Latest Formaldehyde Tests Faulty

Tuesday, March 08, 2011 03:59 AM

Prince George, B.C. – The latest results of air testing in Prince George for formaldehyde are in, and the actual numbers were not part of the initial release of information.

The most recent testing was done December 30^th at Plaza 400 following a complaint of elevated ambient odour levels in the downtown area.

The results came back, and in this case, the information released to media reads “Results from the lab were well below the Province’s air quality objective.” The actual numbers were not included in the release. “I didn’t have confidence in the accuracy of the data” says Ministry of Environment’s Regional Manager Dean Cherkas in explaining why the numbers were not part of the information made public.

Cherkas says the field blank registered .4 μg/m3 and the test blank indicated a level of 1. μg/m3. Both levels are a fraction of the allowable limits for formaldehyde, but Cherkas said it was clear there was something wrong. “There was such a huge difference in the readings, there had to have been some sort of contamination.” He says contamination of the samples could have happened anywhere along the chain of handling, or it may be linked to the cold temperatures that day, he is not certain, but Cherkas is convinced the readings were not accurate, so the numbers were not made public. “My main concern is if we are below the Provincial objectives for formaldehyde, and both samples were well below that mark.”

The Province’s air quality objective for formaldehyde is as follows:

The action level (one-hour average of 60 μg/m3) is the target used when managing the level of formaldehyde in an airshed.

The episode level (one-hour average of 370 μg/m3) corresponds to the concentration that starts to be of concern to the health of the general population; at this level, it is recommended that immediate steps be taken to reduce the release of formaldehyde into the atmosphere.

The special testing was launched last spring by the Ministry of the Environment in response to unusually high levels of formaldehyde recorded in the summer of 2008.

It is generally thought those samples were also inaccurate as repeated testing since last Spring has failed to reproduce the kind of numbers recorded in the summer of 2008. In fact , most testing has failed to find any detectable levels of formaldehyde at all.

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Posted on Tuesday, March 08, 2011 03:59 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: He spoke on March 8 2011 6:06 AM

Me too, I just can't believe that there is no formaldehyde in the air. I know you have the numbers, but it can't be true.

However if the number shows it to be high, we will pounce all over industry.

Posted by: Sh*tdisturber on March 8 2011 7:26 AM

So you're saying that if you hear what you want to hear, it must be true, but if it's not what you want to hear then it must be false....
Small minds...

Posted by: Outwest on March 8 2011 8:11 AM

"To manage the Level in the Air Shed " are you saying if it is to high , the Mills will shut down for the Day. Don't give us Numbers ,we like to be fooled "Low , Medium and High" will do , in any case the Air smells.

Posted by: gus on March 8 2011 8:18 AM

“I didn’t have confidence in the accuracy of the data”

In my world that should read "I do not have confidence in the ability of the testing company".

In every field, whether it is accounting, engineering, medical lab testing, etc. people who know their job have some sort of expected result in their mind. If something is not close to that, then they should become suspicious and review their procedures.

It seems to me that we have had several incidents of this, including the first one which brought this whole thing out in the open.

At this time, as far a my own thinking goes, I have no confidence in either the testing lab or the local ministry. I would like to see an explanation to the public of the chain of custody of the entire process as well as the parties responsible for each part of the process.

Posted by: gus on March 8 2011 8:22 AM

One more thing. If we have this much trouble with something the public has by accident become aware of a couple of years ago, and this is the way the MoE conducts its business, how well are they handling all those other matters where the public's health is at risk?

My confidence in the ability of the MoE to protect our health is eroding each time I hear of such matters.

Can we hear from Public Health on this please.

Posted by: He spoke on March 8 2011 8:55 AM

Could it be that the Bears that farts out the formaldehyde is in hibernation for the winter, so the numbers are real low.

Posted by: sun storm on March 8 2011 7:04 PM

We don't have to know the numbers....the air here stinks really bad and it cannot be healthy for anyone. Numbers mean nothing...it is all a coverup to protect the mills where the smell is coming from. It is soooo sad that we cannot have clean air to breath!

Posted by: Eagleone on March 8 2011 7:51 PM

Formaldehyde is a bi-product of the oil refinery not the mills IMO. The oil refinery manages their releases very well... usually at around 3-4am when everyone is sleeping and the place is lit up and glowing for miles around... by the time people roll out of bed in the morning all looks normal... other than the funny smell in the air.