(Montreal) A study commissioned by the Regroupement des events pyrotechniques du Québec concludes that the impact of fireworks on air quality during major shows in Montreal, Quebec and Gatineau “respects Quebec environmental standards at all times “, but doctors are putting a damper on it, under the pretext, in particular, that these standards are outdated.
The Regroupement des events pyrotechniques du Québec and the Canadian Pyrotechnic Council invited the media, Wednesday morning at La Ronde, to present the results of an environmental study carried out by the firm AtkinsRéalis.
This used its own data on air quality, but also those coming from various measuring stations of the Ministry of the Environment near the pyrotechnic sites.
The impact on air quality of these shows is “very localized in space and time”, indicated Jean-Luc Allard, engineer for the firm AtkinsRéalis during the press conference.
The study focused particularly on air pollutants associated with fireworks. More specifically, she analyzed metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as well as fine particles, also called PM2.5.
Jean-Luc Allard indicated that “historical data as well as the results of this study reveal that pyrotechnic shows respect at all times the Quebec environmental standard relating to the quantity of fine particles (PM2.5) detected over a period of 24 hours “.
Outdated standards, according to the AQME
But this standard, like several others, is outdated, according to the Quebec Association of Physicians for the Environment (AQME).
“The report states that particles have little impact on air quality because these shows respect Quebec standards, but we have a big problem with that, because Quebec standards, at the moment, are outdated and do not respect the recommendations of the World Health Organization,” explained pediatrician Ève Riopel, member of the AQME and doctoral student in public health at Johns Hopkins University.
The WHO estimates that the daily average of fine particles (PM2.5) should be at a maximum rate of 15 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m), while the Quebec standard is 30 μg/m³.
Several studies show that the health impacts of air pollution occur at a much lower level than previously thought. So the results of the study that was published today on fireworks would have been more complete and more convincing if the data were compared to WHO standards.
DD Ève Riopel, member of the AQME and doctoral student in public health at Johns Hopkins University
Data from the study show that the daily average of fine particles of 15 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m), as suggested by the WHO, was exceeded only once, on the south shore of Montreal, during of a fireworks display on July 27, 2023.
“It doesn’t matter if it stays within the standards, what we say is that fireworks have an impact on health” and “that there is no level of atmospheric pollution safe for health and even below standards, the population is exposed to pollutants and this still leads to the development of health problems, especially for people at risk,” added Ève Riopel.
The AQME recently published a document of around twenty pages entitled “Reference framework for healthy air” which notably asks the government to update the toxicity thresholds for air pollutants.
The initiative is supported by 14 medical associations, professional orders, unions and other organizations, including the College of Physicians of Quebec.
Environmental impact
The report released Wednesday looked at the impact of fireworks on air quality, but fireworks displays also impact wildlife and water quality.
Questioned on this subject, Sophie Emond, spokesperson for the Regroupement des events pyrotechniques du Québec and president of La Ronde, explained that her group intends to “look at the overall environmental impact, so it is continuous work which will be done over the years.
The group wrote, in a press release, that to reduce emissions of fine particles, “several shows will limit the quantity of pyrotechnics, reduce the duration of fireworks and, above all, limit the use of certain pyrotechnic products having more impact on these emissions.
The group is made up of L’International des Feux Loto-Québec (Montreal), Grands Feus Loto-Québec (Quebec), Grands Feu du Casino Lac-Leamy (Gatineau) and La Fête du Lac des Nations inc. (Sherbrooke) as well as representatives of the Canadian Pyrotechnic Council.