Efforts to curb air pollution in Canada’s largest city are having an effect, although there’s still room for improvement, according to a new study.
Researchers analysed data from provincial and federal monitoring programs and found that between 2004 and 2012, levels of both nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) decreased by about half. However, ground-level ozone – which forms via a chemical reaction between air and other pollutants – remains high.
The authors say it will be a few more years before the full benefits of pollution reduction programs can be seen in ozone levels.
Original research paper published in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics on August 15, 2014.
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