Inuit Environmental Health Risk Assessment: A GIS Analysis

Anders C. Erickson, Laurie H.M Chan

Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George B.C.
Introduction Work in Progress
The National Pollution Release Inventory (NPRI) database established by Environment Dispersion Modelling
Canada provides detailed information of sources of industrial pollutants across Canada. Research Questions
Well established techniques to assess local patterns of pollution. They use data that
Pollution sources include smelters, refineries, power generators, decommissioned military 1. Where are the Aboriginal communities that are at an elevated risk of exposure to is readily available such as emission rates/type, meteorology, and surface
sites and pulp and paper mills, industries typically situated in the rural north to produce environmental contamination due to their proximity to past and present industrial land topography to give an estimated (interpolated) exposure surface for the entire
goods for people in the urban south. This externalization of environmental costs are use? region. We can then compare health indicators for communities that fall within
therefore disproportionably absorbed by Aboriginal communities in proximity to these 2. Is there an increased risk of adverse health outcomes in “hotspot” communities? different ranges of proximity to the particular pollution source
facilities, but even more so by populations that rely on the environment for their food supply. (to be addressed in future studies)
Exploratory Disease Mapping
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) spatial analysis techniques can be used to identify
“hotspot” areas for local point pollution sources in proximity to Inuit communities. Create a series of isopleth maps of health outcomes (i.e. adverse birth outcomes).
We can then visually decipher whether hotspot communities have a higher observed
Objectives number of cases of adverse birth outcomes compared to other Aboriginal
communities of similar size, geography and socio-demographic characteristics.
The purpose of this project is to assess the environmental health of Aboriginal communities These exploratory risk maps then offer ways of interpretation as they are easily
that are at risk from being excessively exposed to pollution from proximal industrial activity. communicable to map users, such as First Nations health committees and policy
makers.
Our goal is to produce a series of Community Health Risk Maps that will serve as a guide to
prioritize environmental health issues at the community level using a bottom-up holistic
approach to promote health and wellness. Release Substances
Particulate Matter (PM):
Any solid particle found in the air
Materials and PM2.5 = Particulate Matter ≤ 2.5
Methodology PM10 = Particulate Matter ≤ 10 microns
Total PM = Particulate Matter ≤ 100 microns
NPRI Data
Nitrogen Oxides (expressed as NO2):
The National Pollutant Release Precursor to ground-level ozone and acid
Inventory (NPRI) is the only rain, reacts with other contaminants (i.e.
legislated, nation-wide, publicly- ammononia) to form PM2.5.
accessible inventory that
characterizes annual releases to Sulphur Dioxide (SO2):
air, water, land and disposal or Precursor to PM, smog, and acid rain.
recycling from all sectors-
industrial, government, commercial Aromatic Hydrocarbon (AHs):
and others (Environment Canada, Synthetic organic compounds polluting
2006). surface and ground waters. Somewhat
water soluble, volatile and resistant to
biodegradation.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs):

