Smog advisories help Ontarians cope with increased pollution

A trio of smog advisory health messages will help patients weather the dog days of summer. Developed by the Ontario Medical Association (OMA), the 1-page advisories are aimed at smog-sensitive people, children, and people working and exercising outdoors (see www.oma.org). In Ontario, smog causes respiratory difficulties for about 7% of the population and triggers about 1800 premature deaths annually.

"These are the first comprehensive, province-wide documents of their type," says Dr. Ted Boadway, executive director of the OMA Health Policy Department. The messages, which focus on raising awareness and reducing exposure, are part of the OMA's 4-part plan to reduce ground level ozone levels (see www.oma.org/phealth/ground.htm).

The advisories couldn't have come at a more opportune time in Ontario. In the past year, sulphur emissions have increased by 40%, primarily because of an increase in the use of coal-fired electricity after several nuclear power plants were shut down. "[The increase] is shocking in the face of knowing what it's doing and knowing you can't fix it," says Boadway.

The advisories came on the heels of the federal government's decision to reduce the level of sulphur in fuel by more than 90%. Current national levels are about 350 parts per million (500 ppm in Ontario), but in June the federal government said oil refineries must reduce the rate to 30 ppm by January 2005. The US Environmental Protection Agency told its refiners to make the same reduction by 2004.

The OMA was one of many lobby groups, including the CMA and 130 municipalities across Canada, that were urging Ottawa to slash emissions.-Barbara Sibbald, CMAJ