Mayor Updates Council on Formaldehyde Concerns

Monday, March 15, 2010 08:15 PM

Prince George, B.C.- Mayor of Prince George, Dan Rogers, has outlined the chain of events leading up to the renewed concern over high levels of formaldehyde in samples taken in the Millar Addition in the summer of 2008.

In a report to Council, Mayor Rogers says he has been assured by the Minister of the Environment that funding is available for new testing and that such tests will be ready to go , soon.

According to the Mayor, there was a combination of reasons why the information sat in limbo from the receipt of the test results to the time the results were released to some members of the media in April of 2009.

1.Ministry of Environment (MOE) received analysis results from the lab in September 2008. The results were provided to MOE and the Research Working Group of PGAIR as “raw data” and in units not standard in use by MOE. Therefore MOE, as the experts in the field, needed to do analysis work and conversions on the data to interpret the results.

2. Between October 2008 and March 2009 there were several factors leading to delays in analyzing the results (staffing changes; contract and methodology issues with the lab; discussions about re-sampling). During this period, the lab results were not analyzed and as such the issue around the elevated formaldehyde readings was not known.

3. April 2009, MOE presented preliminary odour study data to PGAIR. Free Press attended meeting and reported on the findings including the formaldehyde data in the Free Press.

4. May 2009 PGAIR discussed preliminary formaldehyde data results and indicated a possible error because the new sampling data did not correspond with previous tested formaldehyde levels. Media attended the PGAIR meeting and received copies of data and presentation but did not report in paper. PGAIR issued a press release to all media on the results which included information on the formaldehyde data.

5. In October 2009 MOE presented an interim analysis of odour results provided to PGAIR and copies were provided to PACHA and Northern Health Authority.

6. In December 2009 MOE provided a final presentation of odour study analysis results to PGAIR. PGAIR agreed that the priority was to pursue funding from MOE for re-testing.

7. Between January and Feb 2010 PGAIR was anticipating confirmation from MOE on funding.

8. March 10th PGAIR held an information meeting with residents to explain the specifics around the testing for formaldehyde. This meeting included representatives from MOE, PGAIR, and Northern Health.

The Mayor says the meeting which was held on March 10^th clearly indicated there is a need for better communication with the residents of Prince George and the need to have funds provided for further testing, which he says the Minister of the Environment has made a commitment to do.

Councilor Dave Wilbur says while he is pleased to hear new testing will be done, he says there must be some change in protocols for results and release of that information as the lag time between the results of the samples at the core of the issue was "unacceptable."

Councilor Cameron Stolz says there needs to be better communication between P.G. Air and Council "They had no problem coming before us asking for $30 thousand dollars for a clean air ambassador, but didn't come forward with a request for $1,000."

Councilor Brian Skakun says this is a learning process, "No one is perfect. They are volunteers and they are doing the best they can. There was a communication breakdown and the City needs to be notified if there are abnormal readings."

Council has asked that the Minister of the Environement provide a more formal response on the committment to new testing, and information on how such things will be dealt with in the future.

City Administration has also been asked to get clarity from PGAIR on where PGAIR is going with process and protocols and what action will be taken in the future on readings.

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Posted on Monday, March 15, 2010 08:15 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Mr. PG on March 15 2010 8:34 PM

Mayor Dan got it wrong, late and over budget as usual.

Posted by: Simon on March 16 2010 2:42 AM

No one is perfect? Thats all? is anyone going to be held accountable for this?

Posted by: gus on March 16 2010 2:46 AM

What has Councillor Skakun smoking? Who are volunteers? PGAIR has two City staff sitting at the table - Dan Adamson and Jocelyn White. They are not volunteers. They get paid big bucks. Who do they report to at City Hall?

The MoE people get paid big bucks too. So do the Northern Health people. So do all the reps from Industry. Big, big bucks!!!!

Speaking about bucks. Where does the buck at PGAIR stop? At that time, as far as I know, it was a MoE employee.

PACHA as well as two members of the public as well as Dr. Cook were/are volunteers. No one else.

PGAIR is primarily a group of professionals whose expertise is either the technical or management side of environmental issues.

Posted by: gus on March 16 2010 2:58 AM

"City Administration has also been asked to get clarity from PGAIR on where PGAIR is going with process and protocols and what action will be taken in the future on readings."

PGAIR is a consortium without teeth. Individual members have the teeth - Environment, Health, the City itself, the regional district, various industrial members.

Here is the report from the testing lab. It is submitted to the MoE, NOT PGAIR. It was submitted in September, 2008, shortly after the last tests. The results were not submitted to PGAIR until the meeting in May 2009, 8 months after receipt. The City is asking the wrong organization for clarity.

http://www.pgairquality.com/files/pdf/R25610_1_MOEOdour_TRS_VOC_Aldehydes.pdf

The question of clarity should be why the MoE does not have the capacity to "interpret" data any quicker.

Is it any wonder that the studies which are being done in order to solve our air problems are taking as long as they do? We now know!!!!

Posted by: alex1212 on March 16 2010 5:49 AM

this now is becoming a sickening joke !! excuses one after another JUST FIRE ALL OF THEM !small city govt cant even work now !!just like thier counterparts in victoria and ottawa !! IDIOTS ALL OF THEM !!WHAT A WASTE OF OUR MONEY !! AHHHHH ,, WE HAVE LOST OUR RIGHTS AND NOW THE PATIENTS RUN THE ASYLUM

Posted by: IMO on March 16 2010 9:09 AM

City Administration has also been asked to get clarity from PGAIR on where PGAIR is going with process and protocols and what action will be taken in the future on readings.

Two of the people on PGair are council members. COUNCIL KNEW! Protocols should be:

1. LET THE CITIZENS KNOW EMEDIATELY!
2. STOP PROTECTING INDUSTRY
3. STOP SIDING WITH INDUSTRY
4. KNOW WHO PAYS YOUR WAGES
5. STOP BLAMING OTHERS
6. MAN UP AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE AIR
YOUR OWN CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN
BREATH!

Posted by: acopolympics on March 16 2010 11:12 AM

"The Mayor says the meeting which was held on March 10th clearly indicated there is a need for better communication with the residents of Prince George" ... didn't they just hire some yahoo as communications liason for something like $115,000.00/year salary?