By: Dr. Franco Di-Giovanni

This is an information bulletin to describe the air pollution control implications of power blackouts. This has been produced for all of AirZOnes contacts in response to a number of queries from our clients.

This refers to situations where industrial processes may still continue to cause airborne emissions (e.g., coal-fired boilers, metal smelting) but where pollution control devices, such as scrubbers, baghouses or electrostatic precipitators are shut down. In such situations, and under the conditions of a power outage, air emissions may greatly exceed those that normally occur. A good example was given in a news article related to the recent eastern seaboard blackout (Globe and Mail, Aug. 23rd 2003, p. A1 and A7 “The day the lights went out: Ground zero of the blackout”).

Under Ontario Regulation 346 (amended to 342/01), which covers air pollution control in Ontario, in such situations the company must (i) contact a local Provincial Officer to explain the situation, (ii) as soon as possible after that provide the particulars in writing to the Provincial Officer, and, (iii) the Provincial Officer can decide whether the company can continue operating and under what terms and conditions. It is likely that similar regulations exist in other provinces.

The regulatory situation is not entirely clear but, on a practical level, the above considerations will apply for localized power outages only, and perhaps not those on the scale experienced August 14th, 2003. However, AirZOne recommends that, in any companys emergency plans dealing with power outages, that companies make provisions to deal with the shut down of pollution control devices to minimize air pollution emissions during the outage.