RT BC Works So2 Eem Synopsis
RT BC Works So2 Eem Synopsis
RT BC Works So2 Eem Synopsis
Comprehensive
Review Report
Synopsis of Results
September 2020
Sulphur Dioxide Environmental Effects Monitoring
for the Modernized Kitimat Smelter
Prepared for:
Rio Tinto, BC Works
1 Smeltersite Road, P.O. Box 1800
Kitimat, BC, Canada V8C 2H2
Prepared by:
Dr. Anne Wiles
Risk Sciences International, Ottawa, ON
Comprehensive
Review Report 1
Synopsis of Results
Comprehensive Review: Results Summary
The 2020 Comprehensive Review (CR) presents the to receive sulphur deposition in excess of the critical
findings of the first six years of the Sulphur Dioxide load under 42 tonnes per day. Prediction-based KPIs
Environmental Effects Monitoring (SO2 EEM) Program. for soils and lakes are not expected to reach mitigation
The team of seven Qualified Professionals (QPs) and thresholds even under SO2 emissions at 42 tpd.
the British Columbia Ministry of Environment have
evaluated the data gathered through the modelling Of the 14 lakes in the SO2 EEM Program, 12 lakes
and monitoring activities on concentrations of SO2 in show no evidence of acidification caused by the Kitimat
the Kitimat Valley and effects on humans, vegetation, smelter. Only two lakes show evidence of any acidify-
soils and aquatic ecosystems. Following extensive re- ing change: one small fishless lake close to the smelter
view of these data, the QPs report that they observe shows signs of acidification, and had before construc-
no evidence of harm from the smelter emissions to the tion of the new smelter; the other shows signs of some
four receptor types. acidification but the evidence relating this to the smelt-
er is inconsistent, and no KPIs have been exceeded. Rio
The key performance indicators (KPIs) in the SO2 EEM Tinto voluntarily increased the amount of lake monitor-
Program were chosen to provide early warning of po- ing at nine lakes to better track changes in lake chem-
tential impacts on the receptors. None of the thresholds istry that could be due to the smelter.
associated with the KPIs have been reached, including
the thresholds for increased monitoring. No predic- Looking across these lines of evidence the QPs do
tion-based KPI threshold exceedances are projected. not see signs of harm in the valley based on the six
years of monitoring work. Through all of the analy-
Air concentrations of SO2 at residential monitoring ses, discussions, and results of the comprehensive
stations are well below the human health KPI threshold review they are confident in these conclusions and
as well as the new CAAQS level (70 ppb). Air concen- recommend going forward with a more consolidated,
trations of SO2 in the valley are well below concentra- efficient environmental effects monitoring program,
tions that would cause visible injury to vegetation. No including some adjustments to the KPIs for vegeta-
soil plots show evidence of acidification, and less than tion, soils and surface waters.
1% of the study area close to the smelter is predicted
Sulphur Dioxide
Environmental Effects Monitoring
for the Modernized Kitimat Smelter
SO2 Emissions from the Modernized Smelter
SO2 emissions have increased with the modernization They have not reached the permit maximum of 42 tpd,
of the smelter due to higher production levels (50% in- and are expected to remain between 33 and 36 tpd. See
crease) and higher levels of sulphur in petroleum coke. Figure 1 below.
45.0
Limit 42.0
40.0
35.0
30.0
tonnes SO2 /day
27.0
25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
0.0
Average 23.3 17.4 17.5 19.6 21.4 21.0 22.2 19.0 20.1 18.0 15.1 14.2 16.1 13.9 11.6 8.3 27.8 29.7 30.6
Figure 1. Average annual SO2 emissions from the Kitimat smelter, 2000-2018. The red line represents the
SO2 emissions permit limit set by the province, which rose to 42 tpd in 2014 (the low emissions in 2015
were due to the shutdown of the old smelter for the Kitimat Modernization Project).
