Recent Formaldehyde Testing Results Show Slight Presence in Early June

Tuesday, July 13, 2010 11:53 AM

Prince George, B.C.- The results are in from the air quality sampling done , June 4^th and June 17^{th .} Formaldehyde showed up in the samples taken from Fort George Park on the 4^th of June and in levels that were less than 20% of the B.C. Action Level.

The level detected on June 4^th was 10 μg/m3, the B.C. Action level is 60 μg/m3.

The hand held machine being used by PACHA and the Millar Addition Community Coalition did not register any formaldehyde during testing at the same time and location on the 4th, that hand held unit will only detect formaldehyde levels that are at least 12μg/m3.

The MoE Formaldehyde testing done on the 17th of June failed to show any detectable levels of formaldehyde. The Millar Addition/PACHA Unit did not sample in coordination with the Ministry of the Environment, so there were no samples from the hand held unit that could be compared to the MoE results.

The Ministry of Environment (MOE) samplings of ambient formaldehyde at a variety of locations in Prince George this year is in response to high levels reported during tests taken in July‐August of 2008. Priority is given to testing sites based on public complaints about odour. To date sampling has been conducted on May 26, June 4 and June 17 of 2010

Of the other compounds tested for, Acetaldehyde was detected at a level of 3 μg/m3 which is just slightly above the detection level of 2.4 on June 4^th. On the 17^th , Tolualdehyde was detected on June 17^th at a level of 7.1 μg/m3 about three times the level of detection which is 2.4 μg/m3. There are no B.C. objective levels for these two compounds

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Posted on Tuesday, July 13, 2010 11:53 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Dearth on July 13 2010 1:17 PM

Ohh I can't wait to see how PACHA and the other believers on why the readings of Formaldehyde has been so low. I just can't wait for the excuses to start flowing.

Posted by: gus on July 13 2010 1:35 PM

There are no excuses from my point of view. I still have a problem in either not receiving the data that relates the readings to some other readings such as particulates, ozone, sulphur dioxide, as well as weather conditions associated with the readings.

I don't even know if it was a bad air day, a good air day or whatever.

So, by itself it is meaningless in beginning to make some judgement of when formaldehyde might be present and when it might not be present.

So far we have had about 3 or 4 readings that were dangerously high.

Then we had a few that detected no formaldehyde.

Now we have another detection, but only 20% of the action level.

So, what do we know?

1. That the readings are erratic - we do not know why because we have no other information, at least not here. The MoE probably has some.

2. In the absence of other information, that the readings could be in error - both the no detection readings as well as those that do detect formaldehyde.

3. That the information as presented here is useless in order to make a determination of any sort.

False positives? False negatives? Who knows?

Posted by: He spoke on July 13 2010 1:37 PM

Mr Clean, Majic eraser, releases formaldehyde.

Oh by the way i wonder if they detected any H2S

Posted by: lmorge on July 13 2010 3:27 PM

I don't care. It still stinks downtown, in the hart, etc on a regular basis.

Posted by: interceptor on July 13 2010 4:41 PM

Exactly Gus - the other strange thing is why PACHA doesnt use the handheld more often. heck, check it everyday if its as easy to test with thier unit. I cannot envision why they wouldnt absolutely check on the days that the MOE tests just to compare. How hard can it be to take the test and then screen print the weather page - you will have date, time, temp, barometer etc. Some of these people obviously missed the scientific process part of basic highschool...

Posted by: Simon on July 13 2010 5:42 PM

I smell a cover up.

Posted by: Simon on July 13 2010 5:42 PM

Oh ya, how come there are so many dead crows all over the place? Anyone else notice that?

Posted by: Junco on July 13 2010 6:12 PM

I think they are fledglings Simon. I see a number of them dead on the highways about this time every year. They are not yet as savvy as the older ones and tend to get scmucked more often. It's near impossible to hit an old crow.

Posted by: hammmy on July 13 2010 8:05 PM

City Council should just build The World's Biggest Out House. Or The Largest Toilet.
Yeah! When life gives you lemons you make lemonade, a wise one once said! Yeah, No!

Posted by: gus on July 13 2010 10:06 PM

"Oh ya, how come there are so many dead crows all over the place? Anyone else notice that?"

Remember avian flu .....???