he expects immediate action to continue to monitor the air for such contaminants and work on a protocol, which involves the City Administration as well as citizens, to ensure such events will no longer happen without full assessment and disclosure.

It's the wood stoves. Focus on the wood stoves. They'll kill ya.

Did anyone notice there was absolutely NO mention of this in today's Citizen??? As a local "news"paper is it not their job to report something like this?
Dave Fuller (PACHA) was on CBC yesterday around noon so there is no excuse about missing a deadline.
IMO this should have been front page news instead of some lowlife robbing Value Village.

Wow...didn't take these two Campbell puppets long to start their CYA program did it?
So where is Environment Minister Barry Penner on this little gem?
Heads do need to roll,unless of course the Campbell crew are afraid someone they fire will start singing like a canary?
Is that why nobody ever seems to get fired in this government, regardless of what happens?
Is no one EVER held accountable for their actions?
As well,where is Dan Rodgers and the city council standing on this?
Why the silence?

Exactly Andy.
The Citizen should be all over Rogers and City Hall regarding this and informing us what really is going on.

Pat and Shirley Campbell are most likely talking with our communications manager to put a government friendly spin to all this!

So completely disgusting! I was just out with my realtor looking for a house in what I thought was a good town to invest in...how that's changed all in a matter of minutes of learning this. This is no place to raise a young family. Why would we subject our children, our residents to this?? Good riddance PG, we're off to another town!

So completely disgusting! I was just out with my realtor looking for a house in what I thought was a good town to invest in...how that's changed all in a matter of minutes of learning this. This is no place to raise a young family. Why would we subject our children, our residents to this?? Good riddance PG, we're off to another town!

So completely disgusting! I was just out with my realtor looking for a house in what I thought was a good town to invest in...how that's changed all in a matter of minutes of learning this. This is no place to raise a young family. Why would we subject our children, our residents to this?? Good riddance PG, we're off to another town!

my apologies, didn't intend to post repeatedly.

Apparently VUK feels strongly about this issue.
metalman.

so'kay vuk...there is an echo in here anyway.
Prince George is not a bad town to live in,but yes, the air IS bad.
Some areas are better than others.
Not that this makes it right.
I raised my kids here,and my grandkids are surviving ok...I think.

Its the long term effects that will build up inside your lungs that will tell the tale Andy. Do your kids have asthma or any other kinds of wheezy breathing issues?

" Bell says in fairness the numbers were so high, it immediately raises the question of their legitimacy, but “There should have been, in our view, retesting done in very short order once you saw those sorts of numbers".

My question is.

If the test numbers came in low, would there have been a retest.Why doubt only the legitimacy of high results?

Pat Bell is not a human being,did you read what he said..."The readings were so high it raised the thought of legitimacy" Snip....

Are you for real Pat Bell? No retesting you hid,the ministry hid the report,if the CBC didn`t report the report would still be hidden!
I watched question period yesterday at the BC Legislature in Victoria...

Rob Fleming asked the question for the NDP...There was no one there from any ministry to answer the questions,Mr.Yap (BC Lib from Richmond) took the question on notice...

Pat Bell was at question period yesterday,so was Shirley Bond, their silence was "Deafening"....If they had information why didn`t they speak up...

Some BC Liberal minister or Gordon Campbell must resign!!!!

And forget about one more test...The City of Prince George needs air quality test every week forever, if the Cambell government can spend 370,000,00$ everyday for 25 years for the maintenance contract they inked for the sea to sky highway then they can test the air in Prince George everyweek...I don`t trust any of the Campbell "Gang"

The problem may be that if there is a polluter who is knowingly letting out formaldehyde into the air...you can be sure they will be curbing such activity with an imminent re-testing about to be done. I think our air needs frequent testing at random intervals to get a true reading and reduce the possibility of a "rigged" result.

