Calgary Sees a Drastic Improvement in Indoor Air Quality Tests
- NEWS RELEASE -
Monday, February 5, 2007
Calgary In 2006, an analysis of indoor air quality in 34 drinking establishments in Albertas two largest cities, Edmonton and Calgary, reveals that Calgarys indoor air was 30 times more polluted than Edmontons. The survey also revealed that Calgarys indoor air quality was much worse that outdoor pollution levels even during rush hour traffic based on counts of small airborne particles.
Smoke-Free Calgary SFC is more than pleased to announce that recent testing conducted in 21 of Calgarys bars and pubs has seen a dramatic air quality improvement. SFC is crediting Calgarys public smoking ban, introduced on January 1, 2007, for the citys improved indoor air quality in these bars and pubs. The testing revealed a 21.6 fold improvement in Calgarys indoor air quality in these establishments after the smoking ban took effect.
Calgary has seen a dramatic improvement in the air quality at bars since the last air quality tests were released in 2006, says Robyn Hauck, smoke-free advocate, City Council has taken the lead in going smoke-free one year early. However, my observations during the testing show that certain bars are not smoke-free and the City has to take the lead in ensuring that all establishments, subject to this bylaw are compliant.
Our testing reveals that indoor air quality is much better than that of the 2006 results. Smoke-Free Calgary is quite excited but not surprised about this, said Linette Soldan, co-chair of Smoke-Free Calgary and Community Services Coordinator for the Canadian Cancer Society, however, four of the twenty-one establishments we tested were in clear smoking violations the air quality in these four establishments was 19.5 times worse than the nonsmoking establishments. Secondhand smoke poses a major threat to public health.
SFC visited the 21 establishments at the end of January and measured airborne particles with the aid of a respirable particle counter. This sophisticated electronic device uses a built-in laser to count particles in the air that are less than 2.5 microns in size. Particles of this size are almost always the result of a combustion process such as burning tobacco.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has classified secondhand smoke as a Group A, or known human, carcinogen. There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Hospitality workers face the highest exposure levels of any occupation. Health Canada estimates that at least 1,000 Canadians die annually from secondhand smoke.