Environmental Releases = Total Releases – Landfill – Land treatment – Underground injection Aggregate grouping of ~1000 substances that photochemically-react in the
atmosphere (volatize). Precursors to secondary PM and ground-level ozone.
Activities that are exempt from reporting to the NPRI, include:
Facilities/activities exclusive to natural resource extraction, such as oil and gas extraction, Dioxins/Furans and Hexachlorobenzene (HCB):
exploration and drilling, timber harvesting, and mining (Environment Canada, 2006). Released primarily as by-products of industrial/combustion processes. HCB is
Environmental Health & Epidemiology found as a contaminant in wastewater treatment. Quantities reported in grams.
Aboriginal Community Data
Cyclohexanes / n-hexanes:
Air Pollution Methylmercury
Aboriginal communities were geocoded using DMTI Enhanced Postal Codes file. Neurotoxin, chromosomal mutagen and fetotoxic. Acute toxicity to aquatic life,
Those communities with populations less than 40 were not included in the registry to protect ™ A total of 5832.70 kg mercury released but low bioaccumulation (~2.8 day ½ life) (ASTDR, www.atsdr.cdc.gov, 2006).
™Positively associated with morbidity and
the community’s privacy. directly to the environment from stacks, spills,
mortality and adverse birth outcomes (Sram,
leaks, and other releases Cyanides:
Binkova et al. 2005).
Community data came from 2 sources: Highly toxic, often in the form of hydrogen cyanide (HCN-) or cyanide salts,
™ Half (2767.53 kg) is released within a 50km
1. The Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development “First Nations Profiles” present in emission particles, (~1.3 year ½ life in atmosphere). Low
™Ambient SO2 and NO2 were associated with radius of Aboriginal communities (NPRI
database (DIAND, 2004). bioaccumulation, high soil mobility. (ASTDR, www.atsdr.cdc.gov, 2006)
17.7% increase in the incidence of SIDS (Dales et database, 2002).
2. Nunavut Association of Municipalities and Quebec Indian and the Inuit Community Guide
al, 2004).
websites (Nunavut Association of Communities, 2004 http://www.nunavutcommunities.ca; INAC, ™ In Quebec, the proportion of Methylmercury
2005 http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/qc/aqc/nat_e.html).
™Exposure to heavy metal emissions shown to
averages nearly four times greater in boreal References
reservoir sites as compared with those of
be harmful to the cardio-respiratory system and Braune, B. M., P. M. Outridge, et al. (2005). Persistent organic pollutants and mercury in marine biota of the Canadian Arctic: an overview of
Identifying Hotspot Communities natural lakes (Montgomery, Lucotte et al. 2000). spatial and temporal trends. Sci Total Environ 351-352: 4-56.
have ‘tumourgenic potency’ (Newhook, 2003).
™ Numerous airborne contaminants are present Chan LT, Tivoli, L. (2007). Proposed Hotspots for Aboriginal Health Risks: A Spatial Representation of Industrial Contaminants Across
Previously, Chan and Tivoli (2007) used a 50km buffer around Aboriginal communities, and Canada. 2007 (submitted).
™Heavy metal emissions have a lasting impact in in the wildlife of both the Great Whale and the
identified 454 Aboriginal “hotspot” communities across Canada that are at risk of Dales R, Burnett RT, et.. al., (2004). Air pollution and sudden infant death syndrome. Pediatrics. 113(6):e628-31.
the environment as they (bio)accumulate in Nottaway-Broadback-Rupert hydroelectric
contaminant exposure from 2,188 nearby heavy polluting facilities. Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND). (2004). First Nation Profiles. Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
nearby shrubs, lichens and surface soil and settle projects of Northern Quebec (Montgomery, Her Majesty in right of Canada. http://sdiprod2.inac.gc.ca/fnprofiles/FNProfiles_home.htm
in bioavailable forms (Braune, Outridge et al., Lucotte et al. 2000).
Using the same data, we refined our potential exposure window to a 10km buffer around the Environment Canada. (2006). "National Pollutant Release Inventory: Data and Reports." http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/npri/npri_dat_rep_e.cfm.
2005).
NPRI facility and looked for proximal communities. This crude approximation of potential Montgomery, S., M. Lucotte, et al. (2000). Temporal and spatial influences of flooding on dissolved mercury in boreal reservoirs. Sci Total
Environ 260(1-3): 147-57.
exposure gives us a launching point to begin a more refined spatial analysis of the exposure-
disease relationship using techniques of dispersion models and disease mapping. Newhook R, Hirtle H, Byrne K, Meek ME. (2003). Releases form copper smelters and refineries and zinc plants in Canada: human health
exposure and risk characterization. The Science of the Total Environment. 301:23-41

Sram RJ, Binkova B, Dejmek J, Bobak M. (2005). Ambient air pollution and pregnancy outcomes: a review of the literature. Environ Health
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