You are absolutely right Moses and that is why the people of Prince George need to have our own tests done and on a regular undisclosed basis. The truth needs to come out or our children are not safe. We are known as the stinky city. We may as well say good bye to a lot of good people if this is not fixed and soon.

Exposure to formaldehyde is a subject close to my heart, mostly because from the age of 18 I was employed in laboratories where it is commonly used, a period of over 40 years. I lived in an atmosphere of formaldehyde fumes where they were strong enough to be detected by smell - it causes a choking throat irritation, and at very, very high concentrations a choking reflex which stops you breathing, and that is dangerous to life.

I always understood that it was a "suspect" or "potential" carcinogen. The initial experiments on rats which raised this possibility was done by putting saturated (40%) aqueous formaldehyde directly under their noses and they developed nassal cancer. However, that is not how it is used in practice, and its never been proven that it does actually cause cancer.

There is an informative article on the subject, section 5, at:-

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/formaldehyde

@ Ammonra....That link states Formaldehyde DOES CAUSE CANCER...

And noboby has done studies of Formaldehyde in conjunction with other chemicals..As a scientist or lab person you should know that.

Just like Bipenol A(spelling is probably wrong) The chemical in plastic bottles,relatively harmless,unless heated in microwaves...

Not enough studies have been done with multiple chemicals,that testing in aug...Was that testing only for Formaldehyde or multiple chemicals,my hunch is they were testing for a broad range of chemicals...

Release the complete results...

For your information,back in the 80s in Port alberni,even into the early 90s...Port Alberni stunk to high heaven,the wind was always blowing towards town...
but,the mills cleaned up their act,scrubbers and technology and for many many years now Port Alberni is clean,no smells,no dirty water...It`s amazing what technology can do...

It appears that Prince George industry has closed their eyes,ears,noses...And their wallets and let the public choke on their profits and toxins.I have been to both towns often,there is a major problem in Prince George...

Can you imagine what every parent must be thinking,and id their children get sick,cancer,asthma...What price can you put on that!

This all sounds like a NDP plot to discredit our glorious leader and his sheep in Victoria.

The Citizen will not pick up a CBC story for at least three days after CBC runs it. For years, I've read something on their (CBC) website and finally found it in the Citizen 3-7 days later.

Also They need to be looking at the Oil refinery. Staffers from Northern Health's Environmental Health branch told me three years ago that they were pumping out the worst pollution in the city, including formaldehyde

I doubt either of these two people could find their butt with one or both hands unless Campbell told the were it is!

Yes I am also disgusted by this news, however before completely tar and feathering Shirley Bond and Pat Bell. In a earlier story it said that the final results were put together in fall/winter of 09. PGAir received the report in mid December. The individuals that sit on this board also include representatives from The City of Prince George, local industries and the local Health Authority. So if all of these individuals knew this information in mid December, where have they been. These are locals. So maybe we should also hear from them, what their excuse is for not reporting this to the citizens of Prince George.

Actually Grant G, it does not say formaldehyde causes cancer. It does say it "may" cause some kinds of cancer and it "appears" to be associated with some others, but it does not explicitly say that it is the cause. In scientfic parlance, that means it has not been proven, and it is just suggestive.

Let's be honest here folks, there are LOADS of people in our local government and the provincial and federal governments who simply don't care about addressing the issue of air quality in PG. If they did, we would have seen results by now.

Governments can and will accomplish things if they consider them a high enough priority. The examples, after all, all around us. We can host an Olympics, we can build bridges, we can fight wars on foreign soil, we can get EI cheques to people, we can build long-term care facilities, etc. Simply put, if it's a big enough priority, it will get done.

Our AQ is NOT a priority for anyone with any clout. Oh yes the people in power will suggest otherwise, but their lack of action and the lack of results on the issue is all the proof we need to show how much of a priority it REALLY is.