Comprehensive
Review Report 3
Synopsis of Results
The Comprehensive Review Process
The 2020 Comprehensive Review (CR) Report de- The initial assessment of the effects of SO2 from the
scribes the methods and results of the Sulphur Dioxide modernized smelter, including modelled predictions of
Environmental Effects Monitoring (SO2 EEM) Program SO2 and sulphur (S) deposition amounts in the study
from 2013 to 2018.1 area, was presented in the SO2 Technical Assessment
Report (STAR, 2013).2
The SO2 EEM Program was developed to monitor and
evaluate the potential effects of SO2 emissions from The CR reports on the methods and results of studies
KPAC
KPAC members
the modernized smelter in Kitimat. The provincial P2 that have been done under the SO2 EEM plan from 2013
represent 17
permit for the project allowed an increase of SO2 emis- to 2018. It was guided by a Terms of Reference doc- jurisdictional
sions of up to a maximum of 42 tonnes per day (tpd), ument,3 which explains the types of information that and community
but required a scientific study to monitor the effects of would be gathered by comprehensive review monitoring organizations.
the SO2 on four receptors: human health, vegetation, activities, the analyses that would be carried out and BC Ministry of
terrestrial ecosystems (soils) and aquatic ecosystems the terms in which the information would be described Environment
(lakes, streams and aquatic biota). in the full CR Report. A draft CR report was submitted District of Kitimat
to the BC Ministry of Environment on October 31, 2019. (staff and council)
Douglas Channel
Watch
The QPs include seven experts in the fields of air dis- Haisla Nation
The scientific studies reported in the STAR and for the
ongoing SO2 EEM Program are carried out by indepen- persion monitoring, health risk standards for SO2, and Kitimat Health
Advocacy Group
dent Qualified Professionals (QPs) and interpreted the effects of SO2 and acidic deposition on vegetation,
soils, and aquatic ecosystems. The experts represent Kitimat Rod and
through a consistent analytical framework. The QPs
Gun Association
have been working on the Kitimat SO2 permitting and internationally known science and environmental con-
Kitimat Valley
EEM program for nine years, and on the comprehensive sulting firms and universities, and together have more
Naturalists
review for almost two years. than 240 years of combined experience.
Kitimat Understanding
the Environment
Complementing the QPs’ studies on the receptor pro- (KUTE)
grams has been the contribution of the Kitimat Public Lakelse Lake Society
Advisory Committee (KPAC), which provides input on Northern Health
community interests related to the smelter operation Authority
in Kitimat, particularly on environmental and regulato- Northwest Regional
ry matters. The KPAC is the main consultative body for Hospital District
the P2 permit for the project under the British Columbia UNIFOR
Environmental Management Act. Kitimat First
United Church
KPAC members have been very active in the permitting Steelhead Society
process, providing feedback on reports and develop- School District 82
ments. Consultations with the KPAC on the CR process Rio Tinto
have been conducted, including seven webinars pre- Kitimat Chamber
senting the results of the CR. of Commerce
KPI
Program KPI threshold exceeded (2013-2018)
Threshold
NOT EXCEEDED
• Average below 1 ppb at all sites, more
BC Interim Air Quality Objective for 1-hour SO2 in
than half the hours in the year
Human Health ambient air
• The average of only the hours with the highest
Threshold: 75 ppb
daily concentration is still less than 1 ppb
for more than half the days at each site
NOT EXCEEDED
Water chemistry
• Only one small fishless lake close to the
Aquatic Thresholds based on numbers of lakes with
smelter shows signs of any acidifying change
Ecosystems acidification (decrease in pH), causal relation to
related to smelter emissions, and had be-
smelter
fore construction of the new smelter.
Comprehensive
Review Report 5
Synopsis of Results
Key Recommendations Going Forward
In the CR Report the QPs report on what they learned the next phase of the studies in the program. These are
through the first six years of the SO2 EEM Program, and summarized in Table 2 below; more details are avail-
describe their recommendations for each program for able in the CR report.
Table 2. What was learned through the CR and key recommendations going forward
Sulphur Dioxide
Environmental Effects Monitoring
for the Modernized Kitimat Smelter
The Monitoring Studies
The sulphur (S) from the smelter is sulphur dioxide phuric acid can increase the acidity of soils and surface
(SO2) gas, emitted high into the air from tall stacks. It is water, affecting vegetation, terrestrial ecosystems, and
dispersed with the wind, but, depending on conditions, aquatic ecosystems.
lower but varying amounts will be present in the air
in the community. When it dissolves in water, such as The SO2 EEM program includes five study programs
through contact with rain or fog, the SO2 gas is trans- that evaluate whether concentrations of SO2 and sul-
formed into sulphuric acid (H2SO4) and is deposited on phur deposition are causing harm. These include four
the environment in wet and dry forms. receptor monitoring programs, and the atmospheric
pathways program that produces data in support of
At higher levels, these two forms of sulphur can have the receptor programs. The study area and the loca-
effects on human health and the environment. SO2 gas tion of the monitoring activities are shown on the map,
in the air can be a respiratory irritant for asthmatics, Figure 2 on page 8.
