The impact of a landfill fire on ambient air quality in the north: A case study in Iqaluit, Canada

Abstract

A large landfill fire occurred in Iqaluit, Canada in spring/summer 2014. Air quality data were collected to characterize emissions as well as potential threats to public health. Criteria pollutants were monitored (PM2.5, O3, NO2) along with dioxins/furans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and volatile organic compounds. Median daily dioxin/furan concentrations were 66-times higher during active burning (0.2 pg/m(3) Toxic Equivalency Quotient (TEQ)) compared to after the fire was extinguished (0.003 pg/m(3) TEQ). Other pollutants changed less dramatically. Our findings suggest that airborne concentrations of potentially harmful substances may be elevated during landfill fires even when criteria air pollutants remain largely unchanged.

Keywords: Air pollution; Dioxins; Dioxins/furans; Landfill fire; NO(2); Nunavut; O(3); PAHs; PM(2.5); VOCs.