Report: Concerns re pollution caused by extraordinary heavy truck use proposed for Hallowell Road

Concerns re pollution caused by extraordinary heavy truck use proposed for Hallowell Road

The pollution caused by the trucks is three-fold ;

1. diesel truck exhaust
2. silica dust
3. auditory and non-auditory noise

1: Diesel truck exhaust

Diesel truck exhaust causes a multitude of toxic substances such as PM 2.5 fine particulate matter [being the most dangerous] , ground level ozone, carbon monoxide etc. that cause asthma,chronic bronchitis, emphysema,pneumonia, and lung cancer. Older adults such as the seniors living in the Hallowell Rd. area are more at risk to the effects of truck polution than youger adults.The risk goes up exponentially with proximity and increased exposure to the toxins.The residents on Hallowell Rd. are 12 feet from the 100 cement trucks that are proposed to go up and down Hallowell from 0630 am. to 7pm. six days /week at a rate of one truck going by every 7 minutes !! The constant exposure to these toxins be horrendous and more so because these retirees are home a lot more..They will need industrial respirator masks, ear protection, goggles, and protective clothing to go out and garden or sit on their patios..Their windows would have to be closed all day..

There has not been any air testing done at present for a baseline.An EBAM [portable air monitoring machine] that can perform hourly monitoring would have to be rented or purchased by the Town of View Royal to make sure that the air quality standard for B.C. was maintained..Please read the articles on the B.C. Government ʻs website under B.C. Air Quality ʻHow Vehicle Emissions Affect Us and “How Air Quality Affects Health”.”A 2002 study of air quality in the Lower Fraser Valley found that even low amounts of fine particulate matter [PM 2.5] can harm our heath.The study also showed that a safe level of PM 2.5 [below which there are no heath impacts] has not been found. As PM 2.5 increases , so do the health problems. Long term exposure to PM 2.5 is an added health hazzard”.Deisel exhaust emits much higher amounts of PM 2.5 particles than petrol exhaust.

The proposed sound barrier in front of the residents on Hallowell Rd.could stagnate the truck exhaust at ground level. In the winter months and during temperature inversions the pollutants stay on the ground , Also, the James bay Air Quality Study phase 11 states that “Convective or unstable atmospheric conditions occur during the daytime.Vertical dispersion of pollutants is greatest under these conditions”.As it is very windy in View Royal these pollutants would be spread over a wide area as evidenced in the James Bay Study.Trucking is a daytime activity from 630 am to 7 pm Mon to Sat.

2: Silica dust

Silica dust is caused by rock crushing at the Trio Ready-Mix Concrete Site. Silica dust has been classified as a human lung carcinogen..See Crystalline Silica Exposure Health Hazzard Information article online ..As well breathing in Silica dust can cause Silicosis which can be disabling and fatal..Chronic Silicosis occurs after moderate or low exposures to respirable [fine particulate] silica after 15-20 years. If the concrete trucks are coming out at a rate of 1 every 7 minutes how can the fugitive dust created by the loading of the trucks ,the dust on the trucks ,and other sources possibly be contained when the process is so fast paced. The emplyees would have protective safety equipment to utilize for their protection ..We do not as there has been no air sampling to date we do not even know how much Silica dust is coming at us right now. How frequently are the trucks and roads going to be washed ? Sweeping the roads will only stir up the dust. There have been numerous e-mails from Hallowell council complaining about the dust emanating from the Trio site. Trio states that they have made some improvements to their site but they do not have a truck wash or a concrete barrier in front of their operations to contain some of the dust..I do not know if they have paved any of their road area to cut down on dust..

In their mission statement Ralmax [owners of Trio Ready Mix Concrete] states that “ the management of Ralmax is determined to promote healthy working conditions and ensures that its facilities and processes have minimal impact on the environment.”Their proposal to put 100 cement trucks on Hallowell Rd. 6 days/week for 12.5 hrs/day will have a huge negative effect on the environment for the residents of our complex by polluting the air causing our health and well being to suffer.

In the “Agreement “ʻthere was mention of New business...More trucking??

3: Auditoy and non-auditory noise

Auditoy and non-auditory noise effects on the nervous system.Please see the article “Noise Pollution- Non-Auditory Effects on Health.” online.

“ Noise from transport interferes with complex task performances, modifies social behaviour and cause annoyance. It also causes high blood pressure with fight or flight response due to loss of environmental quality. Persons regularly exposed to sustained noise levels can have ringing in the ears and possible hearing loss. Also included are the symptoms of nausea, headache, argumentativeness, change in mood, anxiey, anger, and stress. Vibrations are perceived as a compliment to continual noise because they are perceived through other senses as hearing.Most of the seniors here have no hearing deficits now..