Personally, I'm sick of breathing the bad air and I'm sick of hearing governments talk about how it's a priority to deal with it. I'm also sick of hearing about how industry is a "partner" in developing solutions. Best case scenario, industry will live up to the regulations that are put in place. Worst case scenario, they will disregard them with impunity. Not only are our regulations extremely lax, but we also don't have governments who are actually willing to administer and enforce them. It's a complete and utter farce and everyone who is in any position of power is culpable IMHO.

I'm actually to the point where I would LOVE to see a hotshot environmental lawyer roll into town looking to make a name for themselves, taking whomever down in the process. I'd donate money to that cause.

You raise the issue of the Citizen not having the story. Why are you reading Opinion250, well because you get the news fast and up to date? I’d bet money this site has more readers then the Citizen.
Air Quality, so far no one has the guts to go after who really pollutes.

Where is Bell and Bond to comment here !!??? You asses who voted for Campbell are getting what you deserve. And those of you complaining and doing nothing are getting what you deserve.

According to Shirley Bond the damning air quality report was on PG air`s web site since early winter...

Well I was just at their web site,there is NOTHING THERE....IN FACT,ALL OF THE LINKS SEEM TO HAVE BEEN EITHER PURGED,REMOVED,OR MAYBE THEY WERE NEVER THERE,THE LIES ARE GETTING PRETTY THICK,THIS STORY IS HUGE.cRIMINAL CHARGES OR RESIGNATIONS MUST HAPPEN...
Check out PG air yourself.


http://www.pgairquality.com/


nothing there but air!

I would expect that they give a public press conference early next week to let everyone know what is happening with this issue. And it had better be done in Prince George as well.

The people at City Hall are to busy trying to get people to upgrade their wooden stoves, so that they can cut down on the pollution in the bowl. Once they can show a significant reduction, then they can use this information to allow them to build their **Community Energy System** without increasing the pollution in the bowl.

So at the end of the day it is more important to build another polluting industry in the heart of downtown, so that they can let some contracts, and supposedly save some money by heating with hot water, than it is to ensure that here is less overall pollution.

I suspect this **Engery System** will be built somewhere near the PG Museum, probably across the street. It in fact will not be much further away from the Millar Addition than the original site, however Im sure that the City will have a great story to tell, as to how it will not pollute.

People in the Millar Addition, and PACHA should be looking at this issue now, before it is to far along. You can rest assured that the City knows exactly where they want to locate it. They are not upgrading River Road for no reason.

I find it interesting that most people reacting to this information are beating up the politcians and officials, and not trusting any information. But are willing to follow like sheep the C02, carbon scam.

Pat Bell often brags of being elected to deregulate. Look at how the BC liberals have done things at the BCSC that regulates the VSE and BC securities.

The BCSC is called a regulator, but what they are in fact is anything but a regulator. Their sole purpose is to file the complaints and find an excuse not to act on any malfeasance... send out a letter a few weeks later claiming an investigation was done and no further action will be taken at this time... they are not in fact a regulator, but rather a understaffed office designed to allow for no regulation at all, but give the appearance that regulations are being enforced. This is proven fact and is why BC will never be an investment haven for legitimate enterprise, rather only the shady crocked kinds of operators that find the lack of any accountability in BC a place to base their rip off financial operations.

The Ministry of Environment has the same business model as the BCSC when it comes to regulation.

The air quality in PG is horrible - we smell it everyday and sometimes the mix of pulp mill, refinery and other emmissions is enough to gag you. A test is done because study after study points to bad air. The results seem to scare all of us and now reasons for not retesting for over 18 months ranges from disbelief of the results to the costs of $6 to $12 thousand??? Are you kidding me?!!

My family is at risk for health problems. This crap is in our earth and water too. My property value has just plungged until such time as those in industry STOP POLLUTING. Don't get me wrong, they are probably following regulations, have all the applicable licensing, make their reports. What they do not do is listen to the community. But it is a circle though isn't it? They provide jobs to the community, taxes to the community, shareholder dividends to the community so around and around we go.

I like the people of Prince George, I like my town and the people who are posting here are CONCERNED that those we trust in the various levels of government have not taken the steps necessary to protect us.