and can damage vegetation. Acidic deposition from sul-
Comprehensive
Review Report 7
Synopsis of Results
TISH COLUM
BRI BI
A
,C
Kitimat
AN
SO2 EEM Program Monitoring Sites
ADA
Atmospheric Pathways
Vegetation
Terrestrial Ecosystems
Aquatic Ecosystems (Lakes)
Kitimat
Kitamaat Village
Figure 2. The SO2 EEM study area, showing the monitoring locations. The CR study area covers
3653.5 km2. The environmental receptor monitoring studies were conducted in the study area,
bordered by the dotted lines. Human Health monitoring was conducted in residential areas of
Kitimat and Kitamaat Village. Note that the 2019 CR study covered a larger area (grey dotted
line) than the earlier STAR study area (white dotted line), enabling the inclusion of some addi-
tional lakes. The brown hatching shows the small area near the smelter in which an exceedance
of the soils critical load is predicted to occur, under a 42 tpd scenario.
Sulphur Dioxide
Environmental Effects Monitoring
for the Modernized Kitimat Smelter
SO2 EEM Program
0 5 10 km
Comprehensive
Review Report 9
Synopsis of Results
The SO2 EEM Program studies were based on the and evaluation of effects on receptors through the
source-pathways-receptors (SPR) model, a structured two pathways, and the application of mitigation
understanding of the sources, pathways and effects measures to reduce the source emissions, if effects
of SO2. Each pathway can potentially affect multiple exceed thresholds.
receptors: human health and vegetation share the
SO2 concentration pathway, while vegetation, soils To apply the adaptive management approach, the QPs
and aquatic ecosystems share the sulphur deposition defined a set of indicators – observable and measur-
pathway. able factors related to the effects of exposure to sul-
phur –for each receptor, based on scientific knowledge
There are two key aspects of the SO2 EEM program that of the types of impacts that exposure to sulphur may
are represented in the SPR model. have on the receptor. Primary indicators were adopt-
ed as “key performance indicators” (KPIs). For each
• The source (S; the SO2), including its generation KPI a threshold was defined that would provide early
and chemical transformation, and the two key warning of potential harm caused by emissions from
pathways (P) by which it may contact the four re- the smelter, and was linked to specified mitigation ac-
ceptors (R): humans, vegetation, terrestrial eco- tions. The KPIs and thresholds were endorsed by the
systems, and aquatic ecosystems and biota. BC Ministry of Environment and incorporated into the
• The adaptive management process, shown with permit conditions.
the bottom arrows, which depicts the monitoring
SOURCE-PATHWAY-RECEPTOR MODEL
SULPHUR SOILS
DIOXIDE (SO2)
EMISSIONS
RECEPTORS
Sulphur Dioxide
Environmental Effects Monitoring
for the Modernized Kitimat Smelter
Annual lake water sampling
Comprehensive
Review Report 11
Synopsis of Results
The Study Programs
The atmospheric pathways program models and monitors concentrations of SO2 in the air and S deposi-
tion onto soils, vegetation and water bodies. The four receptor monitoring programs, and the applicable
KPIs, are summarized here.
The KPI for the 2013-2018 SO2 EEM Program was based
on the BC Interim Air Quality Objective for 1-hour SO2.
Sulphur Dioxide
Environmental Effects Monitoring
for the Modernized Kitimat Smelter
Vegetation
Monitoring
Program
Plants require sulphur and take up SO2 from the air and sul-
phur from the soil, but can be injured by excessive amounts.
Comprehensive
Review Report 13
Synopsis of Results
Terrestrial
Ecosystems
Monitoring
Program
Sulphur Dioxide
Environmental Effects Monitoring
for the Modernized Kitimat Smelter
The KPI is based on water chemistry, indicating the
health of the aquatic ecosystem. This provides earlier
warning of effects than using aquatic biota as a KPI.
Aquatic
Ecosystems
Monitoring
Program
Comprehensive
Review Report 15
Synopsis of Results
Aerial view of the District of Kitimat, BC
Sulphur Dioxide
Environmental Effects Monitoring
for the Modernized Kitimat Smelter
Next Steps
Comprehensive
Review Report 17
Synopsis of Results
For any questions or comments about the SO2 EEM comprehensive review,
please email bcworksinfo@riotinto.com