The air quality can be fixed - industry CAN afford to fix their polluting without a loss of jobs, they just have to want to!
Governments show with tax breaks, response to economic downturns and photo ops that they can work with industry to keep the business humming but they can't tell them that THEY STINK...time to clean up?

What a crock of...When you can see, smell and sometimes taste the air you have to be pretty dense to believe it is good to breath - it is not the smell of money rather the smell of risk management i.e. how much can they take before our profits are at risk or how much can they take before it impacts our election campaign?

Maybe industry can get together and offer every citizen a free gas mask and a discount on their next purchase - that should do it hey?

Just read the article:

Canfor Pulp Announces Project Submissions to NRCan

The highest priority project will reduce odour emissions at the PG Pulp Mill.
.....
The company has been allocated credits of $122.2 million under this federal program.

Odour emissions? Is that what they want to call it...sounds pretty okay when it is just odour not POLLUTION. $122.2 for green power and odour control - how much you want to bet spending for reducing their power or getting paid for the power they produce will take up the bulk of those tax dollars?

Odour emission mean sulphur odour ..... at the levels it gets put out, it is a nuisance rather than a health risk.

There are several VOCs, including the formaldehyde, that are also emitted, cannot be smelled at a level where they start to become health risks for the general population. Those are not being targeted from what I understand.

Out of sight/smell, out of mind.

"But are willing to follow like sheep the C02, carbon scam."

The main reason I am willing to follow it is because, generally speaking, when one reduces CO2 emissions, one also reduces other emissions.

The only "crap" I am not following is that about the "good" CO2 created by wood and "bad" CO2 created by fossil fuels.

Thank you Gus, but that just makes me much more nervous now. I am not a scientist, not a health professional and not super knowledgable about environmental issues. I'm just a mom with friends who work and live in the bowl. Unfortunate that out of sight/out of mind is totally correct and appears to be standard operating procedure.

I was talking with someone that said a group up at UNBC have been developing an apparatus that gets retrofitted to the stack at the pulp mill and will be able to pull the sulfur out of the air with an electrical charge? (something along those lines).

Point being, Canfor et al are trying to remedy these odour problems.

For your information...In checking into cancer rates,guess what BC City has the highest rate of cancers...

You guessed it,Prince George!

What do you say to public officials and a Premier(Gordon Cambell) that was TOLD about the alarming 20 times over the legal limit of Formaldehyde in Prince George...And then buries the report and does NO MORE TESTING..

This was a deliberate cover-up, Gordon Campbell has Blood on his hands,no,I`m not trying to be dramatic, people dying of cancer would spend their every last dollar to live, you can`t buy a do-over.

Gordon Campbell or a minister must resign,and how many other air quality test have been buried...

Where does Shirley Bond and Pat Bell live,not in the Millar addition,no they don`t!
I commented earlier,it used to stink in Port Alberni, it was enough to make you noxious,the smell wafting from industry...They cleaned it up in the 90s,Port Alberni industry spent the money to clean up, but when in Prince George it was like going back in time when Port Alberni stunk!

Put this picture in your mind..Gordon Campbell screaming the national anthem,wearing those silly mitts INSIDE BC Place,waving a giant flag, while knowing full well the ministry of the environment has hidden air quality reports, concealed toxic air reports, and not even ordering a series of tests!

"The last act of a deperate dictater is wrapping themselves in the flag"

And how many people have had flags draped over their coffin, how many have died from Cancer in Prince George?

I sure hope you're not holding your breath waiting for those resignations. You'll pass out for sure.

Be safer than breathing in PG MrPG (LOL)

Be safer than breathing in PG MrPG (LOL)

damn that echo!

All one has to do is drive down Cowart Rd. or down the hill on Highway 16 West in the early part of the evening,and as soon as one hits the lights,it smells as though,someone has taken a big dump on PG.

August 2008? And it's just on the public radar now. What's with that?